St Mary's Church, Bathwick facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Old St Mary, Bathwick
St Mary's Church in 1818
General information
Architectural style	Medieval architecture
Town or city	Bathwick, Bath
Country	England
Construction started	?
Completed	?
Demolished	1818
Cost	?
Technical details
Structural system	Heavy Bath oolitic limestone buttresses and piers
Design and construction
Architect	?

St Mary's Church, Bathwick (also known as Bathwick Old Church) was a local church in Bathwick, a part of the city of Bath in England. This old church was taken down in 1818. A new church, St Mary the Virgin's Church, Bathwick, replaced it. The old church's graveyard is now part of the churchyard of St John the Baptist's Church, Bathwick.

What Was Old St Mary's Church?

This church was very old, built during the Middle Ages. In 1815, records showed it was about 64 feet long and 17 feet wide. It could seat around 130 people.

Church Design and Features

The church had a tall tower built in the Early English style. It also had a main hall called a nave and a special area for the altar called a chancel. Large, strong supports called buttresses helped hold up its walls.

Why Was the Old Church Taken Down?

By the time of the Georgian era (a period in British history), the old church was starting to fall apart. In 1727, a wealthy person named William Pulteney bought the land where the church stood. The Pulteney family wanted to get rid of the small, crumbling church. However, they waited until they had built up the surrounding area.

Building a New Church

By 1814, a new church was finished. This new church was also called St Mary the Virgin, Bathwick. It was built at the bottom of Bathwick Hill. The person who designed the new church, John Pinch the Elder, was then hired by the Pulteney family. His job was to take down the old medieval church. He completed this in January 1818.

What Happened to the Old Church's Parts?

Many of the old church's stones were reused. The altar, pulpit, and roof timbers were also recycled. These materials were used to build a new small building for funerals, called a mortuary chapel. John Pinch the Elder also designed this new chapel.

The Mortuary Chapel Today

However, this new chapel was never allowed to hold weddings. It only sometimes held funerals and baptisms. Today, this chapel is blocked off with bricks. It is abandoned and very old and falling apart.

Where is the Old Church Now?

The graveyard and many burial spots from Bathwick Old Church still exist. They are now part of the churchyard of St John the Baptist, Bathwick Church. The east end of the Victorian-era St John's church now stands where the old church's tower used to be. The entire design of St John's church was made to fit into the space of the old church.