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St Edwold's Church, Stockwood facts for kids

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St Edwold's Church
Stockwood Church.JPG
Location Stockwood, Dorset, England
Built 15th century
Listed Building – Grade I
Official name: Church of St Edwold
Designated 31 July 1961
Reference no. 1155008
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St Edwold's Church is a very old church located in Stockwood, Dorset, England. It was mostly rebuilt in the 15th century, which means it's over 500 years old! This church is special because it's listed as a Grade I listed building. This means it's a very important historic building that needs to be protected.

The church is now looked after by the Churches Conservation Trust. This group helps to save old churches that are no longer used for regular services. St Edwold's Church was officially declared "redundant" (meaning not regularly used) in 1959. The Trust took over its care in 1972.

Discover St Edwold's Church

St Edwold's Church is often called the smallest church in Dorset. It sits right next to a farmhouse, with pretty wooded hills behind it. The church has a simple design, with just one main room.

What Makes It Special?

The church's porch has the year "1636" carved into it. This shows that parts of the church were updated in the 17th century. A special bell tower was also added around this time.

Experts describe the church as being in the "Perpendicular" style. This was a popular way to build churches in England during the late Middle Ages. They also mention its "delightfully naive bell-turret." This means the bell tower is simple and charming, with a round shape and a funny-looking face carved into it.

Inside the Church

When you go inside St Edwold's Church, you'll notice it's quite simple. It doesn't have a lot of fancy decorations.

Who Was Saint Edwold?

The church is named after a saint called Edwold, who lived in the 9th century. This is quite unique, as no other church in Dorset is dedicated to him.

Saint Edwold was the brother of Saint Edmund the Martyr, who was a king. After his brother died, Edwold chose to live a quiet life as a hermit. He lived by himself in a place called Cerne, which is nearby. Some people think he might have also had a small living space, or "cell," right here at Stockwood. This could be why the church is named after him.

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