St Mary's Church, Brecon facts for kids
St Mary's Church is an important church located in Brecon, a town in Powys, Mid Wales. It is a very special building, recognized as a Grade II* listed building. This means it is historically and architecturally significant.
The church was first built as a smaller place of worship, connected to a nearby priory. Its tall West Tower, which is about 90 feet (27 meters) high, was built in 1510. People believe Edward, Duke of Buckingham helped with its construction. The church has eight bells that were made in 1750. These bells were removed in 2007 to be cleaned and repaired.
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History of St Mary's Church
St Mary's Church likely began as early as the late 1100s or early 1200s. However, the building you see today is not that old. The eastern window of the chancel shows a Gothic style from the Middle Ages. This suggests the church was built after the year 1015.
Building the Steeple and Bells
The current steeple, which is about 90 feet (27 meters) tall, was built during the time of King Henry VIII. It holds a set of eight bells. These bells were made by Rudhalls, a famous bell-making company from Gloucester. One of the bells was a gift from Thomas Lloyd of Brecknock. Other records say that a Mr. Walker from Newton gave all the bells.
Changes Over Time
In 1805, the main part of the church had two aisles, which are long sections for people to sit. There was also a special chapel for shoemakers. However, houses built close to the church made these areas very dark. Because of this, people stopped using some parts, and meetings moved to the Town Hall.
The main entrance to the church was under a gallery. An organ was placed in this gallery around 1794. A special screen, called a reredos, was added behind the altar. The Ten Commandments were also placed in the chancel, the area around the altar.
Court and Repairs
A local court used to meet once a month inside the church, near the southern door. Around 1690, this area was separated from the main worship space. This was done to stop people attending court from wandering into the church and taking prayer books.
In 1805, the church was repaired and improved. The floors in the aisles were covered with boards. The Rev. Richard Davies, who was an important church leader, paid for many of these improvements. He also added new seats in the chancel.
Later Restorations and Features
The church underwent more major restoration work in 1857. It was reopened on October 21 of that year. The cost of this restoration was a large sum of money for the time.
Two stone tablets that listed gifts given to the town were thought to be destroyed. However, they were later found to have just been moved to the vestry walls. The church's official records, called registers, date back to 1685.
An organ was bought for the church in the mid-1800s. This was possible thanks to money left by John Evans, a banker. The church also has a special memorial window. This window was a gift from Colonel and Mrs. Church Pearce to remember their only son.
