St Mary's Church, Haverfordwest facts for kids
St Mary's Church is an old and important church located right in the middle of Haverfordwest, a town in Pembrokeshire, Wales. You can easily spot it at the very top of the town's High Street. This church has been around since the 12th century, which means it's over 800 years old! It's so special that it's officially recognized as a Grade I listed building, meaning it's a building of exceptional historical interest.
A Look Back: The Church's Story
The main part of St Mary's Church was first built in the late 1100s. It was likely rebuilt around the 1240s. This was after it got damaged in 1220 by a famous Welsh leader named Llewelyn the Great. When it was rebuilt, new parts were added, like a tower, entrance porches, and an extra section on the north side.
Later, in the 1400s, more windows were added high up on the walls. These are called clerestory windows and they let in more light. The church's tower used to have a tall, pointy roof called a spire. This spire was made of wood and covered with lead. But it became unsafe and had to be taken down in 1802.
Inside the Church
Step inside St Mary's, and you'll see a beautiful wooden ceiling. It's made of panels with fancy carved beams and ribs. Where these parts meet, there are special carved decorations called bosses. This amazing ceiling was created around the year 1500.
The church also has an old organ that was built in 1737 by Harris & Byfield. It has two keyboards, which is pretty cool for an instrument that old!
St Mary's and Other Churches
Haverfordwest used to have three main churches. Each church served a different group of people. St Mary's was the church for the town's merchants, who were important business people. St Martin of Tours was for the people connected to the castle and the wealthy families. St Thomas á Becket was for the everyday people.
In the 1940s, St Mary's and St Thomas a Becket churches started sharing one vicar. Later, St Thomas a Becket church had to close because it needed too many expensive repairs. So, its churchgoers began meeting at St Mary's. Finally, in 2013, St Martin's church also joined with St Mary's parish, bringing all three church communities together.
St Mary's has been a listed building since 1951. It's now a Grade I listed building because it's a "major medieval church with exceptionally well-preserved detailing." This means it's a very important old church with many original features still in great condition.
