St Lawrence's Church, Lydeard St Lawrence facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of St Lawrence |
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| General information | |
| Town or city | Lydeard St Lawrence |
| Country | England |
| Coordinates | 51°04′55″N 3°14′46″W / 51.0820°N 3.2461°W |
| Completed | 1350 |
The Church of St Lawrence is a very old and important church located in Lydeard St Lawrence, a village in Somerset, England. It was built a long, long time ago, around the year 1350. This church is so special that it has been given a "Grade I listed building" status. This means it's considered a building of exceptional historical and architectural interest!
The church is part of a larger group of churches in the area, including those in Bishops Lydeard, Bagborough, Combe Florey, and Cothelstone.
Contents
A Look Back: The Church's History
How the Church Began
The land where the church stands was given to a place called Taunton Priory in the late 1100s. Later, in the 1600s and 1700s, a family called the Portmans helped support the church.
Building Over Time
The main parts of the church, like the chancel (the area around the altar) and the nave (the main seating area), are from the original building in 1350. Over time, more parts were added. In the 1400s, a north aisle (a side section), a tall west tower with three levels, and two porches (covered entrances) were built.
The church also had a big makeover in 1869. This was part of a common trend called "Victorian restoration" where old churches were repaired and updated.
Inside the Church
Special Features
Inside the Church of St Lawrence, you can find some very old and interesting items. There's a piscina from the 1300s, which is a stone basin used for washing sacred vessels. You can also see a beautiful screen that dates back to the early 1500s.
The Upside-Down Font
One of the most unusual things inside is the font. A font is a large basin used for baptisms. This font is "inverted," which means it's upside down! The original bowl, where the water would have been, is now at the bottom. A new bowl was carved into what was originally the base.
There's a local story about why it's upside down. People say it was because villagers were angry at John Venn. He was a politician who signed the document that led to the execution of King Charles I in 1649. The villagers supposedly didn't want their children to be baptized in the same font after that. However, it's more likely that the font was damaged during the restoration work and was simply put back together this way.
The Churchyard
Outside the church, in the churchyard, you can see the remains of a church cross from the 1300s. The tall part of the cross is shaped like an octagon (it has eight sides) and is made from red sandstone.
There's also a special tomb made of Ham stone (a type of limestone). It's a chest tomb, which looks like a stone box. This tomb has the names of John North, who passed away in 1721, and Grace North, who passed away in 1759. You can also find several other old tombs from the 1600s and 1700s, though we don't know who they belong to.
See also
- List of Grade I listed buildings in Taunton Deane
- List of towers in Somerset
- List of ecclesiastical parishes in the Diocese of Bath and Wells
