St Lawrence Church, Lechlade facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St Lawrence Church
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Location	Lechlade, Gloucestershire
Country	England
Denomination	Church of England
Website	https://www.stlawrencelechlade.org.uk/
Architecture
Heritage designation	Grade I listed building
Designated	26 November 1958
Completed	1476
Administration
Parish	Lechlade
Benefice	South Cotswold Team Ministry
Deanery	Cirencester
Archdeaconry	Cheltenham
Diocese	Diocese of Gloucester

St Lawrence Church is an old church in Lechlade, Gloucestershire, England. It is part of the Church of England. This special building is dedicated to St. Lawrence of Rome. It is so important for its history and design that it is a Grade I listed building. This means it is one of the most important historic buildings in England. It is even admired in a famous book called England's Thousand Best Churches.

The church you see today was finished in 1476. It was built on the site of an even older church. After a fire in the early 1500s, parts of the roof and structure were rebuilt. Over the years, the church has been updated many times. For example, a special gallery for singers was added in 1740. The famous poet Percy Bysshe Shelley even wrote a poem after visiting the churchyard in 1815.

The church has a unique eight-sided spire on top of its tower. Inside, you can find interesting old features. These include a shiny brass chandelier and a 13th-century piscina (a basin for washing sacred vessels). There are also old carvings, including one showing the martyrdom of St Agatha.

Church History

People think there has been a church in Lechlade since at least 1210. This is because a fair was allowed to be held on St. Lawrence's day in that year. In the past, this church was one of the few in England that offered 'Sanctuary'. This meant that if someone was in trouble, they could find safety inside the church for a short time.

The current church building replaced an older one in 1476. Local people helped pay for it. Materials also came from the Lechlade Priory, which was a religious house that closed down. The church was first dedicated to St Mary. But in 1510, its dedication was changed to St Lawrence by Katherine of Aragon. She had become the owner of the Lechlade area in 1501.

After a fire in 1510, the main roof and the upper windows (called a clerestory) were likely added. The north porch and the tower with its unique spire might also have been built around this time. A gallery for singers was put in the west end of the church in 1740. More changes were made inside the church in the 1880s.

Literature Connection

The interior of the church

In September 1815, the famous poet Percy Bysshe Shelley visited Lechlade. He was with his future wife, Mary, and other friends. He was so inspired by the churchyard that he wrote a poem about it. The poem is called A Summer-Evening Churchyard, Lechlade, Gloucestershire. It was published the next year. Today, the path through the churchyard is called “Shelley's Walk” to remember his visit.

Community Life

The current Vicar of St Lawrence Church is Dr Andrew Cinnamond. The church has close ties with the nearby St Lawrence Church of England Primary School.

The church in Lechlade is part of a larger group of churches. This group is called the South Cotswold Team Ministry. It is within the Diocese of Gloucester, which is a larger area of churches.

Church Architecture

A carving of St Agatha

The church is built from freestone, which is a type of stone that can be cut easily. This stone came from Taynton Quarry near Burford. The church has a main area called a nave with upper windows (clerestorey). It also has side areas called aisles, a north porch, and chapels on the north and south sides of the chancel (the area around the altar). There is also a vestry on the north side.

The west tower has three levels and is supported by strong buttresses. It has pointed decorations called pinnacles and a decorative top edge (embattled parapet). On top of the tower is its most famous feature: an eight-sided spire. The tower holds bells of different ages, with the oldest one dating back to 1590. The bells were rehung in 1911 and again in 1966.

Inside the Church

Some of the items inside the church are very old. They came from the earlier church that stood on this site. These include a 13th-century piscina (a stone basin) and the font where baptisms take place. The carving of St Agatha in the north aisle is also from the older church.

The large brass chandelier hanging from the ceiling was made in 1730. It has an inscription saying it was "the gift of Mr Richard Ainge". The pulpit, where sermons are given, was added in 1882. However, the base it stands on is much older. It was found in the vicarage garden.

You can also find some medieval brass plaques and marble memorials inside. Below the stained glass east window, there is a wooden screen called a reredos. It has a carving of the Agnus Dei, which represents Jesus.

Churchyard and Gravestones

The churchyard around St Lawrence Church is no longer used for new burials. Modern burials now take place in the town cemetery. However, the churchyard still has many old gravestones. Some of these date back hundreds of years. You can see many chest tombs, which are like stone boxes. These include tombs for families like the Hobbs, Lambert, Giles, and Walker families, among many others.