St Bartholomew's Church, Crewkerne facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of St Bartholomew |
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| Location | Crewkerne, Somerset, England |
| Built | 15th century |
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Listed Building – Grade I
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| Official name: Church of St Bartholomew | |
| Designated | 12 June 1950 |
| Reference no. | 390324 |
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The Church of St Bartholomew is a very old and important building in Crewkerne, Somerset, England. It was built in the 1400s and is known as a Grade I listed building. This means it's a special historical site.
Contents
A Look at the Church's History
Early Beginnings
St Bartholomew's Parish Church stands on a hill west of Crewkerne. The very first church here was built by the Anglo-Saxons before the year 900. It was a "minster," which means it was the main church for a large Saxon royal area. This area later became several smaller parishes like Seaborough, Wayford, and Misterton.
Norman Changes
After the Norman Conquest, the Saxon church was replaced. A bigger stone church was built with a cross shape and a tower in the middle. Most of this Norman church was rebuilt and made larger in the late 1400s and early 1500s. The church you see today is mostly from that time.
Unique Design and Materials
The church is a great example of the Perpendicular style, which was popular in England. It has many unique features. These include the front of the church, the main hall (called the nave), and the large windows in the side areas (called aisles). There are also special chapels and windows from the Tudor period in the north-east corner. The church is built from golden-colored Hamstone, which came from quarries near Crewkerne. Inside, you can find interesting carvings of 'green men'.
What Happened Inside the Church?
Changes Over Time
Since the 1530s and 1540s, there haven't been many big changes to the outside of the church. However, the inside has changed a lot. These changes were made to fit different ways of worship for the Church of England. For example, there's an oven in the north chapel that was used to bake bread for communion.
Damage and Restoration
During the English Civil War, the church was damaged. Most of its beautiful medieval stained glass windows were destroyed. Later, in 1689, William III of England visited and worshipped here after he arrived in England during the Glorious Revolution.
By the early 1800s, almost all the old medieval furniture was gone. Only the Norman Baptismal font remained. New benches (pews) were added, and galleries were built in the west part of the church between 1808 and 1811.
The church's interior looks much like it does today because of a restoration in the late 1800s. This work was done carefully to respect the church's original design. During this time, part of the west gallery was removed to show off the large west window. The organ was also moved to the south transept. The pews you see today are from around 1900 and have lovely carved ends.
Another Church in Crewkerne
Christ Church was another church in Crewkerne, built between 1852 and 1854. It was a smaller church that helped St Bartholomew's. However, Christ Church was closed in 1969 and taken down in 1975 to make way for new homes.
Former Grammar School
The building next to the church, on Abbey Street, is now the church hall and parish office. It was built in 1636. This building was used by Crewkerne Grammar School from 1636 until 1882. The school, which started in 1499, then moved to a new building called de Combe House.
See also
- List of Grade I listed buildings in South Somerset
- List of towers in Somerset
- List of ecclesiastical parishes in the Diocese of Bath and Wells
