St George's Church, Langham facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St George's Church |
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Church of England |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Active |
| Location | |
| Location | Langham, Gillingham, Dorset, England |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Charles Ponting |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Completed | 1921 |
St George's Church is a special church in Langham, a small place near Gillingham in Dorset, England. It belongs to the Church of England. A talented architect named Charles Ponting designed it, and it was finished in 1921. Since 1985, it has been a Grade II listed building, which means it's an important historical building. Today, people use the church for services sometimes, and a family trust called the Manger family looks after it.
Why Was St George's Church Built?
St George's Church was built as a "chapel of ease." This means it was a smaller church created to help people who lived far from the main parish church, which in this case was St Mary the Virgin in Gillingham.
The idea for a church in Langham came from Mr. Alfred T. Manger. He lived at Stock Hill House and knew it was hard for people in Langham and nearby farms to get to the main church. He wanted to build a small church on his land. Sadly, he passed away in 1917 before he could build it.
A Church Built in Memory
Mr. Manger was buried on the spot where he wanted the church to be built on January 29, 1917. The Bishop of Salisbury, Right Rev. Frederick Ridgeway, made the site holy before the burial.
After Mr. Manger's death, his family decided to build the church in his memory once World War I ended. The church was designed by the church's architect, Charles Ponting. It was built in 1921 right over the tomb of Mr. Manger and his wife, who died in 1919.
The Archdeacon of Sherborne, Right Rev. Albert Joscelyne, officially opened the church on May 22, 1921. Mr. Manger's oldest son, Lieutenant Colonel Charles Harwood Manger, chose to name the church after Saint George. Saint George is known as the patron saint of soldiers. This was done to remember his brother, Lieutenant John Kenneth Manger, his cousin, Private George Bredin Kitson, and his brother-in-law, Second Lieutenant Robert Lancaster. All of them sadly died during World War I.
What Does St George's Church Look Like?
St George's Church is built from strong, rough stone blocks. It has a charming thatched roof, which means the roof is made of straw or reeds. At the west end of the church, there's a small tower called a bellcote that holds one bell.
The church was designed to hold about 40 people. Inside, it has a main open area called a nave. There's also a rounded part at the end called an apse, and a section that sticks out on the north side called a north transept. You enter through a small covered area called a north porch.
Most of the original furniture and decorations inside are made of oak wood. This includes the stand where readings are given, called a lectern, and the altar. In front of the altar, a special marble slab marks the tomb where Mr. and Mrs. Manger are buried.
