St Martin's Church, Bladon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Martin's Parish Church |
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| Parish Church of Saint Martin, Bladon | |
St Martin's Parish Church
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| Location | Church Street, Bladon, Woodstock, Oxfordshire, England |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| History | |
| Dedication | Saint Martin |
| Architecture | |
| Years built | 1891 |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Oxford |
St Martin's Church is a historic church located in Bladon, a village near Woodstock in Oxfordshire, England. It is the local Church of England parish church for Bladon and Woodstock.
This church is especially famous for its churchyard. Many members of the Spencer-Churchill family are buried here. This includes Sir Winston Churchill, who was a very important British Prime Minister.
History of St Martin's Church
The first church on this site was likely built a very long time ago. It was probably constructed in the 11th or 12th century. That's over 800 years ago!
An old picture shows what the church looked like before 1802. It had a fancy Norman doorway. This style of building was common in England after the Normans arrived. The old church also had a clerestory, which is a row of windows high up on the wall. These windows let in more light.
The church kept records of baptisms, marriages, and burials starting from 1545. These old records are now stored at the Bodleian Library in Oxford.
In 1802, the old church was falling apart and becoming unsafe. The people of the parish asked the Bishop of Oxford for permission to build a new one. Permission was given, and the old medieval church was taken down.
The 4th Duke of Marlborough helped pay for the building materials. The new church was finished and opened in 1804.
In 1891, a famous architect named A.W. Blomfield made more changes. He rebuilt the chancel (the area around the altar). He also improved the nave (the main part of the church where people sit). New windows were added, and tall, pointed decorations called pinnacles were put on the tower.
Unlike the very old church, the new building does not have a clerestory. Even with the new windows, the inside of the church is still quite dim.
Much of this work was paid for by the church's leader, Arthur Majendie. Three windows in the chancel are dedicated to his memory. Another special window shows a copy of Choir of the Cherubs by Sir Joshua Reynolds. In 1893, a lych gate (a covered gateway to the churchyard) was added in memory of Majendie's mother. Later, in 1937, a statue of Saint Martin, the church's patron saint, was placed above the porch.
Spencer-Churchill Family Graves
The area around St Martin's Church includes Blenheim Palace. This palace is the family home of the Dukes of Marlborough. Most members of the Spencer-Churchill family, who are related to the Dukes, are buried in St Martin's churchyard.
The Dukes and Duchesses of Marlborough are usually buried in the Blenheim Palace chapel. However, the 10th Duke and his first wife are buried here in Bladon.
Sir Winston Churchill, a very famous Prime Minister, wanted to be buried at Bladon. So, on January 30, 1965, after his large state funeral in London, his body was brought by train to a nearby station. From there, it was taken to Bladon.
His burial was a private ceremony, attended only by family and close friends. In 1977, his wife, Clementine Churchill, was buried in the same tomb with him.
In 1998, Churchill's tombstone had to be replaced. So many visitors had come over the years that the stone and the ground around it were worn away. A new stone was put in place in a special ceremony.
However, after only eight years, the gravestone became dirty and worn again. In July 2006, the area around Churchill's grave was closed. The gravestone was cleaned and restored to look new again.
Many other members of the Churchill family are also buried in the churchyard. These include Sir Winston Churchill's parents, Lord Randolph Churchill and Jennie Jerome. His younger brother, John, is also buried here.
His children, Diana, Randolph, Sarah, and Mary, are also laid to rest in Bladon. His son-in-law, Christopher Soames, and his grandson, Winston Churchill, are also buried here.
Other Churchill family members include the 10th Duke of Marlborough and his first wife. Also, Consuelo Vanderbilt, who was a Duchess of Marlborough, and her younger son, Lord Ivor Charles Spencer-Churchill, are buried here.
The churchyard is even the subject of a poem called 'At Bladon'. It was written by Avril Anderson and was read during the BBC broadcast of Winston Churchill's funeral.
