Faversham Parish Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Faversham Parish Church |
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| The Parish Church of St Mary of Charity | |
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| 51°19′02″N 0°53′41″E / 51.3171°N 0.8948°E | |
| OS grid reference | TR 01822 61535 |
| Location | Faversham, Kent |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Specifications | |
| Bells | 8 |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Canterbury |
The Parish Church of St Mary of Charity is a special Church of England church in the town of Faversham, Kent, England. Its tall spire stands out in the town's skyline. You can see it from far away!
Contents
History of the Church
From Abbey to Parish Church
This church is all that remains of a much larger religious area. This area once included Faversham Abbey, which was started in 1147 by King Stephen. Later, King Henry VIII closed down the Abbey.
The Famous Spire
Even though the church itself is very old, from the medieval times, its unique spire was added much later. This spire, which looks like a crown, was built in the 1700s. This was a time when Faversham was a rich and busy town.
A Large and Important Church
St Mary of Charity is much bigger than most local churches. It is said to be the second largest church in Kent, after All Saints Church, Maidstone. Because it is so big, it has great acoustics. This means sound travels well inside. It is even large enough to hold a full symphony orchestra for concerts!
Victorian Changes
In 1874, the inside of the church was updated and changed by Sir George Gilbert Scott. He was a very famous architect. He designed many important buildings, like parts of St Pancras Station and the Foreign Office in London. He also worked on many college and cathedral buildings.
Special Features to See
The church has many interesting things to look at.
- It is believed to be the burial place of King Stephen. This makes it one of the few churches outside London where an English king was buried.
- It has important misericords in the Quire. These are small wooden seats with carvings on the underside.
- There is a rare medieval painted pillar. This is a very old and special part of the church.
- A new altar was recently added. It is dedicated to Saints Crispin and Crispinian.
- The church clock was built by James William Benson.
In 1950, the church was given a special status called Grade I by English Heritage. This means it is a very important historic building.
Music at the Church
The Church Choir
St Mary of Charity has a strong tradition of church music. It has a choir made up of adults and children. They sing during church services like Anglican Matins, Evensong, and Communion. The current Director of Music is Ben Saul.
Choir Achievements
The choir is connected with the RSCM (Royal School of Church Music). Some singers in the choir have even earned the highest RSCM award, which is called the Gold Award.
