St Gregory's Church, Fledborough facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St Gregory's Church, Fledborough
St Gregory's Church, Fledborough, from the southwest
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OS grid reference	SK 812 721
Location	Fledborough, Nottinghamshire
Country	England
Denomination	Anglican
Website	Churches Conservation Trust
History
Dedication	Saint Gregory
Architecture
Functional status	Redundant
Heritage designation	Grade I
Designated	1 February 1967
Architectural type	Church
Style	Norman, Gothic
Groundbreaking	12th century
Completed	1912
Specifications
Materials	Stone with some brick Slate and tile roofs

St Gregory's Church is an old Anglican church located in Fledborough, Nottinghamshire, England. It is no longer used for regular church services. This special building is protected as a Grade I listed building. This means it is a very important historical site. The Churches Conservation Trust takes care of the church. You can find St Gregory's Church at the end of a quiet lane, surrounded by green meadows near the River Trent.

History of St Gregory's Church

The oldest part of St Gregory's Church is the lower section of its tower. This part was built way back in the 12th century, which is over 800 years ago! Most of the rest of the church was built in the early 14th century.

Over time, parts of the church needed repairs. In 1764, the chancel (the part of the church where the altar is) was in bad shape. It was rebuilt and made shorter. It was rebuilt again in 1890. Later, in 1912, the aisles (the side sections) and the south porch were also rebuilt.

A Special Place for Weddings

In the 18th century, St Gregory's Church became quite famous. The church's leader, Reverend W. Sweetapple, gave special permission for couples to get married there. Many couples who had run away to get married came to Fledborough. Because of this, the church was known as "the Gretna Green of the Midlands." Gretna Green is a famous place in Scotland where many couples used to elope.

In 1820, a famous person named Thomas Arnold got married in this church. He later became the headmaster of Rugby School, a very well-known school. He married Mary Penrose, who was the daughter of the church's rector at the time. The church officially became part of the Churches Conservation Trust on January 1, 1991.

Architecture and Design

St Gregory's Church is built mostly from stone. Some parts, especially in the upper walls (called clerestories), use brick. The tower and the porch have roofs made of tiles. The rest of the church has slate roofs.

The church has a main area called the nave. This nave has four sections, or "bays," and a low clerestory. There are also side sections called north and south aisles. A south porch leads into the church, and there is a chancel at the east end. The church also has a tower at the west end.

Outside the Church

The tower has two main levels, separated by a stone band. It has strong corner supports called buttresses and a pyramid-shaped roof. On the south side of the roof, there is a small structure for a bell, called a bellcote.

The lower part of the tower has a door on the west side. Above this door is a tall, narrow window from the 12th century. The upper part of the tower has two-light windows on all sides, where the bells are.

The north aisle has a doorway with a pointed arch. It also has three-light windows (windows with three sections of glass) on its west and east walls. The north and south walls of the clerestory each have three two-light windows.

The chancel has a three-light window on its north wall and two three-light windows on its south wall. The large east window also has three lights. The middle light of this window is partly blocked by stone. On the very top of the east end of the chancel, there is a stone cross.

The south aisle also has three three-light windows. On its east wall, you can see a blocked-up pointed arch and a blocked doorway. Its west wall has another three-light window.

The south porch has diagonal buttresses and a roof with a pointed top and a cross. Its entrance is an arch. On the east wall of the porch, there is an old sundial.

You can also see a special carving on the outside wall of the south aisle. It is a stone carving of a woman, holding what looks like a heart. This carving is from the 14th century. It was originally part of a tomb, where it would have been lying down.

Inside the Church

Inside, the nave is separated from the side aisles by four arched openings called arcades. In the north wall of the chancel, there is a piscina (a basin for washing sacred vessels). Above it are parts of an Easter Sepulchre. These parts show carvings of sleeping soldiers, angels, and Christ rising from the dead.

There is another piscina in the south aisle wall. Near the south doorway, you can see the remains of a stoup, which held holy water. Also on the south wall is a simple alms box with the words "Remember the Poor 1684" carved on it.

The middle section of the east window, which is partly blocked, has a special carved space called a niche. The windows on each side of the east window have beautiful stained glass from the 14th century. The right window shows the Virgin Mary and baby Jesus, with a knight below them. The left window shows John the Baptist and Saint Andrew. You can find more small pieces of old stained glass in other windows around the church.

Most of the church's furniture, like the pulpit (where sermons are given) and the octagonal font (used for baptisms), are from the 19th century. In the north aisle, there are tombs from the 14th century. Inside the tower, you can see a broken stone carving of a knight, made from alabaster.

Images for kids

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  St Gregory's Church, Fledborough, from the southwest

See also

• List of churches preserved by the Churches Conservation Trust in the English Midlands
• Grade I listed buildings in Nottinghamshire
• Listed buildings in Fledborough