Fleet Old Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Fleet Old Church |
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Church of England |
| Location | |
| Location | Fleet, Dorset, England |
| Architecture | |
| Architectural type | Church |
Fleet Old Church is a special old building in Fleet, Dorset, England. It is a Church of England mortuary chapel. This means it is a small chapel used for burials. It used to be the main church for the village. But a very big storm in 1824 damaged it a lot. Now, only part of it, called the chancel, is left. This part is a very important historical building, known as a Grade II* listed building.
Contents
History of Fleet Old Church
When was the church first built?
A church in Fleet was first mentioned a very long time ago, in 1086. This was recorded in the Domesday Book, a famous survey ordered by William the Conqueror. At that time, a monk named Bolla was the village's priest.
The part of the church that still stands today, the chancel, is thought to be from the 1400s. This suggests that the church was rebuilt at some point after the first mention. It was dedicated to the Holy Trinity. In 1552, records show that Fleet's church had a tower with two bells.
The Great Storm of 1824
In 1824, a huge storm hit Fleet. It caused a lot of damage to the church's main part, called the nave. Many houses in the village were also destroyed. Because the church was so badly damaged, the local priest, Rev. George Gould, decided to build a brand new church.
The new church was designed by William Strickland. It was built between 1827 and 1829. This new Holy Trinity Church was placed about 540 yards further inland from the old one.
What happened to the old church?
When the new church was finished, the damaged nave of the old church was taken down in 1827. However, the chancel, which was less damaged, was kept. It was repaired and then used as a mortuary chapel. This means it became a place for funeral services and burials.
The old church also became famous in a book! It was featured in the 1898 novel Moonfleet by J. Meade Falkner.
Architecture of the Old Church
The part of Fleet Old Church that is still standing is the chancel. It is built from local stone rubble. It has special stone decorations and stone slate roofs.
Inside, you can see a window from the 1600s. The side walls each have a window that was once open but is now blocked up. The roof inside has a special design with arches and collars.
There are also some old monuments inside the building. These include memorials to Robert Mohun from 1603, Maximilian Mohun from 1612, and Francis Mohun from 1711–12. There is also a special plaque dedicated to the author J. Meade Falkner.
