Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, West Chinnock facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Religion
Affiliation	Church of England
Ecclesiastical or organizational status	Active
Location
Location	West Chinnock, Somerset, England
Architecture
Architect(s)	Charles Kirk
Architectural type	Church
Architectural style	Early English style
Completed	1890
Materials	Hamstone

The Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary is a special church in West Chinnock, Somerset, England. It belongs to the Church of England. This church is very old, with parts of it dating back to the 13th century!

However, most of what you see today was rebuilt between 1889 and 1890. A talented architect named Charles Kirk designed the new parts. The church is also a Grade II listed building, which means it's an important historical building protected by law. Today, it's part of a group of churches called the Ham Hill Churches Benefice.

A Look Back: Church History

Early Beginnings

The Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary has a long history, starting way back in the 1200s. The first known leader of the church, called a rector, was Rev. John de Kirkeby in 1293. Over the years, the church was made bigger in 1821 and again in 1827.

Plans for a New Look

Around 1876, people wanted to fix up the church. But they couldn't find enough money to do the work. The rector at the time, Rev. Christian Frederick Newell, also felt the church wasn't set up very well. He thought it needed a big change.

Getting the Funds

Things changed in 1889 when Mrs. Sarah Woodcock of West Chinnock gave a large gift of £800 to rebuild the church. This generous gift encouraged others to help. People from the village promised another £760. The total cost was estimated to be £2,180.

Important people also helped. The Earl of Ilchester, who owned a lot of land nearby, gave £300. The Bishop of Bath and Wells, Right Rev. Lord Arthur Hervey, also supported the plan and gave a donation.

Building the New Church

The new church was built by Charles Trask from Norton-sub-Hamdon. The plans came from the architect Charles Kirk of Sleaford. The last church services in the old building were held on July 28, 1889. The very next day, workers started taking out the seats to get ready for tearing down the old church.

While the new church was being built, Sunday services and baptisms were held in the nearby National Schoolroom. For Holy Communion and weddings, people went to churches in Chiselborough or Middle Chinnock.

Laying the Cornerstone

On October 8, 1889, Mrs. Woodcock, who had given the big gift, laid the main cornerstone of the new church in a special ceremony. The builders tried to keep as much of the 13th-century part of the church, called the chancel, as possible.

The old tower was taken down and rebuilt further to the west. This allowed the main part of the church to be made much bigger. Some of the stone from the old church was used to build the new tower. The new church was officially opened on July 24, 1890, by the Bishop of Bath and Wells. He also blessed the enlarged churchyard.

Church Design and Features

Building Materials

St Mary's Church is built using a special local stone called Hamstone. The roofs are covered with Welsh slate. The church has several main parts: a nave (the main area where people sit), north and south aisles (sections on the sides), a chancel (the area near the altar), and a tall west tower.

The Tower and Bells

The tower has two levels and is about sixty feet (about 18 meters) tall. It has a weathervane on top. Inside the tower are four bells. Three of these bells came from the old church. Two of them were melted down and reshaped during the rebuilding in 1889–90. The fourth bell was brand new. Mrs. Woodcock gave this new bell in memory of Abraham and Isaac Ford. The new bell and the reshaping of the old ones were done by Messrs Taylor from Loughborough.

Inside the Church

The church has an open roof made of strong Memel timber. The main beams are supported by beautifully carved stone pieces called corbels.

Many of the stained glass windows were added during the 1889–90 rebuilding. Some were given by people who wished to remain anonymous. The stained glass in the south window was a gift from Mr. Richard Hayward of West Chinnock, in memory of his grandfather. Mrs. Woodcock also gave the stained glass for the chancel's south-east window, remembering the Ford family. The church still has its original 13th-century piscina (a basin for washing sacred vessels) and sedilia (seats for the clergy) in the chancel.

New Furnishings

The rebuilt church received many new items inside, and many of these were also gifts. Major Hayward gave the oak altar table and the reredos (a decorated screen behind the altar). The reredos was made of Ancaster stone with marble columns. Mr. Thomas March of Newton gave the oak altar chairs in memory of John Patten. The choir stalls and reading desk are also made of oak.

The pulpit, which is where the preacher stands, is made of Doulting stone. It was a gift from Misses E. and M. Hayward of London in memory of Thomas Carlyle Hayward. Even the font, used for baptisms, was a gift from the architect himself! It is made of Ancaster stone with a marble column and a Doulting stone base.

The Churchyard

During the 1889–90 restoration, the churchyard was also changed. It was made bigger and surrounded by a new wall made of Hamstone. To make the churchyard larger, two small houses on the east side and one on the west side were taken down. The house on the west side was a gift from the Earl of Ilchester.