St Lawrence's Church, West Wycombe facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Lawrence's Church, West Wycombe |
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| The Church of St Lawrence, West Wycombe | |
The church in 2009
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| 51°38′50″N 0°48′20″W / 51.647154°N 0.805624°W | |
| Location | West Wycombe |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| History | |
| Dedication | St Lawrence |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade I listed church |
| Designated | 9 January 1954 |
| Architect(s) | Widely believed John Donowell |
| Architectural type | Mixed, medieval and neoclassical |
| Style | Classical and Rococo |
| Completed | 3 July 1763 |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Flint, stone, masonry, marble, painted frescoes, gilt |
| Administration | |
| Parish | West Wycombe Parish |
| Deanery | Wycombe Deanery |
| Diocese | Diocese of Oxford |
St Lawrence's Church is a Church of England church. You can find it in the village of West Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, England. It sits high up on West Wycombe Hill, looking over the main road and nearby villages.
West Wycombe Hill is cared for by the National Trust. However, the church and its graveyard belong to the Church of England. This beautiful church is located in the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The church tower is very tall and can be seen from many miles away. The top of the tower is the highest point in the Southern Chilterns. On a clear day, you might even see parts of West London from there!
Contents
History of St Lawrence's Church
The church you see today has a long history. Parts of it are from a medieval church that served a village called Haveringdon. That village no longer exists. The 14th-century chancel (the area around the altar) and tower are still part of the building. However, they have been changed a lot over time.
How the Church Was Rebuilt
The church is a Grade I listed church, which means it's very important. It was slowly rebuilt into its current form by Sir Francis Dashwood, 1st Baronet. He was also known as Baron Le Despenser.
In the 1750s, the old medieval tower was made taller. Sir Francis wanted it to be a special landmark. It could be seen from his home, West Wycombe House, and from the road. A large golden ball was placed on top of the tower. Some say it was inspired by a building in Venice, Italy.
The golden ball was rumored to be a meeting place for a group called the Hellfire Club. It was big enough to seat 10 people inside! An author named John Wilkes even called it "the best globe tavern I was ever in." It's also thought that Sir Francis Dashwood used a special mirror device called a heliograph. He might have used it to send signals through a small window in the golden ball. He would signal to his friend, John Norris (1721–1786), who had a tower 21 miles away.
Between 1761 and 1763, the main part of the church, called the nave, was rebuilt. The medieval chancel was also updated.
Inside the Church: Art and Design
The nave, as rebuilt by Dashwood, looks like a grand "Egyptian hall." Its design was inspired by ancient temple pictures from Palmyra. It has five sections, with tall columns that look like they are made of a special stone called porphyry. The ceiling has amazing "Trompe-l'œil" painting. This is a French term meaning "trick of the eye." It makes flat paintings look like real 3D objects.
More of this "trick of the eye" painting can be seen on the walls of the chancel. In the center of the chancel ceiling, there is a painting of the Last Supper. All these paintings were done by an artist named Giovanni Borgnis. The church also has beautiful Rococo plasterwork, which is a very fancy style. Sir Francis Dashwood also added fine new wooden features, including special seats for the clergy (church leaders).
It is believed that the architect who designed all this work was John Donowell. He worked for Sir Francis Dashwood at West Wycombe Park.
Church Bells
The tower of St Lawrence's Church holds eight bells. Each bell has its own history and was made by different bell founders over the years:
- The first two bells were made by Mears & Stainbank in 1923.
- The third bell was made by Lester and Pack in 1756.
- The fourth bell was made by Henry Knight in 1621.
- The fifth bell was made by Joseph Carter in 1581.
- The sixth bell was made by Henry Knight in 1620.
- The seventh bell was made by Lester and Pack in 1762.
- The largest bell, called the tenor, was made by Thomas Mears in 1828.
The Golden Ball on the Tower
The large golden ball on top of the church tower is a famous symbol of West Wycombe village. You can see it from many miles away. It is made from a wooden frame covered in gold leaf, which is very thin sheets of gold. The ball is 8 feet (about 2.4 meters) across.
Inside, there is seating for up to six people. There were stories that the Hellfire Club, a group founded by Sir Francis Dashwood, met inside the golden ball. However, there is no proof that they actually did. Today, visitors are not allowed to go inside the ball.
Churchyard and Burials
The churchyard is the burial ground around the church. It is a peaceful place with many graves.
It contains eleven Commonwealth war graves. These are the graves of soldiers who died in wars. Six are from World War I and five are from World War II.
The artist and playwright Constance Smedley is also buried here. She passed away in 1941.
