Priory Church, Leominster facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Priory Church, Leominster |
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Leominster Priory
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| Denomination | Church of England |
| History | |
| Founder(s) | Reading Abbey |
| Architecture | |
| Style | Norman and later styles |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Diocese of Hereford |
The Priory Church is a special church in Leominster, Herefordshire, England. It is dedicated to Saint Peter and Saint Paul. This means it is named in their honor.
The church building was first built for a group of monks called Benedictines around the 13th century. Before that, there might have been an even older monastery from the Anglo-Saxon times in the same spot. In 1539, a part of the church and most of the monks' living areas were destroyed. Luckily, the main part of the church was saved.
Between 1872 and 1879, Sir George Gilbert Scott added special pillars inside. These pillars have a unique shape called quatrefoil, which looks like a four-leaf clover. The building is considered very important and is a "Grade I listed building". This means it has special historical value.
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Church Bells: A Musical History
The bells at The Priory Church are quite special and rare. There are ten bells in total. The eight largest bells were made by William Evans in 1755 in a place called Chepstow. Later, in 1894, two new bells were added by John Warners from London.
The largest bell, called the Tenor, is very heavy. It weighs about 2,500 pounds! It rings in the musical note of E-flat.
Churchyard: A Look into the Past
The area around the church, called the churchyard, holds many secrets. In 2005, people explored the ground north of the church. They found where the cloister used to be. A cloister is a covered walkway, usually found in monasteries. Most of the stone from it was taken after the monasteries were closed down a long time ago.
Scientists found old animal bones in the churchyard. They used a method called carbon dating to figure out how old they were. The bones showed that people lived in this area as far back as the 7th century. This fits with old stories that say a Christian community started here around 660 CE. It is believed a monk named St. Eadfrith from Lindisfarne in northern England started it.
Many graves and memorials are in the churchyard. These include members of the Kemble family, who were famous actors. The grandparents of the well-known actress Sarah Siddons are buried here. There is also one grave for a soldier from World War II. This grave is looked after by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Historical Figures: Early Women Doctors
The Priory Church also has a connection to some of the earliest known women doctors in England. Their names were Solicita and Matilda Ford. We know about them from old official documents called charters. These documents show that their brother, John, gave land to the priory in the late 1100s. Both Solicita and Matilda signed these documents using the word medica, which is Latin for "doctor." This shows they were recognized as medical professionals.
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