St Martin's Church, Ancaster facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Martin's Church, Ancaster |
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St Martin's Church, Ancaster
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| 52°58′50″N 0°32′16″W / 52.9805°N 0.5378°W | |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| History | |
| Dedication | St Martin |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Ancaster and Wilsford |
| Deanery | Deanery of Loveden |
| Diocese | Diocese of Lincoln |
| Province | Canterbury |
St Martin's Church is an old church in Ancaster, England. It is a Grade I listed building, which means it is very important and protected. The church is named after Martin of Tours, a famous saint.
You can find St Martin's Church about 10 kilometers (6 miles) north-east of Grantham. It sits near the edge of the Lincoln Cliff and next to High Dyke, which is part of an ancient Roman road called Ermine Street. The church is part of the Church of England and serves the areas of Ancaster and Wilsford.
Contents
What is the History of St Martin's Church?
Long ago, around the time the Domesday Book was made (over 900 years ago!), there were two churches near Ancaster. There was also a small chapel for a hermit (someone who lives alone for religious reasons) dedicated to St Mary.
The church's official records, called the parish register, began in 1722. This book records important events like births, marriages, and deaths.
Over the years, the church has been repaired and updated.
- In 1859, the main part of the church, called the nave, was refloored and fixed.
- In 1912, the church tower was restored.
- The church organ and the font (a basin for baptisms) were moved in 1898-99.
- In 1909, the churchyard was mostly closed for new burials.
What Does St Martin's Church Look Like?
St Martin's Church is a large building that can seat 220 people. It is built from Ancaster stone, a local type of rock. The church shows different building styles from history, including Norman, Early English, and Decorated styles.
The church has several main parts:
- The chancel: This is the area around the altar.
- The nave: This is the main part where people sit.
- North and south aisles: These are walkways on the sides of the nave.
- A west-facing tower with a spire: The tall, pointed top of the tower.
- A south porch: An entrance area.
The Tower and Roof
The church tower is made of smooth, cut stone blocks called ashlar. It has battlements at the top, which look like the tops of old castles. The tall spire has three levels of small windows called lucarnes.
The roof has decorative edges called parapets, with small pointed towers called pinnacles and stone carvings called gargoyles. Some of the stone supports, called buttresses, also have funny or scary figures carved into them. The clerestory windows in the nave, which let in light, are from the 15th century.
Inside the Church
The church has different types of arcades (rows of arches and columns) inside:
- The north side of the nave has a Norman arcade from around 1160-70. It has round piers (columns) and arches with detailed carvings.
- The south arcade is in the Early English style. It has Perpendicular battlements (decorative tops) and piers with round arches.
Parts of the old chancel screen (a screen that separated the chancel from the nave) are now part of the pews (church benches). The font is very old, from the 12th century. The south doorway has a trefoiled head, meaning it has a three-leaf shape. The arch leading to the tower is in the Decorated style, and the roof has carved figures.
Stained Glass and Memorials
The church has beautiful stained glass windows.
- Four windows in the chancel and two at the west end were given by F. W. Affix.
- Other memorial windows were added in 1880 and 1904 to remember people like Lucy Anderson Lloyd and Marjorie Stote.
- A window in the south wall from the late 13th century has a special design called a quatrefoil (a four-leaf shape).
- The windows in the south aisle are in the Decorated style.
You can also find many monuments and plaques inside the church:
- In the north aisle, there's a tablet for Elizabeth Long (died 1743) with a trumpeting angel.
- Another monument by King of Bath remembers John Roe (died 1796) with an obelisk (a tall, thin monument) and a woman holding an urn.
- In the chancel, there are 19th-century plaques for the Allix family.
- In the south aisle, there are 18th-century plaques, including one from 1756 with a pediment (a triangular top) and a flaming urn.
The church also has an old chalice (a cup used in communion) from around 1770, and its cover is even older, from about 1569.
Roman Discoveries
In the church porch, you can see two effigies (sculpted figures of people), one from the early 14th century. In the churchyard, there are several stone coffins.
Close to the church, some amazing Roman sculptures have been found. These include carvings of the "Dew Matres" (three mother goddesses), a small altar, and a milestone from the time of Constantine the Great (a Roman emperor from 306-337 AD). These show how old the area is!
Images for kids
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St Martin's Church, Ancaster
