St Andrew the Great facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Andrew the Great |
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| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Low Church / Conservative Evangelical |
| Website | stag.org |
| Specifications | |
| Bells | 8 |
| Tenor bell weight | 10-3-1 in G (547kg) |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Diocese of Ely |
St Andrew the Great is a Church of England parish church in the middle of Cambridge. It was rebuilt in a special old style in 1843. This church is a Grade II listed building, which means it's an important historical place. It follows a traditional Christian teaching style and is part of the Anglican Reform movement. Many different people attend the church, including local families, visitors from other countries, and students.
Contents
A Look at the Church's History
People first mentioned a church on this spot way back in 1200. It might even be in the old book called the Domesday Book from 1086. We don't know much about the very first building. It was probably made of wood.
Later, in the early 1200s, a stronger stone church was built. This church was given to the Diocese of Ely around 1225-1228. In the 1500s, the church became a key place for new ideas about Christianity. Important thinkers like William Perkins taught there.
By 1650, the old church building was in bad shape. But it was rebuilt thanks to Christopher Rose, who was the Mayor of Cambridge twice. Thomas Tenison, who later became a very important church leader, worked here in the 1660s. He helped people during the terrible plague.
To fit more people, the church was completely rebuilt in 1842-1843. An architect named Ambrose Poynter designed it in an old English style. The church kept some parts from its earlier days. This includes old stone carvings and special wall memorials.
The Cook Family Memorial
Inside the church, you can find several memorial tablets. The most famous one remembers the explorer Captain James Cook and his family. The tablet lists Captain Cook, his wife Elizabeth, and their six children.
Elizabeth Cook lived to be 93 years old. She passed away in 1835. All her children had died before her. She is buried in the church with two of her sons, James and Hugh. Elizabeth left money to help the church and support five older women in the area. This money also helped keep the memorial in good condition.
Recent Changes and Growth
In 1984, St Andrew's was not used much because fewer people lived in the area. But a church nearby, Holy Sepulchre Church (also known as 'the Round Church'), needed a bigger space. Their church was growing fast!
So, the people from the Round Church raised money to fix up St Andrew's. They added a new upper seating area, a place for baptisms, and new rooms. They moved into St Andrew's in 1994. The area linked to the church is now called Holy Sepulchre with All Saints. The Round Church is still used sometimes for special events.
St Andrew's has also helped start new churches. This is called 'church grafting'. They helped churches in Little Shelford (1997), Christ Church Cambridge (2004), and St Matthew's, Cambridge (2008). In 2018, they also helped start a new church in Huntingdon.
What Happens Today
The church is open for services every Sunday. You can attend at 10am, 11.45am (during university term time), and 5pm. Services usually last about an hour. They focus a lot on teaching from the Bible.
There are special Sunday school groups for children of different ages. There are also evening meetings for university students, young adults (20s-30s), international visitors, and teenagers. The church follows a traditional Christian teaching style within the Church of England.
Church Leaders
Here are some of the main leaders, called vicars, of St Andrew the Great (or Holy Sepulchre before the move) since 1955:
- 1955–1987: Mark Ruston
- 1987–2010: Mark Ashton
- 2011–present: Alasdair Paine
Other Important People
Many other important people have been part of St Andrew's history:
- William Perkins: A famous teacher and thinker from 1585 to 1602.
- Paul Baynes: Another important teacher who followed Perkins in 1602.
- Ralph Cudworth: Also a teacher from 1602.
- Thomas Tenison: He was a church leader here from 1662 to 1667. He later became a very important Archbishop.
- Temple Chevallier: He worked here from 1822. He later became a professor of astronomy.
- David Watson: He was a church leader here from 1962 to 1965.
