St Andrew's Church, Burnham-on-Sea facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St. Andrew's Church |
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| General information | |||||||||
| Location | Victoria Street, Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset TA8 1AW | ||||||||
| Country | England | ||||||||
| Construction started | 1305 | ||||||||
| Completed | 1314 | ||||||||
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St Andrew's Church is a very old church in Burnham-on-Sea, a town in Somerset, England. It's a Church of England church, which means it's part of the main Christian church in England. This church is special because it's a "Grade I listed building," which means it's a really important historical place that needs to be protected. People often visit it because its tower leans, just like the famous Leaning Tower of Pisa!
Contents
What is the History of St Andrew's Church?
There has been a church on this spot for a very long time, since the late 1000s. The church you see today was either built new or greatly improved between 1305 and 1314. Some parts from that time are still standing.
How the Church Grew Over Time
The tower of the church was built in the late 1300s. The main part of the church, called the nave, was built around the late 1300s or early 1400s. Later, in 1838, a new section called the north aisle and a gallery were added. The chancel, which is the area around the altar, was updated in 1878.
Why Does St Andrew's Church Tower Lean?
The church's tower is about 78 feet tall and leans quite a bit, which makes it very interesting to visitors. If you dropped a straight line from the north side of the tower, it would land about 3 feet away from the building! Experts believe this big lean is happening because the ground underneath the tower, its foundations, isn't strong enough.
How the Leaning Tower Became a Lighthouse
In the 1700s, a light was placed on the church tower. This light helped guide fishing boats safely into the harbour. Later, in the late 1700s, a local vicar (a church leader) helped raise money to replace the light on the church.
A new, round tower was built next to the church, finished in 1801. This new tower became a proper lighthouse. It was later taken over by Trinity House, an organization that manages lighthouses. In 1832, this lighthouse was replaced by two new ones nearby: the High Lighthouse and the Low Lighthouse. The old round tower was made shorter so people wouldn't confuse it with the new High Lighthouse.
The Church Bells
The leaning tower also holds a set of eight bells. These bells are used for a special type of bell ringing called change ringing. The bells you hear today were made at different times by a famous bell-making company called the Whitechapel Bell Foundry.
What Sculptures Are Inside the Church?
St Andrew's Church has some beautiful marble carvings that were originally designed by a very famous architect, Sir Christopher Wren. These sculptures were made for a private chapel in the Palace of Whitehall in London.
The Journey of the Sculptures
The sculptures were part of a large altar that was ordered by King James II in 1685. They were carved by Inigo Jones and other artists like Grinling Gibbons and Arnold Quellin.
After being in Westminster Abbey for a while, they were moved to Burnham-on-Sea in the late 1700s or early 1800s. This happened because Walker King, who was a bishop and also the vicar of Burnham-on-Sea, got them for the church. He even wrote a small book about them to raise money for charity.
What you see at St Andrew's Church is only part of the original design. The main panels are behind the altar, and other pieces are displayed in different parts of the church.
See also
- List of ecclesiastical parishes in the Diocese of Bath and Wells
