St Laurence's Church, Upton-cum-Chalvey facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of Saint Laurence,Upton-cum-Chalvey |
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 Church of Saint Laurence,
Upton-cum-Chalvey Location in Berkshire
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| 51°30′08″N 0°35′18″W / 51.5023°N 0.5884°W | |
| Location | Upton Court Road, Slough SL3 7LS |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Liberal Anglo-Catholic |
| Website | Saint Laurence's Church |
| History | |
| Founded | 12th century |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Upton-cum-Chalvey |
| Deanery | Burnham and Slough |
| Diocese | Oxford |
| Province | Canterbury |
Saint Laurence's Church is one of the three main churches in the area of Upton-cum-Chalvey. It belongs to the Church of England. This church is the oldest building in the town of Slough, England.
Around the 1100s, the original wooden church in Upton was replaced. A new building was made from flint stone. The tower and outer walls of this new church were built in the Norman style. This means they were built during the time of the Normans in England. These old walls and tower are still part of the church you see today.
Some of the walls are made from a special rock called puddingstone. It looks like a mix of pebbles stuck together. Two other old Norman features are still inside. One is the ancient baptismal font, which is a large bowl used for baptisms. The other is a piscina, a small basin used by priests to wash their hands during services.
During the English Reformation, which was a big change in the church in the 1500s, many old decorations were damaged. However, a special picture from the 1200s survived. It's an Italian picture that shows the Trinity – God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This picture was put back together when the church was fixed up later.
Contents
Church History
Falling Apart and Being Fixed
By the early 1800s, Saint Laurence's Church was in very bad shape. It was so broken that people decided to build a new church, called St Mary's, in the town centre. The old Norman building was almost torn down.
But a local farmer saved it! He made sure the outside walls and tower were safe. Saint Laurence's was then fully fixed up between 1850 and 1851. This type of repair is called a Victorian restoration. The church was officially opened again on December 2, 1851.
Famous Connections
Poets and Scientists
The churchyard, which is the area around the church, might have inspired a famous poem. The local poet Thomas Gray (1716–1771) wrote Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard in 1751. Many people think he was thinking of Saint Laurence's.
The poem talks about an "ivy-mantled tow’r," which means a tower covered in ivy. This was a well-known part of Saint Laurence's. The tower also had a curfew bell. This bell would ring at the end of the day, telling people it was time to go home. It rang across the fields of Eton College nearby.
A very famous astronomer and composer named Sir William Herschel (1738–1822) is buried at Saint Laurence's. He was the person who discovered the planet Uranus. Sir William, his wife, and his grandson are all buried together. Their family tomb is at the bottom of the church tower. There are also special plaques on the wall nearby to remember them.
In 2001, a kind gift of money allowed Saint Laurence's to add something new. They put in beautiful stained-glass windows. These windows celebrate Herschel and his amazing discovery of Uranus.
Other Notable People
The west window of the church is a memorial to John Sullivan (1788–1855). He is also buried in the churchyard. John Sullivan was a British official in India. He was in charge of the Coimbatore area between 1815 and 1830. He is best known for starting the city of Ooty in India.
Another important scientist, Charles Hatchett (1765–1847), is buried here too. He was the person who discovered the element niobium.
For many years, the poet and translator Keith Bosley was the church's organist. This means he played the organ during church services.
