St Cuthbert's Church, Wells facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of St Cuthbert |
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| General information | |
| Location | Wells, Somerset |
| Address | St Cuthbert St |
| Coordinates | 51°12′30″N 2°39′01″W / 51.2083°N 2.6503°W |
| Construction started | 13th century |
| Completed | 15th century |
| Height | 151 feet (46 metres) |
The Church of St Cuthbert is a beautiful old church in Wells, England. It was built a very long time ago, starting in the 1200s! People sometimes confuse it with the bigger cathedral nearby. This church is famous for its tall stone tower and amazing carved wooden roof. It's so important that it's a Grade I listed building, meaning it's protected because of its special history and architecture.
Contents
History of St Cuthbert's Church
Early Beginnings and Changes
The Church of St Cuthbert is named after Saint Cuthbert. This suggests the church might have started way back in Anglo-Saxon times. The first parts of the church were built in the 1200s. You can still see some of the original pillars from that time.
Later, in the 1400s, the church was changed a lot. This was during a time called the Perpendicular Period, known for a specific style of church building. During these changes, a new upper level of windows, called a clerestory, was added. Also, the famous "angel roof" was put in over the main part of the church, called the nave.
Building Materials and Special Chapels
The church is mostly built from a special type of stone called Doulting ashlar. This means the stones were carefully cut and shaped. The north side of the church uses rougher stones with cut stone details.
Inside, there are two special chapels. The north chapel, called St Catherine's Chapel, has parts of its original stone altar screen, or reredos, from the 1200s. This was found again in 1848. The south chapel, also known as The Lady Chapel, has another stone reredos from 1470. This one shows a beautiful design based on the "Tree of Jesse."
The Church Tower's Story
Until 1561, the church had a tower in the middle. This tower either fell down or was taken away. This happened because of big changes to churches during the Protestant Reformation. This was a time when religious practices in England were changing.
A new tower was then built over the west door. This tower is the third tallest in Somerset! It has three main sections. The very top section is about half the total height of the tower. The tower reaches 123 feet (37 metres) to the top of its walls. If you include the very top stones of the pointy parts, called pinnacles, it reaches 151 feet (46 metres) high.
Roof Restoration and Lightning Strike
The colorful ceiling of the main church area was repainted in 1963. This was thanks to the vicar's wife at the time, Mrs. Barnett. During other repair work in the 1960s, a beautiful carved wooden ceiling from the 1400s was found above a side chapel. It had been hidden under plaster for many years!
In 1975, something dramatic happened: lightning struck the tower! One of the stone pinnacles fell through the roof of the nave and damaged the floor. For a while, the new pinnacle that replaced it looked much lighter than the other three.
The church also has a finely carved wooden pulpit from 1636. It has a fancy staircase and two carved shields. These shields show the coats of arms for King Charles I and King Charles II.
The Church Organ
The Church of St Cuthbert has a large pipe organ. It was first built in 1820 by Henry Lincoln. Over the years, it has been rebuilt and updated several times. William Sweetland of Bath rebuilt it in 1864. Later, George Osmond of Taunton worked on it in 1959, and Percy Daniel in 1984. You can find more details about this organ on the National Pipe Organ Register.
Filming Location: Hot Fuzz
The church was an important location for the movie Hot Fuzz. This film was mostly shot in Wells, which was called "Sandford" in the movie. The church was used for a famous scene where a character is hurt by a falling piece of the church tower. This scene might have been inspired by the real lightning strike in the early 1970s, when a pinnacle actually fell through the church roof!
Parishes of St Cuthbert
- Wells St Cuthbert In
- Wells St Cuthbert Out
See also
- List of ecclesiastical parishes in the Diocese of Bath and Wells
