St Laurence's Church, Reading facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Laurence's Church |
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St Laurence's Church with The Blade in the background
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 St Laurence's Church
Location in Reading Central
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| 51°27′23.59″N 0°58′10.01″W / 51.4565528°N 0.9694472°W | |
| Location | Reading |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Website | stlreading.org |
| History | |
| Founded | 1121 |
| Dedication | St Laurence |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade I |
| Style | Norman |
| Administration | |
| Archdeaconry | Berkshire |
| Diocese | Oxford |
St Laurence's Church is a special church in Reading, England. It's part of the Church of England and works as a mission church today. It used to be a local parish church. The church is located right next to where the old Reading Abbey used to be. This historic building is very important, so it is a Grade I listed building.
Contents
Discovering the Church's Past
St Laurence's was one of the first three churches in Reading during the Middle Ages (a long time ago!). It was built to serve the people living in the eastern part of the town. Being close to Reading Abbey, it became a busy place with a big market. This market even had a pillory and stocks, which were old ways to punish people.
Building Through the Centuries
The church's history goes back to the Norman period. It was rebuilt several times, including in 1196, during the 15th century, and again in 1867. The building is made of flint stones with strong ashlar blocks at the corners, called quoins.
A main feature of the church is its tall, three-part tower. This tower was built in 1458. It stands proudly at the north end of Reading's old Market Place.
Inside the Historic Church
Inside St Laurence's, you can find many interesting things. There is a memorial dedicated to John Blagrave, a famous English mathematician from the 1500s. You can also see a font from 1522. This font was used to christen William Laud, who later became an important Archbishop.
In 1619, a covered walkway with six arches was added along the south wall. It was known as Blagrave's Piazza. It even had a small lock-up area under one of its arches.
A Moment of Damage
During World War II, on February 10, 1943, the church was damaged by a bombing raid. This sad event caused harm to the building and affected many people. You can still see some of the damage today, reminding us of that time.
St Laurence's Today
In the 1970s, fewer people were attending St Laurence's. Because of this, its parish joined with St Mary's Church. As time went on, the number of people attending continued to decrease.
A New Purpose for the Church
At the end of the 20th century, a new plan was made for the church. The inside of the church was changed to fit its new role. A modern mezzanine floor was added to one side of the main area, called the nave.
Today, St Laurence's Church serves as a mission church. Its main goal is to help and encourage young people in their faith.
Gallery
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Richard Valpy by Samuel Dixon, St Laurence's Church, Reading (Roche Abbey stone)
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St Laurence's Church around 1845 by William Fox Talbot
