St Mary's Church, Burford facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mary's Church, Burford |
|
|---|---|
St Mary's Church, Burford, from the northwest
|
|
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
| OS grid reference | SO 583 681 |
| Location | Burford, Shropshire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | Tenbury Team Ministry |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade I |
| Designated | 12 November 1954 |
| Architect(s) | Aston Webb (restoration) |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Norman, Gothic, Gothic Revival |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Stone, tiled roofs |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Burford 3rd portion |
| Deanery | Ludlow |
| Archdeaconry | Ludlow |
| Diocese | Hereford |
| Province | Canterbury |
St Mary's Church in Burford is a historic church located near Burford House in Shropshire, England. It is about 0.7 miles (1.1 km) west of Tenbury Wells. This church is an active Anglican parish church, meaning it serves the local community. It is part of the Tenbury Team Ministry, which includes eleven other parishes. St Mary's Church is very important, so it is listed as a Grade I building on the National Heritage List for England. This means it is a building of exceptional interest.
Contents
A Look at the Church's History
The oldest parts of St Mary's Church are in the chancel, which is the area around the altar. These parts date all the way back to the 12th century (the 1100s). The main part of the church, called the nave, and the tower were built later, in the 14th century (the 1300s).
In 1889 and 1890, the church got a big makeover. This was done by a famous architect named Aston Webb for Georgina Rushout of Burford House. He rebuilt much of the tower. He also added strong supports called buttresses and decorative tops called crenellation to the nave and chancel. The old window designs, called tracery, were replaced with new ones. Inside, he rebuilt the arch leading to the chancel and the roof, adding beautiful carvings of angels.
What the Church Looks Like
Outside the Church
The church is built from stone and has tiled roofs. The parts added by Aston Webb are made from a special type of sandstone from Bromsgrove. The church has a main area (nave) with a porch on the south side. It also has a chancel with a small room called a vestry on the north side, and a tower at the west end.
The chancel still has features from the Norman period, which is a very old style. The nave shows the Decorated style, known for its fancy designs. The tower is in the Perpendicular style, which is a later Gothic style with tall, straight lines. The tower has a doorway at the west end with a window above it. At the very top of the tower, there are openings for bells. These openings have pairs of narrow, tall windows called lancets with wooden slats.
Inside the Church
.jpg)
Inside the chancel, there are special seats called sedilia with a decorative roof, like a small canopy. Near the south door, you can find a stoup, which is a basin for holy water from the medieval times. Most of the other things inside the church were designed by Aston Webb during the makeover.
The font, used for baptisms, is shaped like an octagon and is in the Perpendicular style. The chandeliers and other lights in the church are described as "large and fantastic," meaning they are big and very decorative. The brass lectern, where readings are given, has a carving of the Virgin Mary. The pulpit, where sermons are given, has carvings of important religious teachers called Doctors of the Church. The reredos, which is a screen behind the altar, is made of beautiful mahogany wood.
Most of the stained glass windows were made by Powell's between 1890 and about 1902. In the vestry, there is a panel made of tiles from the 14th and 15th centuries. Many of the monuments inside the church are for the Cornwall family. These monuments date from the 14th to the 17th centuries and were probably repainted in the 1800s. Later monuments are for the Rushout family from the 1800s. One of these was made by Sir Richard Westmacott, and another by his son. There is also a stone plaque on a marble shelf that serves as the local war memorial. It has carvings of a cross, crown, and palm leaves, remembering those who died in both World Wars.
Things Outside the Church
To the south of the church, there is a medieval churchyard cross. Part of the original stone pillar stands on four octagon-shaped steps. The top part was fixed in 1867 and includes carvings of the Crucifixion (Jesus on the cross) and the Nativity (the birth of Jesus). This cross is listed as a Grade II building, meaning it is also of special interest. The churchyard also holds the war grave of a soldier from the King's Shropshire Light Infantry who died in World War I.
Notable Burials
More to Explore
- Grade I listed churches in Shropshire
- Listed buildings in Burford, Shropshire
