St Margaret's Church, Halstead facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Margaret, Halstead |
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St Margaret's Church, Halstead
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| 51°20′6″N 0°7′39″E / 51.33500°N 0.12750°E | |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Broad Church |
| Website | knockholtandhalsteadchurches.org |
| History | |
| Dedication | Margaret the Virgin |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Halstead |
| Deanery | Sevenoaks |
| Archdeaconry | Kent |
| Diocese | Rochester |
| Province | Canterbury |
St Margaret's Church is a special place of worship in the village of Halstead, England. It's part of the Church of England, which is the main Christian church in England. Even though it's in Halstead, it also serves the nearby village of Badgers Mount. Since 1983, St Margaret's has worked closely with St Katharine's Church. They share one priest and plan their church services together.
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A Look at St Margaret's Church
St Margaret's Church is not the first church built in this spot. The original church was much older, from the Middle Ages, but it was taken down. Some parts of that old church, like special stone carvings and memorials, are now inside the current building. These old pieces date back to the mid-1400s!
How the Church Was Built
The church you see today was built in different stages, like adding new sections over time.
- Chancel: This is the part of the church where the altar is. It was built in 1855 by a person named R. C. Hussey. The walls are made of flint stones, carefully put together. This part was first meant to be a special chapel for burials.
- Nave and South Aisle: The main part of the church where people sit, called the nave, and a side section called the south aisle, were built between 1880 and 1881. They were designed by W. M. Teulon and share one roof.
- Porch: The entrance porch on the south-west side is made of timber (wood). It looks very charming with a gabled window nearby and a large bell-gable on the west side.
- North Aisle and Vestry: Another side section, the north aisle, and a room for the priest's robes, called the vestry, were added in 1897 by St Aubyn and Wadling. The very outer part of the north aisle was finished even later, in 1992.
Inside, the church feels connected and open. It has three large arches supported by round pillars. These pillars have strong, bold tops and arches made of red brick.
Beautiful Stained Glass Windows
The church has many colorful stained glass windows that tell stories or show important figures.
- West Nave Windows: These windows are in the main part of the church and came from the old church in 1867. They were designed by an artist named Casolani.
- East Chancel Windows: In the chancel, the windows show Christ in Majesty, which means Jesus as a king. These were made in the 1880s by a company called Hardman & Co.
- North Aisle Windows: The windows in the north aisle were made in 1909 by Morris & Co., using designs by the famous artist Edward Burne-Jones.
- South Aisle Windows: The windows in the south aisle were designed by Marguerite Douglas-Thomson in 1950.
Old Memorials and Brass Rubbings
Inside the church, you can find several old memorials that honor people from the past.
- William Burys: There's a brass memorial for William Burys, who died in 1444. It shows him wearing armor and is about 26 inches tall.
- William Petley: Another brass memorial is for William Petley, who died in 1528. It shows him and his wife, but it's smaller than the one for William Burys.
- Sir James Ashe: A white marble tablet remembers Sir James Ashe, who passed away in 1733. This memorial has carvings of cherubs (small angels) at the top and bottom. It was made by Jonathan Barker, and it's the only work of his that we know about!
