St Andrew's Church, Andreas, Isle of Man facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St Andrew's Church
Saint Andrew's Church, Kirk Andreas, Isle of Man
St Andrew's Church Location in Isle of Man
54°22′01″N 4°26′38″W / 54.367°N 4.444°W / 54.367; -4.444
Location	Andreas, Isle of Man.
Country	Isle of Man
Denomination	Church of England
Tradition	Conservative evangelical
History
Status	Parish church
Founded	1821
Dedication	Saint Andrew
Consecrated	1 November 1821
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Style	Gothic Revival
Groundbreaking	12th century (original church)
Completed	1821
Administration
Parish	Andreas
Diocese	Diocese of Sodor and Man

St Andrew's Church, Andreas, is a Church of England church located in Andreas, Isle of Man. It's a local parish church, which means it serves the people living in that area. The church is looked after by the Diocese of Sodor and Man.

A Look Back: The Church's History

People believe that Christianity first came to the Isle of Man around the 400s, brought by Saint Patrick. He is said to have appointed St German as the island's first bishop.

Back then, many small chapels were built across the island. One of these was Cabbal Vaartyn, which means Martin's Chapel. It was named after St Martin, who was an uncle of St Patrick. This chapel stood on what is now the road between Andreas and The Lhen.

Later, between 1270 and 1344, when the Isle of Man was controlled by the Scots, areas called parishes were created. This led to a church being built in Andreas. It was named after St Andrew, who is the patron saint of Scotland. The name Andreas actually comes from "St Andrew."

By the 1800s, the old church was in very poor condition. So, in 1800, a meeting was held, and everyone decided to build a new church. However, construction didn't start for several years.

Most of the money for the new church came from donations. Any extra costs were covered by people who owned land or homes in the parish. The chancel (the part of the church near the altar) was paid for by the rector, which was a common practice at the time.

Mr Radcliffe of Andreas built the church. Stone for the building came from Sulby Glen, as there was no quarry nearby. To save money, many slates from the old church were reused on the new one.

The bell tower of St Andrew's Church as it was first built.

Kirk Andreas Church with its tower made smaller.

During the war years, people serving at RAF Andreas donated an electric blower for the church organ.

The Church Tower: A Changing Landmark

When the church was rebuilt, its spire was at the western end. Over the years, many changes were made. The roof was raised, and between 1867 and 1869, the old tower was taken down. A new one was built next to the church. The first stone for this new tower was laid on May 30, 1867.

The tower was originally about 120 ft (36.6 m) tall. It was connected to the main church by an arch. It was a very noticeable feature and could be seen from far across the northern plain of the Isle of Man.

The west end of the church was also made bigger. New entrances were added on the north and south sides, along with a central staircase leading to the gallery. This work finished in August 1869. A large bell was placed in the tower.

When RAF Andreas opened in 1941, the Air Ministry (the government department in charge of the air force) was allowed to cut down the flagpole on top of the tower. They replaced it with a light to warn aircraft. Later, the tower was made shorter by removing its middle section, again because the Air Ministry asked for it. The stones that were removed were stored, with the idea of putting them back after the war. However, this never happened, and the stones disappeared.

The War Memorial at St Andrew's Church, Andreas.

Remembering Heroes: The War Memorial

Another important part of the church is the Andreas War Memorial. It remembers the people from the parish who lost their lives in both World Wars.

A local person named Cosmo Kendall designed the memorial. Eighty-five parishioners (people from the parish) built it by giving their time for free. All the money for the building materials came from donations within the parish.

The memorial is made from 132 tons of red sandstone. The tall, pointed stone, called an obelisk, stands about 41 ft (12.5 m) high. It has five slate plaques and a cross at the very top.

Military graves at St Andrews Church, Andreas.

The memorial was officially revealed on Sunday, November 9, 1924. The ceremony was performed by Mrs J. Christian and Mrs T. Crowe, both of whom had lost two sons in the Great War.

Honoring the Fallen: Military Graves

In a special part of the churchyard, there are 23 military graves. These graves are looked after by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. They include pilots from squadrons like No. 457 Squadron RAAF and No. 452 Squadron RAAF, as well as trainees from No. 11 Air Gunnery School RAF.

Among these graves are those of the commanding officer of RAF Andreas, Wing Commander Teddy Knowles, and Major Geoffrey Waite. They both died when an aircraft crashed on August 23, 1942.

The RAF Ensign displayed in St Andrew's Church, Andreas.

St Andrew's Church Today

Today, the parish church in Kirk Andreas (another name for Andreas) is still an active and important part of the local community. The strong connection between the parish and the Royal Air Force is still remembered. The RAF Ensign (a special flag) proudly hangs in the church.

Notable Gravesites

• Jeffrey Quill OBE, AFC, FRAeS: He was a famous aviator and a former Chief Test Pilot for Vickers Supermarine. He was especially known for helping to develop the Supermarine Spitfire airplane.

Gallery

See also

• RAF Andreas
• Andreas (village)
• Andreas (parish)