St Martin's Church, Brampton facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St Martin's Church
St Martin's Church from the northwest
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OS grid reference	NY 528 610
Location	Front Street, Brampton, Cumbria
Country	England
Denomination	Anglican
Website	St Martin, Brampton
History
Status	Parish church
Dedication	St Martin
Consecrated	11 November 1878
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Heritage designation	Grade I
Designated	16 January 1984
Architect(s)	Philip Webb
Architectural type	Church
Style	Gothic Revival
Groundbreaking	1874
Completed	1906
Administration
Deanery	Brampton
Archdeaconry	Carlisle
Diocese	Carlisle
Province	York

St Martin's Church is located on Front Street in Brampton, Cumbria, England. It is an active Anglican parish church. This means it is a church that serves a local community. The church is very important because it is listed as a Grade I building. This is the highest level of protection for historic buildings in England. It is also special because it's the only church ever designed by the famous architect Philip Webb. He was connected to a group of artists called the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. A well-known historian, Nikolaus Pevsner, called it "a very remarkable building."

History of St Martin's Church

This church was built where an old hospital once stood. That hospital was turned into a chapel in 1789. The new church was built for George Howard, who later became the 9th Earl of Carlisle. Construction started in 1874 and finished in 1878. The tall tower was added later, in 1906.

The architect, Philip Webb, was a key figure in the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood. This church is his only church design. St Martin's Church replaced an older church, Brampton Old Church, which was about 1 mile (1.6 km) west of the town.

Church Design and Features

Outside the Church

St Martin's Church is built from red sandstone that came from a quarry in Wetheral. It has green slate roofs and a lead spire. The church has a square tower at the west end. It also has a main area called the nave with side sections called aisles. There's a chancel at the east end, which is where the altar is. The church building itself is almost square.

On the north side of the tower, there's an open porch with arches. The west side of the tower has two small windows and a larger one above them. All these windows are set back inside an arch. Higher up, the tower has clock faces on all sides. Above these are openings for the bells. The very top of the tower has gables (pointed roof sections) and decorative walls. A short, pointed spire sits on top of the tower.

The north side of the church has three windows, separated by strong supports called buttresses. Each window has a decorative top that looks like a castle wall. The south aisle has a round window at its west end. On the south side, there are small rectangular windows and three gabled dormers (windows sticking out from the roof) in the upper wall. The organ room on the south side has a large window with three sections. The main east window has five sections.

Inside the Church

Interior of St Martin's Church

You enter the church through the base of the tower. This area acts as both a porch and a place for baptisms. From here, you walk through two arches into the main nave. Above these arches, a large window lets in light from the tower's west wall.

All the ceilings inside the church are made of painted wood. The north aisle has a rounded ceiling, while the south aisle's ceiling slopes. The main nave and chancel have flat ceilings. On each side of the nave, there are four large arches supported by eight-sided pillars. There isn't a separate arch for the chancel.

All the beautiful stained glass windows were made between 1878 and 1880 by a company called Morris & Co.. They were designed by famous artists like Edward Burne-Jones and William Morris. The large east window has five sections with three rows of figures. The top row shows the Good Shepherd in the middle, surrounded by angels. The middle row also features angels. The bottom row has a pelican in the center, with saints on either side. This east window was created to remember Charles Howard, who was a Member of Parliament and brother to the 8th Earl of Carlisle. The baptismal font (a basin for baptisms) is very old, dating back to the 13th century.

Soldiers' Chapel

To the north of the chancel, there is a special chapel that remembers soldiers. Above this chapel is the vestry, a room where clergy prepare. The chapel has an altar panel designed by Byam Shaw. The carpet in the chapel has a design by William Morris.

The church organ has three keyboards and was built around 1920 by Jardine & Co. It was updated in 2008 by Nicholson & Co. The church also has a set of six bells. These bells were made in 1826 by Thomas Mears II at the Whitechapel Bell Foundry.

Buildings Near the Church

To the west of St Martin's Church is St Martin's Hall. It was built in 1895 and designed by C. J. Ferguson. This hall is also made of red sandstone with green slate roofs. It has meeting rooms and a larger hall area. St Martin's Hall is also a listed building, at Grade II. Today, it houses an antiques center.

Between the church and the hall is Church Cottage. This small building is also made of red sandstone with a slate roof. It is older than the church, built in the early 1800s. It's a small, one-story building. Church Cottage is also a Grade II listed building.

St Martin's Church Today

St Martin's Church holds services on Sundays and during the week. It is an active part of the local community. In the summer, the church often hosts concerts. In 2009, the church was unfortunately damaged by vandals. Because of this, the church decided to keep its doors locked during the day for safety.

See also

• Grade I listed churches in Cumbria
• Grade I listed buildings in Cumbria
• Listed buildings in Brampton, Carlisle