Church of the Holy Cross, Middlezoy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of the Holy Cross |
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| General information | |
| Town or city | Middlezoy |
| Country | England |
| Coordinates | 51°05′38″N 2°53′39″W / 51.0938°N 2.8943°W |
| Completed | 13th century |
The Church of the Holy Cross is an old church located in Middlezoy, a village in Somerset, England. This church was built a very long time ago, in the 13th century. It is considered a very important historical building. Because of its age and special features, it has been given a "Grade I listed building" status. This means it is protected and recognized as a building of great historical interest.
Contents
A Look Back in Time
The Church of the Holy Cross has a long and interesting history. In the year 1263, a person named William of Bitton II was in charge of the church. For many years, from the 1200s to the early 1500s, Middlezoy was not its own separate church area. It was part of a larger church area called Sowy parish. This kind of smaller church area was known as a chapelry.
Over time, the church's name changed a few times. It was first named after St. Lawrence. Later, it was dedicated to St. Mary. Finally, in 1754, it received its current name, the Church of the Holy Cross.
What the Church Looks Like
The church has several main parts. It includes a chancel, which is the area around the altar, and a nave, which is the main part where people sit. There is also a south aisle, which is a side section, and a south porch, which is the entrance. On the north side, there is a chapel or a vestry, a room used by the clergy.
The Tall Tower
One of the most noticeable parts of the church is its tall west tower. This tower has three main sections and was built around the year 1483. It looks quite similar to the tower of the church in Lyng. Inside the tower, there are six bells. One of these bells is very old, dating back to 1608. It was likely made by a bell maker named George Purdue.
The very top part of the tower has been repaired and made strong again. This work included replacing the pinnacles, which are the pointy decorations on top. Sections of the pierced parapet were also fixed. A parapet is a low wall along the edge of the roof. You can also see interesting stone carvings on the tower called hunky punks. These carvings are like gargoyles but are not used for draining water. Over many years, the weather has worn them down quite a bit.
Keeping the Church Strong
The entire church building has been repaired and updated many times over the centuries. A very big restoration project happened in the 1860s. This work followed plans made by an architect named Charles Knowles. More repairs were also done in 1908 to keep the church in good condition.
Today, the Church of the Holy Cross is part of a group of churches. This group includes churches in Middlezoy, Othery, Moorlinch, Stawell, and Sutton Mallet. They all belong to the Glastonbury deanery, which is a larger church district.
See also
- List of Grade I listed buildings in Sedgemoor
- List of towers in Somerset
