St Botolph's Church, Wardley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Botolph's Church, Wardley |
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St Botolph's Church
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 St Botolph's Church, Wardley
Location in Rutland
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| 52°35′42″N 0°46′34″W / 52.595°N 0.776°W | |
| OS grid reference | SK 831 002 |
| Location | Wardley, Rutland |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | Churches Conservation Trust |
| History | |
| Status | Former parish church |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Redundant |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* |
| Designated | 10 November 1955 |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Gothic |
| Groundbreaking | 12th century |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Stone, Collyweston roof |
St Botolph's Church, Wardley is an old Anglican church in the small village of Wardley, Rutland, England. It is no longer used for regular church services. This special building is protected as a Grade II* listed building, which means it's very important historically or architecturally. The Churches Conservation Trust looks after it now.
Contents
A Look at the Church's Past
How the Church Began
The land and rights to the church were given to Launde Priory by Richard Basset in the early 1100s. The church itself was built in the 12th century, which means it's over 800 years old!
Changes Over the Centuries
The tall tower and its pointy spire were added in the 14th century (the 1300s). Later, in the 15th century (the 1400s), a clerestory was built. This is a row of windows high up on the church walls. In the 1870s, during the Victorian era, the church had a big makeover. This included rebuilding the chancel, which is the part of the church where the altar is.
Who Was Saint Botolph?
Wardley's church is named after Saint Botolph, an Anglo-Saxon saint. He is known as the patron saint of travellers. The church stands on a raised area in the small village of Wardley, near the A47 and the border with Leicestershire.
Recent Repairs and Reopening
In 2000, experts found serious problems with the church's stone walls. People raised money to fix it, and the church was rededicated in 2004. It stopped holding regular services in June 2010. In April 2016, the Churches Conservation Trust took over its care. They did a lot of important repair work, like putting a new roof on the chancel using special Collyweston slates. They also fixed timber and windows. The church reopened in December 2017.
Church Design and Features
Main Parts of the Building
The church has a main hall called a nave, but it doesn't have side aisles. It also has a chancel, a tower with a spire at the west end, and a porch on the south side. The oldest parts are the doorways. The south doorway, built around 1175, has special carvings called waterleaf on its stone tops. A 14th-century porch covers this doorway.
Tower and Spire Details
The tower and its unique broach spire were built in the 14th century. The chancel, as mentioned, was rebuilt in 1871. Inside, the windows are clear glass, and the walls are painted white. The pointed arch leading to the tower, with its carved faces, is likely from the 14th century. The simple wooden roof of the nave is from the 15th century. The floor has stone flags in the nave and colorful Victorian encaustic tiles in the chancel. The tower has three levels, is supported by strong buttresses, and holds two bells.
Inside the Church
Inside, you can see a 19th-century barrel organ made by Bates of Ludgate Hill in London. There's also an eight-sided font from 1797. A old wooden chest holds church documents from 1743 up to the 20th century. The piscina, a stone basin used for washing sacred vessels, is from the 13th century.
More to Explore
- Grade II* listed buildings in Rutland
- List of churches preserved by the Churches Conservation Trust in the English Midlands
