St Mary's Church, Brading facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mary's Church, Brading |
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| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Broad Church |
| History | |
| Dedication | St Mary |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Brading |
| Deanery | Isle of Wight |
| Archdeaconry | Isle of Wight |
| Diocese | Portsmouth |
| Province | Canterbury |
St Mary's Church is an old and important church located in the town of Brading on the Isle of Wight. It is a parish church, which means it serves the local community. The church belongs to the Church of England.
Contents
A Look at History
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St Mary's Church is very old, dating back to the 12th century. This means it was built during the medieval period, hundreds of years ago! Over time, the church has been changed and added to. Most of what you see today was built in the 14th and 15th centuries.
Special Features of the Church
The church has some unique parts. One interesting fact is that a vicar named Legh Richmond, who worked here, is thought to have started the idea of using boards with moving numbers to show which hymns to sing during church services. This idea is now used all over the world!
The church's tower, built in the 13th century, is very unusual. It stands on four large supports at the entrance to the church. This design is very rare, with only three other examples like it in Britain. The tower holds eight bells, with the heaviest bell weighing about 530 kilograms. The oldest bell was made way back in 1594.
The Oglander Family Chapel
Inside the church, there is a special area called the Oglander Chapel. This chapel is the resting place for members of the Oglander family, who were important in the local area. You can see two beautifully carved and painted wooden statues, called effigies, of knights on top of two tombs. While these statues were placed by the family, they don't show the exact clothes the knights would have worn long ago.
In another part of the church, called the north aisle, you can find special painted wooden panels called funerary hatchments. These also belong to the Oglander family. The church also has two old fonts, which are bowls used for baptisms. One is from the 13th century and the other from the 15th century.
War Graves in the Churchyard
The churchyard, which is the area around the church, is also important. It contains the graves of four British soldiers who died during World War I. These graves are cared for by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
The Church Organ
St Mary's Church has a pipe organ that was built in 1864 by a company called Forster and Andrews. You can find more details about this organ on the National Pipe Organ Register website.
Church Group
St Mary's Church is part of a group of churches. This group also includes St John the Baptist Church, Yaverland.
