St Mary's Church, Barnetby facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mary's Church, Barnetby |
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St Mary's Church, Barnetby, from the south
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| OS grid reference | TA 061 091 |
| Location | Barnetby, Lincolnshire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | Churches Conservation Trust |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Redundant |
| Heritage designation | Grade I |
| Designated | 6 November 1967 |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Anglo-Saxon, Norman, Gothic |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Ironstone, chalk, limestone and brick. Slate and tile roofs |
St Mary's Church is an old Anglican church in the village of Barnetby, Lincolnshire, England. It is no longer used for regular church services. This church is very important and is listed as a Grade I building, which means it's a very special historic place. The Churches Conservation Trust takes care of it now.
Contents
History of St Mary's Church
St Mary's Church was built a very long time ago, starting in the 11th century. Some parts of the south wall of the main area, called the nave, are even older, from the Anglo-Saxon period.
Building Changes Over Time
- The church tower was built between the 11th and 12th centuries.
- The arch leading to the tower, the north arcade (a row of arches), and the chancel (the part of the church near the altar) were added in the 13th century.
- In the 17th and 18th centuries, more changes were made. The north aisle (a side part of the church) was taken down. A new window was put in the east end of the chancel.
- In 1829, a gallery (a raised seating area) and a new window for it were added to the nave.
- During the 19th century, the south porch was replaced with buttresses (supports for the walls).
- In the 20th century, some rendering (a type of plaster) was put on the outside of the church. More repairs were also done.
Why the Church is No Longer Used
In 1927, people stopped having church services at St Mary's. They started using St Barnabas church instead, which was a brick building about half a mile away in Barnetby. St Mary's became unused and was officially declared "redundant" in 1972. This means it was no longer needed for its original purpose. Since then, the Churches Conservation Trust has been looking after it.
A Special Connection to World War II
Don Charlwood, an Australian navigator who served in the Royal Air Force during World War II, wrote about St Mary's in his book "No Moon Tonight." He was stationed nearby and often visited the church. He wrote about how important the church was to him during those difficult times.
Church Design and Features
St Mary's Church is built from a mix of different materials. These include ironstone, chalk, limestone, and red and yellow bricks. Some parts of the nave and tower have a cement rendering on the outside. The roof of the nave is made of slate, and the chancel roof is made of tiles.
Outside the Church
- The church has a main area (nave), a chancel, and a tower at the west end.
- The tower looks a bit short and wide. It has two main sections and a base. It also has quoins (corner stones) and a decorative moulded line.
- On the west side of the tower, there's a round-headed doorway with a small, narrow window above it.
- The upper part of the tower has small, round-headed openings for bells on the west and south sides. There's a square-headed opening on the north side.
- On the north wall of the nave, you can still see parts of two old arches. There's also a 15th-century window with three sections and decorative stone patterns. Two other windows are simpler, with three sections and vertical stone bars called mullions.
- On the south side of the nave, there are two buttresses. Between them is a round-headed window that used to light the gallery.
- To the east of these, there's a narrow 11th-century window with a round top. It has a stone lintel (a beam above the window) carved with a lion. There's also a large square-headed window from the 16th or 17th century with four sections that have trefoil (three-leaf) shaped tops.
- On the south wall of the chancel, there are two narrow windows, one single and one double. Between them is a doorway that has been blocked up.
- The east window has a round top. Above it, the gable (the triangular part of the wall) is made of red and yellow brick and rendering.
Inside the Church
- The arch leading into the tower has a pointed shape. It is partly hidden by the west gallery. This gallery is held up by two wooden columns.
- On the south wall of the nave, there's a blocked-up round-headed doorway. On the north wall, you can see where the old arcade used to be.
- The arch leading into the chancel is also pointed. In the chancel, there's a blocked-up door on the south side.
- The chancel rails, which separate the chancel from the rest of the church, are made from an old 15th-century wooden rood screen.
- The wooden pulpit (where sermons are given) has eight sides and dates from the late 18th or early 19th century. It has painted panels.
- In the tower, there's a stone coffin carved for a baby.
- A special lead Romanesque font (a basin for baptisms) that used to be in the church is now at the North Lincolnshire Museum in Scunthorpe.
- The church has three bells, but they cannot be rung anymore. The oldest bell was made in 1578, and the other two were made around 1599.
Churchyard Features
The churchyard around St Mary's Church is also important. It contains war graves for three soldiers from the Royal Engineers who died in the First World War.
See also
