Church of St Nicholas, Barton le Clay facts for kids
The Church of St Nicholas is a very old and important church located in Barton le Clay, Bedfordshire, England. It is known as a Grade I listed building. This means it is considered a building of exceptional historical and architectural interest. It officially received this special status on February 3, 1967.
History of the Church
The village of Barton-le-Clay was first mentioned in a famous old book called the Domesday Book. This book was made in 1086 to record everything in England. The Church of St Nicholas itself was first written about in 1178.
At that time, Pope Alexander III said the church belonged to Ramsey Abbey. An abbey was a type of monastery where monks lived and worked. The church stayed connected to Ramsey Abbey for many years. This continued until King Henry VIII of England decided to close down many monasteries. This event is known as the dissolution of the monasteries. After this, the church became part of the Church of England and belonged to the King or Queen.
Building and Design
The Church of St Nicholas has been rebuilt and changed over many centuries. The main part of the church was rebuilt in the 1200s. Later, in the 1300s, the central area called the nave was made bigger. The tall church tower was added in the 1400s. This tower has a cool pattern that looks like a checkerboard.
Inside the church, the north side aisle has special carvings of the Twelve Apostles. These were the main followers of Jesus. There is also a beautiful stained glass window from the 1300s. It shows Saint James the Greater. At the west end of the church, you can see a narrow, pointed window from the 1200s. The south side aisle was built more recently. However, it still uses some old stones from the 1200s. You can also find very old memorial writings from 1370 and 1400 there. These are written in a style called blackletter. The church was also repaired and made new again in 1879. This process is called restoration.
In 1967, the church was given its Grade I listed status by English Heritage. This group helps protect important historical places. The church is surrounded by iron fences from the 1800s. There is also an old lamppost nearby. These fences and lamppost are also listed as Grade II, meaning they are important too.
See Also
- Grade I listed buildings in Bedfordshire
