St Andrew's Church, Backwell facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of St Andrew, Backwell |
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Church of St Andrew, Backwell
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| Denomination | Church of England |
| Administration | |
| Deanery | Portishead |
| Archdeaconry | Bath |
| Diocese | Bath and Wells |
| Province | Canterbury |
St Andrew's Church is a historic Anglican church located in Backwell, a village in Somerset, England. This beautiful church building has been around for a very long time, with parts of it dating back to the 1200s!
The main parts of the church, like the nave (the central area), the aisles (side sections), and the chancel (the area around the altar), were built in the 13th century. Over the years, from the 1300s to the 1600s, the church was changed and made bigger.
The tall west tower, which is about 31 meters high, was built in the 15th century. The rood screen, a decorative wooden screen that separates the nave from the chancel, was added in the early 16th century. Since 1961, St Andrew's Church has been a Grade I listed building. This means it's a very important historic building that is protected.
The church is part of a group of churches called a "benefice," which includes Backwell, Chelvey, and Brockley. This group is part of the wider church area known as the deanery of Portishead.
In 1984, a new building was added to the church. This addition provides space for social gatherings and offices. There are also plans to put solar panels on the church roof to help create clean energy.
Since March 2025, the main priest, known as the vicar, has been Reverend Sam Norton.
Exploring the Churchyard
The churchyard is the area around the church where people are buried. It also holds some interesting historical features.
Historic Cross and Memorials
You can find a stone cross in the churchyard that dates back to the 15th century. There is also a special crucifix here. It is a memorial for a local airman named Pat Garnett. The crucifix was made by a sculptor named Arthur George Walker. It used to be located somewhere else, but it became rusty and overgrown. In 1997, it was fixed up and moved to the churchyard by Laurence Tindall.
The churchyard also contains war graves. These are the burial places for a soldier from the York and Lancaster Regiment and an airman who died during World War II.
Burial Space
The churchyard has very little space left for new burials. Because of this, the church has decided that only people who live in Backwell can be buried there in the future. They are also asking for permission to reuse old graves that do not have headstones and are more than 80 years old.
More to Discover
- List of Somerset towers
- List of ecclesiastical parishes in the Diocese of Bath and Wells
