Church of St Peter, Marksbury facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of St Peter |
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| Location | Marksbury, Somerset, England |
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Listed Building – Grade II*
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| Designated | 1 February 1954 |
| Reference no. | 1320777 |
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The Church of St Peter is a very old church located in Marksbury, a village in Somerset, England. It was first built way back in the 12th century, which means it's over 800 years old! Even though it's so old, much of what you see today was built in the 15th century. This church is considered very important, so it's listed as a Grade II* listed building. This means it's a special historic place that needs to be protected.
Contents
Exploring the Church of St Peter
The Church of St Peter has many interesting parts. The main open area where people sit is called the nave. It has two windows that let in light. There's also an old, round-headed doorway that is now blocked up. A stone plaque above it shows the year 1627.
The Chancel and Its Features
The chancel is the part of the church near the altar. It's a bit off-centre from the nave. It has a large window at the east end that was added in 1875. Around the same time, the arch leading into the chancel and its roof were replaced. A special room for the organ was built in 1893. The main altar is a beautiful oak table from the Jacobean period, which was a long time ago. There's also another altar table in the church's tower that used to be in a nearby church.
The church also has a font, which is a basin used for baptisms. This font is very old and was made in the Norman style.
The Tall Tower and Its Bells
The church has a tall tower with three main sections. It has strong supports called buttresses to help it stand firm. There's also a small, winding staircase inside a little tower, called a turret, where the main tower meets the nave. The tower has a small door on the west side.
The tower has different windows on each level. The top level has large, round-headed windows on each side. The very top of the tower has a decorative wall called a parapet and four pointy decorations called pinnacles. These pinnacles have weather vanes on top that show wind direction. Some spikes were added to the tower in the 1700s.
The Church Bells
In 1782, the church had four bells. These bells were sent to a famous bell-making family, the Bilbies, to be melted down and recast. More metal was added to make a set of six bells! Later, in 1820, one of the largest bells cracked and had to be recast again in London. In the early 1900s, the tower got a new roof, and the bells were rehung so they could ring clearly again.
Important People and Memories
Inside the church, you can find several monuments that remember people from long ago. There are monuments in the chancel for families like the Counsells (from 1671) and the Waddens (from 1682). In the nave, there's a monument for Boulter from 1782.
Reverend William Counsell was the church's rector, or head priest, from 1662 to 1674. Francis Popham, who lived in a grand house called Littlecote House, was buried in the church's chancel in 1779.
One of the beautiful stained glass windows in the church is a special memorial. It remembers a local person who sadly lost her life in the Great Flood of 1968. This was when the River Chew overflowed its banks and caused a lot of damage.
Famous Cheese Maker Buried Here
In the churchyard, outside the church, there's an old monument that is also listed as a historic item. A very important person named Joseph Harding is buried here. He is known as the "father of Cheddar cheese" because he helped create the modern ways of making this famous cheese. There's a special plaque inside the church that remembers him. It was moved there from a different chapel.
See also
- List of ecclesiastical parishes in the Diocese of Bath and Wells
