St George's Church, Hinton St George facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of St George |
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| Location | Hinton St George, Somerset, England |
| Built | 13th century |
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Listed Building – Grade I
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| Designated | 4 February 1958 |
| Reference no. | 262298 |
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The Church of St George is a historic church in the village of Hinton St George, in Somerset, England. Parts of the church are very old, dating back to the 13th century. It is considered so important that it has been named a Grade I listed building, the highest possible grade for a historic building in the UK.
The first sections of the church were built by the same expert stoneworkers, called masons, who helped build the famous Wells Cathedral. In 1814, a new room called a vestry and a chapel were added. These were likely designed by the architect Jeffry Wyatt, who was known as Sir Jeffry Wyattville.
The Church Tower
One of the most impressive parts of the church is its tall, four-stage tower, which was built between 1485 and 1495. It has many interesting features:
- It is supported by large stone supports called buttresses that go all the way up the corners.
- The top has a battlemented wall, similar to a castle, with decorative stone carvings. These include quatrefoils, which are patterns shaped like four-leaf clovers.
- A weathervane, which shows the direction of the wind, was added to the top in 1756.
- It has a small, six-sided tower on one corner that holds a staircase.
- The upper levels have beautiful windows with stone dividers and decorative patterns called tracery.
During repair work, a stone was found with the date "1731" carved on it. This suggests that the fancy, decorative wall at the very top of the tower might have been added much later than the rest of the tower.
The Paulet Family Tombs
The church is the final resting place for many members of the Paulet family, who were once powerful local nobles known as the Earl Pouletts. Inside the church is a special area called the Paulet mausoleum, which holds their tombs.
One of the most famous tombs belongs to Sir Amias Paulet, who was an English ambassador. His monument was originally in a church in London but was later moved here.
Between 2007 and 2014, the tombs were carefully restored. Workers replaced old, rusted iron parts inside the monuments to make sure they would last for many more years.
Other Burials
Many members of the Paulet family are buried in the church, including:
- Amias Paulet (d. 1538)
- Hugh Paulet
- John Poulett, 1st Baron Poulett
- John Poulett, 2nd Baron Poulett
- John Poulett, 3rd Baron Poulett
- John Poulett, 1st Earl Poulett
- John Poulett, 2nd Earl Poulett
- Vere Poulett, 3rd Earl Poulett
- John Poulett, 4th Earl Poulett
See also
- List of Grade I listed buildings in South Somerset
- List of towers in Somerset
- List of ecclesiastical parishes in the Diocese of Bath and Wells
