St George's Church, Portland facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St George's Church, |
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St George's Church, Portland, view of the tower from the west
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Church of England |
| Leadership | Churches Conservation Trust |
| Year consecrated | 1766 |
| Location | |
| Location | Isle of Portland, Dorset, England |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Thomas Gilbert |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Architectural style | Georgian |
| Completed | 1766 |
| Materials | Portland Stone with slate roof |
St George's Church is a special old church on the Isle of Portland. It belongs to the Church of England. People built it between 1754 and 1766. It replaced an even older church, St. Andrew's, which was too old and not safe to use anymore.
In the 1960s, a group of people worked hard to fix up the church and save it. Now, the Churches Conservation Trust looks after it. This trust helps save important old churches. St George's Church isn't used for regular Sunday services anymore. But, people still have special services there twice a year. These happen on St George's Day and Christmas Day.
Contents
History of St George's Church
The story of St George's Church began in August 1753. People from Portland formed a group. They needed to decide if they should spend money fixing the old St. Andrew's Church. Or, if they should build a brand new church in a better spot.
Why a New Church Was Needed
The old St. Andrew's Church was built on shaky ground. It was often damaged by landslips, which are like small landslides. Big landslips happened in 1665 and 1734 on the east side of Portland. Within two months, the group decided to build a new church. They found that fixing the old one would cost at least half the price of a new building.
Building and Later Use
The new church was finished in 1766. A year later, a house was built nearby for the church clerk. This building later became The George Inn, a local pub.
The church closed in 1914 for many reasons. It became very run down over the years. But in the 1960s, a new group called the 'Friends of St George's Church' formed. They worked hard to restore the church.
The Church Today
Today, St George's Church is no longer used for regular worship. It is now a redundant church. This means it's an old church that isn't needed for daily services. The Churches Conservation Trust now takes care of it. The church officially became part of the Trust on October 27, 1971.
Architecture of the Church
A man named Thomas Gilbert designed St George's Church. He was an architect and also worked with stone from the quarries. Many people think St George's is one of the most impressive churches from the 1700s in Dorset.
Design and Materials
The church is large and built from Portland stone. This is a famous type of stone from the island. It has a tall tower, a main hall called a nave, and other parts called transepts and an apse. It also has a small, unfinished dome over the middle section.
The design of the church reminds people of the famous architect Christopher Wren. His work includes the towers of St Paul's Cathedral. The church windows are in two rows. They have simple, wide frames without fancy decorations.
Special Status
St George's Church is a Grade I listed building. This means it's a very important historic building in England. Thomas Gilbert also designed other buildings nearby. One of them is Queen Anne House, which was his own home. It is also a very important historic building.
See also
- Grade I listed buildings in Dorset
- List of churches preserved by the Churches Conservation Trust in South West England
