St Aldhelm's Church, Belchalwell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of St Aldhelm, Belchalwell |
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View from the south-east
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| 50°53.2305′N 2°17.7960′W / 50.8871750°N 2.2966000°W | |
| OS grid reference | ST 792 097 |
| Location | Belchalwell |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| History | |
| Dedication | Saint Aldhelm |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* |
| Designated | 4 Oct 1960 |
| Administration | |
| Deanery | Blackmore Vale Deanery |
| Diocese | Diocese of Salisbury |
St Aldhelm's Church is an old and important church in the small village of Belchalwell, Dorset. It belongs to the Church of England. This church is a "Grade II* listed building," which means it's a very special historic building that needs to be protected.
The church sits on a hill above Belchalwell village. Some parts of the church are super old, from the 12th century, but most of it was built in the 15th century.
Who Was Saint Aldhelm?
The church is named after Saint Aldhelm. This name was chosen in 1959 because the original name was lost. Church records were destroyed in a fire way back in 1731.
Saint Aldhelm lived a long time ago, from about 639 to 709 AD. He was a very smart and important person in Wessex (an old kingdom in England) during the time of King Ine. He became the first leader, or "Abbot," of Malmesbury Abbey around 675. Later, in 705, he became the first "Bishop" of Sherborne. A bishop is a high-ranking leader in the church.
A Look at the Church's History and Design
The oldest part of St Aldhelm's Church is the main hall, called the nave. The south wall of the nave was built in the late 12th century. You can see a very old doorway there. This doorway leads right into the nave. It has a cool, round arch called a "Norman arch." It's decorated with zigzag patterns and carved faces at the ends, which are still in great shape!
Most of the other parts of the church were built in the 15th century. This includes the porch (the covered entrance), the tower, the north aisle (a side section of the church), and the chancel (the part of the church where the altar is).
The church tower is on the south side, next to the porch. It has two levels and a top edge with "battlements," which look like the tops of old castles. You can also spot some "gargoyles" on the corners. These are carved stone figures, often shaped like monsters, that were used to drain water from the roof. There's also a sundial on the tower, which was probably added later to tell time using the sun.
Later, in the late 1800s, some parts of the church were rebuilt. This included the north aisle, the east wall of the chancel, and the west wall of the nave.
