St Andrew's Church, Congresbury facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of St Andrew |
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| General information | |
| Town or city | Congresbury |
| Country | England |
| Coordinates | 51°22′11″N 2°48′33″W / 51.3697°N 2.8091°W |
| Completed | 13th century |
The Anglican Church of St Andrew is a very old church in Congresbury, Somerset, England. It was built in the 13th century, which is over 700 years ago! This church is so special that it has been named a Grade I listed building. This means it is one of the most important historic buildings in England.
Contents
Discovering St Andrew's Church
The Story of Congresbury
The village of Congresbury is named after a saint called St Congar. People say that St Congar performed three miracles in this area a very long time ago. The second part of the name, "bury," likely comes from an old word meaning "fortified place" or a strong settlement.
An archaeologist named Mick Aston found an old sculpture of St Congar. This sculpture was made by the Anglo-Saxons and is believed to have come from St Andrew's Church. Today, you can see this ancient sculpture at the Museum of Somerset in Taunton.
Building the Church
The current Church of St Andrew was officially opened on July 11, 1215. This special event was led by Bishop Jocelin of Wells. Imagine, the church has been standing and used for services since before many famous historical events!
A Look Inside
The church was changed and updated in the 15th century. It was rebuilt in a style called Perpendicular Gothic. This style is known for its tall, thin windows and detailed stone carvings. The church was also repaired and improved in 1825, 1856, and again from 1950 to 1952.
Inside the church, the main area is called the nave. Here, you can see stone pillars with decorated corbels. These corbels are carved supports that hold up the wooden roof timbers. The roof also has carved bosses, which are decorative carvings where the roof beams meet.
The church's organ, which was rebuilt in 1967, is located in the chancel. This is the part of the church near the altar. There is also a special area called the Merle chapel. This chapel used to be known as the Chapel of St Congar, named after the saint. The font, which is used for baptisms, is very old and built in the Norman style.
The Tower and Bells
The church has a tall tower with a spire on top. The spire reaches up to about 37 meters (120 feet) into the sky!
Inside the tower, there is a heavy set of 8 bells. The biggest bell, called the Tenor, weighs about 1,729 kilograms (3,812 pounds). It rings out the note of C. The oldest bells in the tower were made in 1606 by a person named George Purdue. They have been ringing for over 400 years!
See also
- Grade I listed buildings in North Somerset
- List of Somerset towers
- List of ecclesiastical parishes in the Diocese of Bath and Wells
