St Laurence's Church, Northfield facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St. Laurence's Church, Northfield |
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| 52°24′44″N 1°57′51″W / 52.4121°N 1.9641°W | |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| History | |
| Dedication | St. Laurence |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Northfield, Birmingham |
| Diocese | Birmingham |
| Province | Canterbury |
St. Laurence's Church, Northfield is a beautiful old church in Northfield, Birmingham. It belongs to the Church of England. This church is in a special area with old nail maker's cottages, a historic inn, an old school, and the Village Pound.
Contents
History of St. Laurence's Church
This amazing church is a Grade I listed building, which means it's very important and protected. It was built a long time ago, starting in the 12th century (the 1100s). You can see some of the best examples of Early English style architecture here. This style was popular in England from the late 1100s to the mid-1200s.
Old Features of the Church
One special part is a rare wooden porch from the 14th century (the 1300s). It's located outside the south door. In 1900, a new section called the north aisle was added. This was designed by a famous architect named George Frederick Bodley.
The church tower and the Chancel (the part of the church near the altar) date back to the 12th or 13th century. There's a special chapel called the Lady Chapel in the South Aisle. Another chapel in the North Aisle is dedicated to St. Laurence.
Ancient Origins of the Site
The place where this Norman church stands today was probably home to an even older Saxon church. A priest was mentioned here in "Nordfeld" in the Domesday Book of 1086. This book was a huge survey of England ordered by William the Conqueror.
Symbol of St. Laurence
Look closely at the stonework on the church tower. You might spot a gridiron. This is a symbol linked to St. Laurence, the saint the church is named after. He was martyred (killed for his beliefs) on a gridiron.
Church Bells
St. Laurence's Church has a wonderful set of bells. Originally, there were eight bells. On November 20, 1999, two more bells were added, making a total of ten! At the same time, a new room was built at the bottom of the tower. This room is called a ringing chamber, and it's where the bell ringers stand to ring the bells.
The Church Organ
The church received a brand new organ in 1937. It was given by Herbert Austin, 1st Baron Austin and Lady Austin. Lord Austin was a famous car maker who founded the Austin Motor Company. They donated the organ in memory of their son, Vernon James Austin, who passed away in 1915.
The organ was built by the Compton Organ Company. It has three keyboards (called manuals) and pedals, which the organist plays with their feet. You can find more details about this organ on the National Pipe Organ Register website.
Beautiful Stained Glass Windows
The church is filled with amazing stained glass windows. They have deep, rich colors and detailed designs. Most of these windows were made by a company called Hardman & Co. They were true artists!
Hardman & Co.'s Work
Hardman & Co. also created stained glass windows for other famous places. These include St. Andrew's Cathedral and St. Mary's Cathedrals in Sydney, Australia. They even made windows for the Houses of Parliament in London, including one in the House of Lords.
Almost all the windows in St. Laurence's Church were made by Hardman. They carefully copied the style of 13th-century stained glass. They used special techniques to make them look just right.
Stories in Glass
The windows tell many stories from the Bible. Some of the subjects you can see are:
- The Passion of Christ (Jesus's suffering)
- The Resurrection (Jesus coming back to life)
- The Adoration (worship of Jesus)
- The Nativity (Jesus's birth)
- The Presentation in the temple before Simeon
- The Annunciation (when Mary was told she would have Jesus)
- The descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles
- Our Lord's appearance to St. Thomas
- The Transfiguration
- Walking on the waters of the Sea of Galilee
- Raising of Lazarus
There is also a window made by other famous artists, Pugin and Kempe.
War Graves in the Churchyard
The churchyard has a special section called the extension. It's located between Kings Norton and Bristol Road. This area contains war graves. These are the burial places of sixteen service personnel who died serving their country. One person was from World War I and fifteen were from World War II.
See also
- Listed buildings in Birmingham
Other Medieval Churches in Birmingham
Images for kids
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St. Laurence Church, Northfield
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View of St. Laurence Church from the road
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The churchyard at St. Laurence, Northfield
