St Aldhelm's Church, Boveridge facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St Aldhelm's Church
Religion
Affiliation	Church of England
Ecclesiastical or organizational status	Redundant
Location
Location	Boveridge, Dorset, England
Architecture
Architectural type	Church
Completed	1838

St Aldhelm's Church used to be a Church of England church. You can find it in a place called Boveridge, in Dorset, England. A man named Richard Brouncker paid to have it built in 1838. In 1980, it was no longer used as a church. Now, this special building, which is a Grade II listed building, is someone's home.

The Story of St Aldhelm's Church

A small church, called a chapel, existed in Boveridge a long time ago. We know this because it was mentioned in a will from 1595. In the early 1500s, Thomas Hooper, who owned the Boveridge estate, built a special house for poor people in the village.

His son, Edward Hooper, who passed away in 1661, left money and land. This was to help three poor widows. He also left money to pay for a minister. This minister would teach Christian lessons to the poorer people at the village chapel.

In 1708, a new chapel was built near Boveridge Farm. This was also built by Edward Hooper. The vicar from Cranborne would come to lead services there.

Building a New Church in 1838

In 1838, a completely new church was built. Richard Brouncker, who owned the Boveridge estate at the time, paid for it. He chose a new spot for the church. This location was easier for everyone in the village to reach.

Church Updates and Dedication

The church got some important updates in 1896. These repairs cost about £100. A builder named Mr. T. Coombe from Cranborne did the work.

The church was reopened and given its name, St. Aldhelm, on October 8, 1896. The Archdeacon of Dorset, Francis Sowter, led the special ceremony.

During the updates, the walls were repainted. The windows were cleaned and fixed. The old stone floor was replaced with new wooden blocks. The area where the altar is, called the chancel, was made a bit higher than the main part of the church. The communion table also got its own platform.

The old square pews, which came from a church in Salisbury, were replaced. New benches made of carved oak were put in. These new benches could seat about 100 people. The wooden rails around the communion area were also taken out. A new pulpit (where the minister speaks) and a reading desk were made from the old wooden rails.

Becoming a Private Home

St Aldhelm's Church stopped being used by the Church of England on October 13, 1980. This is called being "redundant." In 1981, the church leaders were allowed to change the building's use. It could now become a single home.

The building was then sold to a private owner. In 1982, plans were approved to turn the church into a house. Later, in 1990, more changes and additions to the building were allowed.

What St Aldhelm's Church Looks Like

St Aldhelm's Church is built with a mix of materials. It has stripes of brick and flint stone. The corners and decorative parts are made of brick and smooth cut stone. The roofs are covered with slate tiles.

The church has a main hall called a nave. It also has a chancel, which is the part near the altar. There's a small chapel on the north side. On the north-west corner, there is a square tower.

The Tower and Its Features

The square tower has a stone cupola on top. A cupola is a small dome-shaped structure. This one has four columns and a dome. Inside the tower, there is one bell.

Before the church became a home, it had some interesting things inside. There was a special font made of Portland stone. This was likely from when the church was built in 1838. The walls of the chancel and nave had old wooden panels from the 1500s and 1600s.

In the north chapel, there was a stone tablet from 1825. This tablet remembered Henry Brouncker and other members of the Brouncker family. The church also had coats of arms for the Hooper and Brouncker families.