St Mary's Church, Aldridge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St. Mary's Church |
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| 52°36′15″N 1°54′45″W / 52.6043°N 1.9126°W | |
| Location | The Green, Aldridge, Walsall, West Midlands |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| History | |
| Founder(s) | Before 1257 |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Aldridge |
St. Mary's Church is a very old church located in Aldridge, a town in England. It is the main church for the area and is part of the Church of England.
History of St. Mary's Church
St. Mary's Church has been around for a long time. Records show it was built even before the year 1257. That makes it over 760 years old!
Most of the church you see today was built or fixed up much later. Between 1841 and 1853, almost all the outside walls were rebuilt. The only part that stayed from the old days was the tower, which is from the 14th century.
In 1975, a new room called a vestry was added on the south side. Later, between 1991 and 1995, the wooden benches (pews) and special seats for the choir were removed. This made the inside of the church more open.
Inside the Church: Special Statues
Inside St. Mary's Church, you can find two very old statues. These are called effigies. An effigy is a carved figure, often of a person, used as a memorial.
One effigy is of Sir Robert de Stapleton. He was an important person who lived a long time ago, between 1282 and 1301. He was the lord of the land in Aldridge and Great Barr.
The other effigy is of a priest from the 14th century. People think it might be a priest named Roger de Elyngton. These statues help us remember important people from the church's past.
The Church Today
Today, the main leader of St. Mary's Church is called the Rector. The current Rector is the Revd Steve Doel.
Right next to the church, on the green, there is a war memorial. This monument helps people remember those from Aldridge who served in wars.
A painting of St. Mary's Church from 1955 is kept in a special art museum. It was painted by a former Rector, the Rev Ronald William Cartmel.
