St Edwold's Church, Stockwood facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Edwold's Church |
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| Location | Stockwood, Dorset, England |
| Built | 15th century |
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Listed Building – Grade I
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| Official name: Church of St Edwold | |
| Designated | 31 July 1961 |
| Reference no. | 1155008 |
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St Edwold's Church in Stockwood, Dorset, England, is a very old and special building. It was mostly rebuilt in the 1400s. This church is listed as a Grade I listed building, which means it's a really important historical site in England.
It's also a redundant church, which means it's no longer used for regular church services. Instead, it's looked after by the Churches Conservation Trust. This group helps protect old churches that are no longer active. St Edwold's Church became part of their care on March 1, 1972.
Discovering St Edwold's Church
St Edwold's Church is often called the smallest church in Dorset. It sits peacefully next to a farmhouse, close to the wooded hills of Bubb Down. The church has a simple design, with just one main room.
The porch of the church has the year "1636" carved into it. This shows that parts of the church were updated in the 1600s. During this time, a bell tower was also added. Experts like John Newman and Nikolaus Pevsner have described its unique style. They noted its "Perp" (Perpendicular Gothic) design, with special windows from the time of King Henry VIII. They also mentioned the "delightfully naive bell-turret," which is round with a cap and a funny, large face.
You can also see a Piscina on the outside south wall. A piscina is a stone basin used for washing sacred vessels. This one was likely placed there during a restoration project in the Victorian era.
Inside the Church
Inside, St Edwold's Church is very simple and plain. It doesn't have a lot of fancy decorations. The church is dedicated to St Edwold, who lived in the 800s. This dedication is unique in Dorset.
St Edwold was the brother of St Edmund the Martyr, who was a king of East Anglia. After his brother's death, Edwold lived as a hermit, which means he lived alone in a quiet place, at nearby Cerne. It's not completely clear why this church is named after him, but some guidebooks suggest he might have also lived in a small cell here in Stockwood, just like he did at Cerne.
See also
Images for kids
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St Edwold's Church in Stockwood, Dorset
