St Mary's Church, Dymock facts for kids

The church of St Mary's

St Mary's Church in Dymock is a special old church located in the village of Dymock, Gloucestershire, England. It's a Church of England parish church, which means it serves the local community. This building is so important that it's listed as a Grade I listed building, showing its historical and architectural value.

History of St Mary's Church

This church is very old! Most of it was built during the Norman times. It's even mentioned in the Domesday Book, a famous survey from 1086 AD that recorded much of England. The tall tower you see was added much later, in the 1400s.

In the 1800s, the church had a big makeover called a Victorian restoration. An architect named John Middleton helped update parts of the building.

Today, the church is on the Historic England Heritage at risk register. This means that some of its stone parts, like the tower and its supports (called buttress), are slowly wearing away. They need care to keep the church safe and strong for the future.

The church is part of a group of churches in the area, including those in Redmarley D'Abitot, Bromesberrow, Pauntley, and Upleadon. They all belong to the Diocese of Gloucester, which is a large church area.

Dymock Sculptors and Art

Dymock is famous for a special group of artists from the Middle Ages. These artists created amazing Romanesque sculpture. A historian named George Zarnecki first wrote about them in 1950. Later, a Reverend named John Eric Gethyn-Jones studied their work more closely. He named this group of artists after the Dymock church because it has many examples of their unique style. You can also find their artwork in other churches within about ten miles of Dymock.

Church Architecture and Design

The church has a long main hall, called a nave, which was built in the 1100s. At the west end, there's a tall tower from the 1400s. On top of the tower, there's a short, eight-sided pyramid-shaped spire. The tower also has a small, eight-sided staircase and is held up by strong stone supports called buttresses.

On the south side of the church, there's a porch where people enter. Just to the east of the porch is a south chapel. There's also a north chapel, but it's located further west than the south chapel. East of the nave, there's a section from the 1100s that used to be the bottom part of a tower where the church's arms crossed.

You can see many examples of Romanesque architecture in the church. This style is known for its round arches and thick walls. Look for it in the doorway and windows of the nave, the decorative stone band on the tower (called a stringcourse), and part of the chancel wall.

Inside the church, the west end of the nave has a display about the Dymock poets. These were famous writers who lived in the area. There's also a special memorial inside the church to remember the men from Dymock who died in World War I and World War II.