St Mary's Church, Attenborough facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St. Mary's Church, Attenborough |
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St. Mary's Church, Attenborough
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| 52°54′14.04″N 1°13′49.8″W / 52.9039000°N 1.230500°W | |
| Location | Attenborough |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Evangelical |
| History | |
| Dedication | Saint Mary |
| Specifications | |
| Height | 130 feet (40 m) |
| Bells | 8 |
| Tenor bell weight | 11cwt - 0qr - 21lb (1253lb or 568kg) in F# (754.0Hz) |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Attenborough |
| Deanery | Nottingham South |
| Archdeaconry | Nottingham |
| Diocese | Southwell and Nottingham |
| Province | York |
St. Mary's Church, Attenborough is a historic parish church in the Church of England. It is located in the village of Attenborough, Nottinghamshire, England. This church is very important! It is a Grade I listed building. This means the government sees it as a building of amazing architectural or historical value.
Contents
Church History: A Look Back
The church you see today has parts from the Middle Ages. These include the main area (chancel), side sections (aisles), and a tall tower with a pointed top (spire). It also has newer parts added in the 1900s. The church sits in a traditional churchyard with walls and gates.
People believe a small chapel stood here as early as 964 AD. The stone chancel of the current church was built over it. The church is even mentioned in the Domesday Book from 1086! Back then, it served the nearby communities of Chilwell and Toton. These villages grew further away because the church was built on a gravel ridge near the river. This spot had little room for homes and was prone to flooding.
The church's tall spire was rebuilt in 1848. It reaches a height of 130 feet (40 m) (about 40 meters). The church was also carefully repaired in 1869 by an architect named Richard Charles Sutton.
For a long time, St. Mary's was the main church for Chilwell and Toton. Even Bramcote was once part of its parish. But as more people moved to these areas, new churches were built. Christ Church was built in Chilwell in 1903. St Peter's was built in Toton in 1923. Later, St. Barnabas Church was built in Chilwell in 1957.
Over the years, these areas became separate parishes with their own vicars. This happened in 1967 for Bramcote and in 1975 for Chilwell and Toton. Finally, in 2001, Attenborough and Toton became completely separate parishes. This shows how much the local population grew over time!
A famous person, Henry Ireton, was baptised here in 1611. He was the son-in-law of Oliver Cromwell, a very important figure in English history.
Beautiful Stained Glass Windows
The church has many beautiful stained glass windows. These windows tell stories or remember people. They were made by different artists over the years.
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East window in memory of John Royston Pearson. By Ward and Hughes
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North aisle north east War Memorial window. By Alexander Gascoigne 1920.
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North aisle east window in memory of George Radford. By Alexander Gascoigne 1922.
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North aisle middle window in memory of Walter James Helwell Price. By Horace Hincks after 1950.
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North aisle west window in memory of Major John Lander. By Horace Hincks and Pope & Parr 1943.
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South east window, south aisle. By Alexander Gascoigne.
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South aisle east window in memory of teachers. By Anne Goodman 1986.
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South aisle west window in memory of the parents and husband of Mrs Elsie Hammond (née Pritchett). By Pope and Parr 1960.
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Window above the chancel arch in memory of Revd J Smaridge. By Horace Hincks and Pope & Parr 1946.
The Church Bells
The church tower holds eight bells. The oldest bell dates all the way back to 1370! You can find more details about each bell displayed inside the tower.
The Church Organ
The church has a wonderful organ. The first organ was put in place in 1857. It was later moved to Christ Church, Chilwell, in 1928.
The organ you see and hear today was installed in 1926-27. It was built by a company called Brindley & Foster. A famous organist, Bernard Johnson, played it for the first time on January 30, 1927.
Monuments and Special Plaques
Inside the church, you can find many interesting monuments and plaques. These remember important families and people from the past.
- Powtrell Family Memorial: On the east wall, there is a colourful wooden carving from 1623. It shows the "arms" (family symbols) of the Powtrell family.
- John Mather Plaque: Also on the east wall is a plaque made of alabaster. It remembers John Mather, who was the Vicar of Attenborough from 1586 to 1625.
- Foljambe Family Plaque: On the north wall, a brass plaque remembers the Foljambe family. They were connected to the church for 300 years!
- Francis Jaques Memorial: Another memorial on the north wall is for Francis Jaques, who died in 1606. His oldest son, George, put it there.
- Warren Arms: High on the north aisle wall, there's a large "hatchment" (a painted shield with family symbols) that is 5 by 5 feet. It belongs to Admiral Sir John Borlace Warren, a famous naval officer.
- Choir Stalls: The seats where the choir sits have special carvings. They show mermaids and mermen! An inscription on them says they were given in 1928 to remember Josiah and Elizabeth Brown.
The Churchyard: A Place of History
The churchyard is the area around the church. In 1777, it was described as about 1 acre of land. It had hedges, walls, and was near a brook. Today, some of these old boundaries are still there. The original iron gates were put in place in 1842!
The church stands on the highest part of the churchyard. The land slopes down a bit to the north and south. Sometimes, after a very rainy winter, the churchyard can flood. This happens when the water from the River Trent and nearby lakes rises. Even though it can be hard to get to the church then, the building itself has never flooded.
Notable Burials in the Churchyard
Many interesting people are buried in St. Mary's churchyard.
- Charlton Family: This family were the "Lords of the Manor" (important landowners) of Chilwell for 300 years.
- Day Family: Several members of the Day family are buried here. They served as the "Parish Clerk" (a church official) for many years. Henry Day, who died in 1779, was clerk for 43 years!
- Ireton Family: Three of Henry Ireton's brothers and sisters are buried here.
- Chilwell Ordnance Factory Explosion: On July 1, 1918, there was a terrible explosion at a nearby factory. 134 people died. Many of them are buried together in a collective grave in the churchyard. A memorial was put up for them in 1919.
- Harry Leuty: A more recent headstone remembers Harry Leuty, a footballer for Notts County F. C.. He died in 1955 when he was 35 years old.
Images for kids
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St. Mary's Church, Attenborough
