St Leonard's Church, Sandridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Leonard's Church, Sandridge |
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St Leonard's Church, 2020
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| 51°46′53″N 0°18′13″W / 51.78140°N 0.30356°W | |
| Location | Church End, Sandridge, Hertfordshire AL4 9DL |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Broad Church |
| Website | https://www.sandridgechurch.org.uk/ |
| History | |
| Dedication | St. Leonard |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* listed |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Sandridge |
| Deanery | Wheathamstead |
| Diocese | St Albans |
| Province | Canterbury |
St Leonard's Church is in Sandridge, a village in Hertfordshire, England. It is a church where people still worship today. The building is listed as Grade II* listed, meaning it's a very special old building protected for its history. One cool part is its chancel arch, which is made from old Roman brick.
Contents
The Church's Early History
A simple wooden church was probably needed around 796. This was when St Albans Abbey became the owner of the land in Sandridge. However, the Domesday Book, an old record from 1086, does not mention a church in Sandridge.
Discovering the Oldest Parts of the Church
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The oldest part of the church you can still see today is likely the round arch between the main part of the church (the nave) and the altar area (the chancel). We're not totally sure how old it is. Some experts say it's from the 11th century, while others think it might be from 946. The bricks used in this arch might have come from a Roman site nearby. They could also be from Verulamium, an ancient Roman city. The abbots of St. Albans were known to have a collection of Roman bricks. They used these bricks to build parts of the abbey.
How St Leonard's Church Got Its Name
The church was officially opened and named after St Leonard by 1119. This was done by Herbert de Losinga, who was the first Bishop of Norwich. Sandridge then became its own parish, which is like a local church area.
Changes and Additions Over Time
The main part of the church, the nave, was made bigger between 1160 and 1180. New side sections, called aisles, were also added. On each side of the nave, you can see three Norman arches. The font, where baptisms happen, is also believed to be from Norman times.
Later, a pointed arch and the church tower were built or changed around the end of the 13th century. This was in the Early English style.
A stone screen was added to the wall between the nave and the chancel in the late 1300s. It was fancy on the side facing the altar. The chancel itself was rebuilt and made longer in 1399. The narrow Norman windows in the aisles were replaced with larger, square-headed windows. The south doorway was also built at this time.
After the monasteries were closed down, many valuable items were taken from the church. The building then started to fall apart. By 1638, the church got new pews (benches for people to sit on). A pulpit (a raised stand for preaching) was put on the south side of the nave. Parts of this old pulpit can still be seen today.
The church tower fell down in 1692 or 1693. It would have cost a lot of money to rebuild it, but nothing was done for a long time.
The upper part of the nave walls (the clerestory) and the roof were in bad shape by 1710. They were patched up but needed major work. In 1786, the old walls were removed, and the roof was lowered. Attic windows were put in, and a wooden bell tower was built. A new stone tower was finally built between 1836 and 1838.
From 1886 to 1887, an architect named William White fixed up the entire church. It cost £3800. The church reopened on June 7, 1887. The church bells were officially dedicated on January 11, 1890.
The Church Organ
The organ was given to the church by several families. It was built around 1880. At first, it only had one manual (keyboard). Before the church was restored, it was in the chancel. Then it was moved and rebuilt under the tower.
In 1914, the organ was made bigger by a company called Norman and Beard. It was moved to the east end of the north aisle. At the same time, the pulpit was moved, and the choir started sitting in the chancel.
The Lychgate Memorial
To the south of the churchyard, there is a lychgate. This is a covered gateway, and it's also a Grade II listed building. It was built after World War I to remember the soldiers who died.
Plaques on the lychgate list the names of villagers who died in the war. They also list the names of those who served and came home safely.
