St Helen's Church, Wheathampstead facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Helen's Church |
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| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Broad Church |
| History | |
| Dedication | St Helena of Constantinople |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Wheathampstead |
| Diocese | St Albans |
| Province | Canterbury |
St Helen's Church is a very old church located in Wheathampstead, Hertfordshire, England. No one knows exactly when it was first built, but it existed even before the Norman conquest of England in 1066! Back then, it was a wooden building from the Anglo-Saxon times. Today, it's a "Grade I listed building," which means it's a really important historical site and is protected.
Contents
Discovering St Helen's Church History
This church has a long and interesting past, with parts of it dating back hundreds of years.
Early Renovations and Changes
Around the early 1200s, the original Saxon church was getting old and needed repairs. So, people started to restore it.
Rebuilding the Chancel
In about 1238, the chancel (the part of the church where the altar is) was rebuilt and made longer. The beautiful triple windows on the east side of the church, which you can still see today, were added around this time. Also, a window and a doorway with cool "dog-tooth" patterns on the north side of the sanctuary (another part of the church) were built then.
When Was the Tower Built?
The first exact date we know for sure about the church is around 1290 AD. This is when the central tower was built. We know this from old records kept by the Lincoln Cathedral, because Wheathampstead was part of the Diocese of Lincoln until 1845.
What Is St Helen's Church Made Of?
St Helen's Church is built from a mix of materials. The main parts are made of "flint rubble" or a type of stone called "Totternhoe clunch." It also has flint on the outside and smooth limestone for details.
Where Did the Stone Come From?
There isn't any Totternhoe stone near Wheathampstead. So, people think that the builders in the Middle Ages got the stone from quarries far away in the Midlands. They probably shipped it down the River Great Ouse to Bedford. From there, horses and carts would have carried the heavy stones along old Roman roads all the way to Wheathampstead. Imagine how much work that was!
Famous People Connected to St Helen's
Many interesting people have connections to St Helen's Church.
A Polar Explorer's Memorial
Inside the church, there's a special statue that remembers Apsley Cherry-Garrard. He was a famous polar explorer who went on expeditions to the South Pole. He is buried in the churchyard, which is the area around the church.
A War Correspondent's Resting Place
Also buried in the churchyard is William Beach Thomas. He was a British journalist and writer who reported on World War I.
