St Mary's Church, Glynde facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mary's Church, Glynde |
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| 50°51′55″N 0°04′06″E / 50.8653°N 0.0683°E | |
| OS grid reference | TQ 456 093 |
| Location | Glynde |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| History | |
| Dedication | Saint Mary the Virgin |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* |
| Designated | 20 August 1965 |
| Architect(s) | Sir Thomas Robinson, 1st Baronet |
| Style | Palladian |
| Completed | 1765 |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Diocese of Chichester |
The Church of St Mary the Virgin is a beautiful old church in the village of Glynde, East Sussex. It's a special building, officially called a Grade II* listed place, which means it's very important historically and architecturally. This church belongs to the Church of England, which is the main Christian church in England. It was built in the 1760s by a man named Richard Trevor. He was a bishop, which is a high-ranking leader in the church, and his family lived nearby at Glynde Place.
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How Old Is St Mary's Church?
There was an older church on this same spot long ago, during the Middle Ages. We don't know much about it, but it was quite old and in poor condition. So, Richard Trevor decided to build a brand new church. He was the Bishop of Durham from 1752 to 1771. His family owned Glynde Place, which was their main home.
Who Designed the New Church?
The new church was designed by an architect named Sir Thomas Robinson, 1st Baronet. He had also worked for Bishop Trevor on his palace in County Durham. The actual building work was done by John Morris, a builder from the nearby town of Lewes.
When Was the Church Built?
Work on the old church began on August 1, 1763, when it was taken down. The foundation and underground parts of the new church were built that same year. The main part of the building went up in 1764, and everything was finished in 1765. The very first church service in the new building happened on Sunday, June 30, 1765. A newspaper at the time said it was "a neat and elegant building, and is very decently ornamented." This means it was considered a very nice and well-decorated church.
What Does the Church Look Like?
Sir Thomas Robinson, the architect, had traveled to Italy. He really liked the old Roman and Greek building styles, which are part of something called Renaissance architecture. Because of this, St Mary's Church is built in a style known as Palladian. This style often uses grand, balanced shapes and columns.
Outside the Church
The outside walls of the church are covered with a special type of stone called knapped flint. This is flint stone that has been carefully shaped. The bottom part of the walls has a smooth stone base called ashlar.
Above the main entrance on the west wall, there's a triangular shape called a pediment. In the middle of this triangle, in a space called the tympanum, you can see the coat of arms of Richard Trevor. This is like a special family symbol, carved out of Portland stone. Above the pediment, there's a bell. It's kept in an open stone tower called a belfry.
Inside the Church
The inside of the church is shaped like a perfect rectangle. The only part that's different is where the communion table is. It's set back into a special space in the east wall. The ceiling inside is curved, which is called a coved ceiling. Most of the things you see inside, like the special seats called box pews, are from when the church was first built. In 1841, a balcony was added at the west end. This was to make space for more people to sit during services.
