Church of St Vigor, Stratton-on-the-Fosse facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of St Vigor |
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| General information | |
| Town or city | Stratton-on-the-Fosse |
| Country | England |
| Coordinates | 51°15′19″N 2°29′23″W / 51.2552°N 2.4896°W |
| Completed | 12th century |
The Church of St Vigor is a very old church in Stratton-on-the-Fosse, Somerset, England. It was built way back in the 1100s! This church is so special that it's called a Grade I listed building. This means it's one of the most important historic buildings in the country.
The church is named after Saint Vigor, who was a French bishop and a Christian missionary. After the Norman conquest of England in 1066, the story and respect for Saint Vigor came from France to England. This church is one of only two churches in England named after him. The other one is in Fulbourn in Cambridgeshire.
Contents
History of the Church
The first church here was built by Geoffrey de Montbray. He was the Bishop of Coutances. He became the lord of the manor after the Normans took over England.
Original Norman Features
From the very first Norman church, only a few parts remain today. These include the doorway on the south side of the church. You can also see the chancel arch, which is an archway that separates the main part of the church from the altar area. The font, used for baptisms, is also from this early time.
Later Additions and Changes
The pulpit, where the priest gives sermons, was added in the 1300s. The chancel, the area around the altar, also dates from this century.
The beautiful stained glass windows in the church have pieces from medieval times. These old fragments were put into newer windows. This happened after some damage, which might have occurred during the English Civil War in the 1600s.
The Long chapel was built in 1782. It was named after the Long family, who were important supporters of the church.
Churchyard and Community
The churchyard is the area around the church where people are buried. It contains a war grave for a soldier. This soldier was from the Somerset Light Infantry and died during World War II.
St. Vigor's Church works together with St. John's Church in nearby Chilcompton. They share a priest and work as one church community. Both churches are part of the larger church area called the archdeaconry of Bath.
See also
- List of Grade I listed buildings in Mendip
- List of towers in Somerset
- List of ecclesiastical parishes in the Diocese of Bath and Wells
