St Dunstan's Church, Baltonsborough facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of St Dunstan |
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| General information | |
| Town or city | Baltonsborough |
| Country | England |
| Coordinates | 51°06′38″N 2°39′22″W / 51.1105°N 2.6562°W |
| Completed | 15th century |
The Church of St Dunstan is a very old church in Baltonsborough, Somerset, England. It was built way back in the 1400s! This church is so special that it's called a Grade I listed building. This means it's a super important building that needs to be protected.
Contents
About St Dunstan
This church is named after St Dunstan, a famous saint who was born right here in Baltonsborough in the year 909. He grew up to become the Archbishop of Canterbury, which is a very important leader in the church. St Dunstan also helped change and improve monasteries during the Anglo-Saxon times.
Legends of St Dunstan
There are some cool stories about St Dunstan. One famous legend says he nailed a horseshoe onto the devil! Because of this story, he became known as the patron saint of blacksmiths.
Church Design and Features
The Church of St Dunstan has a main area called the nave and a smaller section called the chancel. The nave is quite wide, which has caused some stress on the roof and made the north wall lean a bit.
The Somerset Tower
The church has a simple tower, which is typical for churches in Somerset. On top of the tower, there's a fancy iron weather vane. A local blacksmith made this weather vane in the 1800s.
Inside the Church
Inside, you can find a font that is also from the 1400s. A font is a special basin used for baptisms. The church also has a screen that was designed by a person named Frederick Bligh Bond.
Churchyard and History
The churchyard is the area around the church where people are buried. It contains war graves for two brave soldiers. One was a Somerset Light Infantry soldier from World War I, and the other was a Royal Navy sailor from World War II.
The Brue Benefice
The Church of St Dunstan is part of a group of churches called the Brue Benefice. This group includes churches from Baltonsborough, Butleigh, West Bradley, and West Pennard.
Famous Vicar
One person who used to be the vicar (the priest in charge) of this church was Edward Mellish. He was awarded the Victoria Cross during World War I. The Victoria Cross is the highest award for bravery in the British military.
See also
- Grade I listed buildings in Mendip
- List of Somerset towers
