St Bene't's Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Bene't's Church, Cambridge |
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St Bene't's Church with its Saxon tower
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| 52°12′13.0″N 0°07′06.0″E / 52.203611°N 0.118333°E | |
| Location | Bene't Street , Cambridge |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Website | https://www.stbenetschurch.org |
| History | |
| Status | Active |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Parish church |
| Heritage designation | Grade I listed |
| Specifications | |
| Tower height | 70ft |
| Bells | 6 |
| Tenor bell weight | 13-3-3 in F# (700kg) |
| Administration | |
| Archdeaconry | Archdeaconry of Cambridge |
| Diocese | Diocese of Ely |
St Bene't's Church is a historic Church of England parish church located in the heart of Cambridge, England. It is famous for its very old parts, especially its tower, which dates back to the Anglo-Saxon period. This makes it the oldest church in Cambridgeshire and the oldest building in Cambridge!
The church is named after Saint Benedict of Nursia. He was a very important figure who founded the Benedictine order of monks. The name "Bene't" is a shorter, older way of saying "Benedict."
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Where is St Bene't's Church?
The church stands on the south side of Bene't Street. It is right next to Corpus Christi College. For many years, until 1579, St Bene't's served as the college's chapel. Even today, the college helps support the church, and they still have strong connections. Across the street from the church, you can find the famous Eagle Pub.
A Look Back in Time: The Church's History
The Ancient Tower
The most amazing part of St Bene't's is its Anglo-Saxon tower. Experts believe it was built between the years AD 1000 and 1050. This means it's nearly 1,000 years old! The tower has special "long-and-short quoins." These are unique stone blocks at the corners, showing how Anglo-Saxon builders worked. Inside the church, the arch that supports the tower is also from the 11th century and is a must-see feature.
Changes Over the Centuries
Over time, the church has been changed and updated. Around the year 1300, the main part of the church (the nave) and its side sections (aisles) were rebuilt. Later, in the 1800s, during the Victorian restoration period, the church was made wider. During these updates, builders found even older Anglo-Saxon foundations. These showed that the church's original main section was wider than it is now.
The front part of the church, called the chancel, was changed in the 13th century. You can see some old, narrow windows from that time. The special seats for priests (sedilia) and a basin for washing (piscina) in the chancel are from the 14th century. The upper windows and roof of the main part of the church were added in 1452.
St Bene't's also has a special metal plaque called a monumental brass. It shows a small kneeling figure of Richard Billingford. He was the head of Corpus Christi College from 1398 to 1432 and passed away in 1442.
The church is considered a Grade I listed building. This means it's a very important historical building.
The Bells of St Bene't's
For hundreds of years, the University of Cambridge paid St Bene't's Church to use its bells. This started as early as the 1200s! The university paid a yearly fee to ring the bells until 1624.
The church tower has six bells that can be rung together in a special way called Change ringing. Five of these bells are very old, from the 1500s or 1600s. The oldest bell was made in 1588. Other bells were cast by different bell makers in the early 1600s. The newest bell was made in 1825. It's amazing that these old bells are still ringing today!
Notable People Connected to St Bene't's
Many interesting people have been part of St Bene't's Church:
- Michael Ramsey, who later became the Archbishop of Canterbury (a very important leader in the Church of England), was the vicar here in 1938.
- Brothers from the Society of Saint Francis served at the church from 1945 to 2005.
- The Revd Angela Tilby, who often speaks on BBC Radio 4, was the vicar from 2007 to 2011.
- The Revd Canon Anna Matthews was the vicar from 2012 until her passing in 2023.
- Fabian Stedman (1640–1713), who helped create the art of change ringing (a special way to ring church bells), worked as a clerk for the parish in the mid-1600s.
See Also
- Leper Chapel of St Mary Magdalene: Another old chapel in Cambridge, built around 1125.
- Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Cambridge: Also known as the Round Church, dating from 1130.
- School of Pythagoras: The oldest non-religious building in Cambridge, from about 1200.
