St Margaret's, Corsley facts for kids
St Margaret's Church, Corsley is a special old church in the village of Corsley, Wiltshire, England. It belongs to the Church of England. In 1968, this church was officially recognized as a Grade II listed building. This means it's an important historical building that needs to be protected.
Contents
History of St Margaret's Church
Building the Church
The current St Margaret's Church was built in 1833. It was designed by an architect named John Leachman. The church was built on the same spot where an even older church used to stand. That older church was dedicated to St James from the 1500s to the 1700s.
The new church has a simple design. It has a wide main area called a nave with no side sections. It also has a chancel, which is the part of the church near the altar. Both the nave and chancel are covered by a roof made of Welsh slate. There is also a tall tower on the west side of the church.
Architect's Design
The way St Margaret's Church looks is very similar to another church designed by John Leachman. That church is Christ Church, Warminster, which is also in Wiltshire. While Christ Church has been changed and made bigger many times over the years, St Margaret's has stayed mostly the same. This means it still looks very much like Leachman's original plan.
Inside, there is a gallery on the west side. It stands on four strong cast iron pillars. You can also see the Royal Arms of King George III. The church tower has six bells. Three of these bells are very old, dating back to the 1700s. A clock was added to the tower around 1885.
Church's Past and Present
Early Beginnings
Records show that there was a priest in Corsley as early as the mid-1200s. At first, the church in Corsley was part of the bigger parish of St Denys in Warminster. Warminster is about 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) southeast of Corsley. However, by 1415, Corsley became its own independent parish.
The church was first recorded as being dedicated to St Margaret of Antioch in 1786. Some items from the older church are still used today. These include the pulpit, which is from around 1700. There are also painted boards that list people who gave money to the church. Several old monuments are also still there.
Modern Connections
Since 2007, the Corsley parish has been part of a group of churches called the Cley Hill benefice. This group also includes St Mary's Church at Temple. St Mary's is a smaller church that was built in 1903.
