St Andrew's Church, Stogursey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of St Andrew |
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| General information | |
| Town or city | Stogursey |
| Country | England |
| Coordinates | 51°10′46″N 3°08′20″W / 51.1795°N 3.1389°W |
| Completed | 12th century |
The Church of St Andrew is a very old church. It is located in Stogursey, Somerset, England. This church was built in the early 1100s. It is so important that it is a Grade I listed building. This means it is a special historic place.
Contents
History of St Andrew's Church
The Church of St Andrew started as part of a priory. A priory was a type of monastery. It was founded around 1100-1107 by William de Falaise. This priory was connected to a larger abbey in France. This French abbey was called Lonlay-l'Abbaye.
How the Church Grew
The church became bigger around 1180. Parts of it were taken down and rebuilt. The chancel, which is the area around the altar, was made longer. The priory stopped being a monastery around 1440. After that, it became a regular parish church.
More changes happened in the 1400s. The main part of the church, called the nave, was fixed up in 1824. This work was done by an architect named Richard Carver. The chancel was rebuilt again between 1863 and 1865. Inside the church, you can see two old Norman fonts. These are special basins used for baptisms.
The Sanctuary Ring
At the church's south entrance, there is a special ring. It is called a sanctuary ring. This ring was put there in the 1200s. In medieval England, churches offered a safe place. People who had committed a serious crime could go to a church. They could stay there for up to forty days. This was called seeking sanctuary.
After forty days, they had to choose. They could admit their crime and leave the country. Or, they could face a trial. The sanctuary ring at St Andrew's Church has a story. In 1243, a person named John de Rechich sought sanctuary. But he left before his trial. This meant the priory had to pay a fine. So, they installed the ring to make the rules clearer.
Church Bells
The church tower holds six bells. The oldest bell was made in 1611. That means it is over 400 years old!
Current Use
Today, the Church of St Andrew is still an active church. It is part of the Quantock Coast benefice. This is a group of churches in the area. It belongs to the Quantock deanery.
See also
- Grade I listed buildings in West Somerset
- List of ecclesiastical parishes in the Diocese of Bath and Wells
