St Mary's Church, Henbury facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mary's Church, Henbury |
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Church of England |
| District | Henbury |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Parish church |
| Location | |
| Location | Bristol, England |
 Location in Bristol
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| Architecture | |
| Architectural style | English Gothic |
| Completed | 1300 |
| Website | |
| St Mary's | |
St Mary the Virgin (grid reference ST562788) is an old Church of England parish church located in Henbury, England. People think there might have been a church here since the 600s. The church building you see today was mostly built in the 1200s.
Later, in the 1800s, the church was fixed up and improved. This work was done by famous architects Thomas Rickman and George Edmund Street. They were known for bringing back the Gothic Revival style. Today, this church is a special historic building, listed as Grade II* by English Heritage.
Contents
History of St Mary's Church
Early Beginnings
The first church on this spot might have been built around the year 691 or 692. This was when King Æthelred of Mercia gave land to Oftfor, who was the Bishop of Worcester.
Later, around 1093, another Bishop of Worcester named Wulfstan gave the Henbury church and its income to a monastery in Westbury on Trym. This monastery was part of the Worcester diocese.
Becoming a College Church
Around 1194, the monastery became a place called Westbury College. The area around Henbury then became a "prebend" of the college. This meant the income from Henbury helped support one of the college's canons. This canon was in charge of finding a vicar (a priest) for St Mary's.
St Mary's was also one of two churches that the college community was responsible for taking care of. The bishops from Worcester would visit the college regularly. They even had a special house in Henbury, near St Mary's, where they stayed until the late 1400s. We don't know exactly where this house was.
A Parish Church
In 1544, Westbury College was closed down. After that, St Mary's became a regular parish church for the new Bristol diocese.
Church Design and Style
Original Features
The main part of the church, called the nave, and the lower part of the tower were built around the year 1200. In the early 1200s, the upper part of the tower, the chancel (the area around the altar), and a chapel on the south side were added.
Around 1300, the clerestory was built. This is a high section of wall with windows above the main part of the church. These parts of the church show the Early English style. You can also see some older Late Norman doorways with rounded arches.
Later Changes and Repairs
In 1836, the architect Thomas Rickman added a chapel on the north side and did some repair work. The church was fixed up even more by George Edmund Street between 1875 and 1877.
These repairs in the 1800s brought in features from the Perpendicular Gothic Revival style. You can see this style especially in the windows of the nave and chapels.
There is also a small building in the churchyard called a mortuary chapel. It was built around 1830 and might have been designed by Rickman too. It's in the Early English Gothic Revival style and is also a Grade II listed building.
Special Memorials
Scipio Africanus's Grave
In the churchyard, you can find the grave of a person known as Scipio Africanus. He was a slave, and his grave has a very special, brightly painted headstone and footstone from 1720. This grave is also a Grade II* listed building, meaning it's very important historically.
Amelia Edwards's Obelisk
There's also a tall, pointed stone monument called an obelisk with an ankh symbol. This marks the grave of Amelia Edwards, who was an Egyptologist. She studied ancient Egypt. She is buried with her friend, Ellen Drew Braysher, and Ellen's daughter, Sarah Harriet. In 2016, this grave was recognized as a Grade II listed site by Historic England. It's important because it marks a moment in English LGBT history.
Other Graves
The churchyard also has the grave of Philip Napier Miles. He was a kind person who helped many people and was the last "squire" of King's Weston. He passed away in 1935.
You can also find war graves here. In the main churchyard, there are graves for three soldiers from the First World War and one from the Second World War. In a separate cemetery nearby, there are graves for four soldiers and a Royal Air Force officer from the Second World War.
See also
- Churches in Bristol
- Grade II* listed buildings in Bristol
