Holy Trinity Old Church, Bothenhampton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Holy Trinity Old Church |
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| Location | Bothenhampton, Dorset, England |
| Built | 14th century |
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Listed Building – Grade I
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| Official name: Old Holy Trinity | |
| Designated | 5 September 1960 |
| Reference no. | 1324171 |
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The Holy Trinity Old Church is a very old building in Bothenhampton, Dorset, England. It was built a long, long time ago, in the 13th or 14th century. Imagine, that's over 700 years ago! Today, it's a special kind of historic building. It's listed as a Grade I building, which means it's super important. The church is now looked after by the Churches Conservation Trust. This group takes care of old churches that are no longer used for regular services. The church stopped being used in 1971 and the Trust took over in 1972.
Contents
The Church's Story
This old church was first built in the 13th or 14th century. Only two main parts of the original mediaeval church are still standing today. These are the chancel and the tower, which was added in the 15th century.
Changes Over Time
In the 1880s, a big change happened. The main part of the church, called the nave, was taken down. A brand new church, also called Holy Trinity Church, was built in the village. This new church was designed by an architect named Edward Schroeder Prior.
Even after the new church was built, the old church was still used. It served as a special chapel for funerals until 1971.
Becoming a Protected Site
By 1971, the old church was in a very poor condition. Because of this, it was officially declared a redundant church. This means it was no longer needed for regular church services. In 1972, the Churches Conservation Trust took over its care. This group works to save and protect important old churches like this one.
What the Church Looks Like
The Holy Trinity Old Church is made of stone. Today, it mainly consists of the chancel, which is the part of the church near the altar. This chancel has a roof made of stone slabs. It is about 21 feet (6.4 meters) long and 10 feet 6 inches (3.2 meters) wide.
The Tower and Details
To the south of the chancel, there is a tower. This tower has two or three levels. You can see interesting stone carvings on it called gargoyles. It also has a parapet, which is a low wall at the edge of the roof. Short buttresses, which are supports, help hold the tower up. The entrance on the west side of the tower has a simple wooden door.
Inside the Church
When you go inside the church, you can see some interesting features. There's an early Georgian reredos, which is a decorative screen behind the altar. You'll also find a font from the 13th century. This is where baptisms take place. However, the base and stem of the font were added more recently, in the 20th century.
See also
