Priory Church of St George, Dunster facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Priory Church of St George |
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| General information | |
| Town or city | Dunster |
| Country | England |
| Coordinates | 51°11′00″N 3°26′45″W / 51.1832°N 3.4459°W |
| Completed | 15th century |
The Priory Church of St George in Dunster, Somerset, England, is a very old and important church. Most of it was built in the 1400s, but some parts are even older, from the 1100s and 1200s. It is considered a Grade I listed building, which means it's a really special historic place. This church has a rich history and many interesting features.
A Look Back: The Church's Story
The building of this church began a very long time ago. It was started by a person named William de Moyon back in the 11th century (the 1000s). Imagine how much history has happened since then!
The tall central tower you see today was built much later. A builder named Jon Marys from Stogursey was hired for the job in 1442. He was paid for every foot of height he built, plus extra for the fancy pointed tops called pinnacles. The tower was finished in just three years. Later, in 1504, extra sections called aisles were added to the sides of the church.
For a long time, the church was shared. The monks from Dunster Priory used one part for their worship, and the local villagers (parishioners) used another. This sharing sometimes caused disagreements between them. To solve this, a special carved screen, called a rood screen, was built. It divided the church into two main areas. The villagers used the western part, and the monks used the eastern part.
The church was later repaired and updated between 1875 and 1877. This type of repair work is often called a Victorian restoration. It was done by a famous architect named George Edmund Street. The church has a cross shape, which is called a cruciform plan. Its central tower has four levels and was built in 1443. It also has strong diagonal supports and a small stair tower.
