Church of St Michael and All Angels, Penselwood facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of St Michael and All Angels |
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| Location | Penselwood, Somerset, England |
| Built | 15th century |
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Listed Building – Grade II*
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| Official name: Church of St Michael and All Angels | |
| Designated | 24 March 1961 |
| Reference no. | 1238353 |
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The Church of St Michael and All Angels is a beautiful old church located in Penselwood, a village in Somerset, England. This church was built a very long time ago, in the 15th century! It's so important that it's officially recognized as a Grade II* listed building, which means it's a special historic place.
A Look Back in Time
Most of the church you see today was built in the 1400s. Later, in the 1800s, it had a big makeover called a Victorian restoration. This helped to fix up and update parts of the building.
More recently, between 2006 and 2008, the church got a brand new roof. The church is part of the local church area, or parish, of Penselwood. This parish belongs to the larger Diocese of Bath and Wells.
What the Church Looks Like
This church is made of stone and has stone slate roofs. Inside, it has a main open area called a three-bay nave. There's also a two-bay chancel, which is the part of the church where the altar is.
In 1848, a north aisle was added. This is like a side section or walkway. The church also has a tall, two-stage west tower. This tower is held up by strong diagonal buttresses, which are supports built into the walls. It also has a cool hexagonal stair turret, which is a small tower with a spiral staircase.
The tower is home to six bells. The oldest of these bells was made way back in 1520!
Above the south door, there's a special carved area called a niche. Inside, you can see a sculpture of the Virgin Mary and two kneeling figures. People believe this carving is from around the year 1400. It was brought to the church from Italy in the mid-1800s by the church's leader at the time, Rev Samuel Marindin.
Most of the things inside the church, like the benches and decorations, are from the 1800s. However, there are some much older pieces. You can find a font (a basin used for baptisms) that dates all the way back to the 11th century! There's also a piscina from the 14th century, which is a special basin used for washing sacred vessels.
