St Andrew's Church, Shotley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Andrew's Church, Shotley |
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St Andrew's Church, Shotley, from the southeast
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| OS grid reference | NZ 045 551 |
| Location | Greymare Hill, Northumberland |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | Churches Conservation Trust |
| History | |
| Dedication | Saint Andrew |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Redundant |
| Heritage designation | Grade II |
| Designated | 15 April 1969 |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Groundbreaking | 1769 |
| Completed | 1892 |
| Closed | 1971 |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Stone, slate roof |
St Andrew's Church, Shotley is a very old church located high up on Greymare Hill in Northumberland, England. It stands alone, about 293 meters (960 feet) above sea level. This church is no longer used for regular services, but it's a special building. It's protected as a Grade II listed building, which means it's an important historical site. The Churches Conservation Trust takes care of it, making sure it stays safe for everyone to see.
Contents
History of St Andrew's Church
The church you see today was built in 1769. It took the place of an even older church that stood on the same spot. Later, in 1837, a new church called St John's was built a few miles away. This new church became the main one for the area.
In the 1800s, St Andrew's Church had some problems. The ground beneath it started to sink a little. This was because of mining work happening nearby. To fix this, the church was rebuilt and updated in 1892.
St Andrew's Church stopped being used for regular church services on October 29, 1971. It was then officially given to the Churches Conservation Trust on April 13, 1973. This Trust now looks after the church, keeping it safe for the future.
What Does the Church Look Like?
St Andrew's Church is built from rough, cut stones and has a roof made of slate. It has a cross shape, with four equal parts. These parts are called the nave (the main part), the chancel (the area near the altar), and two transepts (the arms of the cross).
There's a small porch with a pointed roof attached to the south transept. Above the porch and on the sides of the church, you'll see simple, round-topped windows. At the west end of the church, there's a pointed window with a simple arch for a bell above it.
Inside the chancel, there are pairs of tall, narrow windows. The window at the very east end has two sections. You can also see old gravestones from the 1700s attached to the church walls. Inside, there's a small table for church items and a basin for water, both from the 1800s. There are also special plaques on the walls that remember people. Many of the church's fittings, like a screen in the north transept, are from the 1800s. In the vestry (a room for changing clothes), there's a small fireplace from the 1700s. The porch even has stone benches to sit on.
Interesting Things Outside
In the churchyard, which is the area around the church, you can find some other interesting old buildings and monuments. To the northeast of the church is the Hopper Mausoleum. A mausoleum is like a special building where someone is buried. This one is very important and is listed as a Grade I building.
There are also three other important listed buildings in the churchyard. These include a hearse house, which was used to store a carriage for funerals. You can also find two old gravestones, known as the Chatt headstone and the Gibson headstone. These are all protected as Grade II listed buildings.
See also
- List of churches preserved by the Churches Conservation Trust in Northern England
