List of church restorations and alterations by Anthony Salvin facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Anthony Salvin (1799–1881) was a famous English architect born in Sunderland Bridge, County Durham. He learned his skills from John Paterson in Edinburgh and later moved to London in 1821. Salvin designed many new churches and also worked on fixing up and adding to older churches. He also designed other buildings, like schools.

However, Salvin is best known for his amazing work on large, important buildings, especially castles and grand country houses. Some of the famous castles he worked on include Windsor Castle, Norwich Castle, and Warwick Castle. He also helped restore parts of the Tower of London and worked on buildings at famous universities like Trinity College, Cambridge and Durham University. He designed new country houses such as Mamhead House and Peckforton Castle. He even designed the Observatory for Durham University!

This article focuses on the churches that Anthony Salvin helped restore, add to, or change. Many of these churches are very old and have been carefully preserved.

Understanding Building Grades
Salvin's Church Projects
Images for kids
See also

Understanding Building Grades

In England, important buildings are given special "grades" to show how historically significant they are. This helps protect them.

Grade I: These are buildings that are super important and special, sometimes even famous around the world.
Grade II*: These buildings are also very important and have a lot of special history.
Grade II: These are buildings that are important to the country and have special historical value.

Salvin's Church Projects

Anthony Salvin worked on many churches across England, often bringing them back to life or adding new parts. His work is known as "Victorian restoration" because it happened during the Victorian era (when Queen Victoria was on the throne). This often meant fixing up old parts, rebuilding damaged sections, or adding new features that fit the original style of the church.

Early Church Restorations

One of Salvin's earliest church projects was the restoration of St Nectan's Church in Ashcombe, Devon, in the 1820s. This church was originally built in the 13th century. Around 1830, he remodelled the west front of Norwich Cathedral in Norwich, Norfolk. This is a very grand cathedral, and Salvin's changes helped update its look. Both of these churches are considered Grade I buildings.

In the 1840s, Salvin continued his work on historic churches. He remodelled St Mary's Church in Helmingham, Suffolk, around 1840. This church is a Grade II building. He also worked on the Holy Sepulchre Church in Cambridge in 1841. This church is very old, dating back to the 12th century, and Salvin helped restore and partly rebuild it. It's a Grade I building.

Major Restorations and Rebuildings

Salvin often took on big projects that involved more than just small fixes. For example, at St Oswald's Church in Arncliffe, North Yorkshire, he restored the nave (the main part of the church where people sit) in 1841 and rebuilt the chancel (the area around the altar) in 1843. This church is a Grade II building.

Between 1845 and 1846, he restored St Margaret's Church in Stratton St Margaret, Swindon. This included rebuilding parts of the clerestory (the upper part of the church walls with windows) and the tower. This church is a Grade I building.

A significant project was the rebuilding of much of St Peter's Church in Elford, Staffordshire, between 1848 and 1849. This church is now a Grade II* building, showing its high importance. Around the same time, he restored St Andrew's Church in Greystoke, Cumbria, which dates from the 13th century and is a Grade II* building. He also restored St Lawrence's Church in Castle Rising, Norfolk, around 1849, which is a Grade I building.

Cathedral Work and Later Projects

Salvin's expertise extended to cathedrals too. Around 1850, he worked on Wells Cathedral in Wells, Somerset, restoring the choir area. This is a magnificent Grade I cathedral.

In 1852, he altered and re-roofed the aisles (side sections) of St Oswald's Church in Lower Peover, Cheshire, a Grade I church. He also carried out extensive restoration on St Mary the Virgin's Church in Aldridge, West Midlands, between 1852 and 1853, rebuilding the north aisle and chancel. This is a Grade II* building.

In 1855, Salvin restored St Mary's Church in Weaverham, Cheshire, a Grade I church from the 15th century. He also worked on St Philip and St James' Church in Rock, Northumberland, restoring and rebuilding parts of it, adding a new bellcote (a small structure holding bells), vestry (a room for clergy), and apse (a rounded end to the church). This is a Grade II* building.

He replaced the tower of St Mary's Church in Flixton, Suffolk, in 1856, which is a Grade II* building. In 1857, he restored the famous Church of St Mary the Great in Cambridge, a Grade I church. The same year, he restored the east end of All Saints Church in Sherburn-in-Elmet, North Yorkshire, another Grade I building.

In 1858, Salvin restored the cloisters (covered walkways) of Durham Cathedral in Durham, a stunning Grade I cathedral. One of his last projects was the restoration and rebuilding of St Margaret's Church in Fernhurst, West Sussex, in 1859 and 1881. This 12th-century church is a Grade II building.

Later Additions and Final Works

In the 1860s, Salvin continued his work. He restored St Mary's Church in Whickham, Tyne and Wear, between 1860 and 1862, adding a second north aisle, vestry, organ chamber, and a new roof. This is a Grade I church. Around 1863, he restored St Mary and St Michael's Church in Alnwick, Northumberland, a Grade II building.

He rebuilt the chancel of St Mungo's Church in Simonburn, Northumberland, between 1863 and 1864, a Grade II* church. In 1865, he restored St Swithin's Church in Newnham, Hampshire, a Grade I church from the 12th century.

In 1866, Salvin added a new south aisle to the Royal Chapel of All Saints in Windsor Great Park, Windsor, Berkshire. This is a Grade II building. He also restored St James' Church in Unthank, Skelton, Cumbria, between 1867 and 1868, a Grade II church built in 1714.

In 1868, he restored St John the Baptist's Church in Stanwick St John, North Yorkshire, a Grade I church from the 13th century. A notable addition was the tower and spire (a tall, pointed structure on top of a tower) he added to St Nicholas' Church in Worth, Crawley, West Sussex, in 1871. This church has very old Anglo-Saxon architecture (buildings from early English history) and is a Grade I building.

In 1872, he added a north chapel to St Michael's Church in Haselbech, Northamptonshire, a Grade II* building. In 1874, he restored St Michael and All Angels Church in Ravenglass, Cumbria, adding a north transept (a part of the church that crosses the main body). This Grade I church is located in the grounds of Muncaster Castle, which Salvin also worked on.

One of his later church projects was St Michael's Church in Northchapel, West Sussex, in 1877, a Grade II building. Salvin also worked on St Mary's Church in Astbury, Cheshire, restoring this 12th-century Grade I church, and refurnished St Mary and All Saints' Church in Great Budworth, Cheshire, also a Grade I building. He also restored All Saints' Church in Freethorpe, Norfolk, a 12th-century Grade II* church.

Anthony Salvin's work helped preserve and improve many important churches across England, ensuring they could be enjoyed for centuries to come.