St Mary's Church, Islington, Norfolk facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mary's Church, Islington |
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Ruins of St Mary's Church, Islington, from the southeast
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 St Mary's Church, Islington
Location in Norfolk
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| 52°43′36″N 0°19′29″E / 52.7268°N 0.3247°E | |
| OS grid reference | TF 571 168 |
| Location | Islington, Norfolk |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | Churches Conservation Trust |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Redundant |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* |
| Designated | 11 August 1951 |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Gothic |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Stone with some brick Tiled roof |
St Mary's Church is an old, ruined Anglican church in Norfolk, England. It is located near a small area called Tilney St Lawrence. This church is no longer used for regular services, which is why it is called a "redundant" church.
It is a very important historical building. It is listed as a Grade II* building. This means it is a special building that needs to be protected. The Churches Conservation Trust looks after it. You can find the church ruins in a quiet spot next to Islington Hall Farm. It is just south of the main A47 road, between the towns of King's Lynn and Wisbech.
Contents
A Look Back: Church History
The oldest parts of St Mary's Church are from the late 1200s. These parts include the main hall (called the nave), the altar area (called the chancel), and the side wings (called transepts).
The tall tower was added later, in the 1400s. This was when the church was updated. Even though it is a ruin today, the church was still complete in 1883. The chancel area was closed off with a new wall in 1972.
What the Church Looks Like
St Mary's Church is built mostly from stone. Some parts of the stone were covered with a smooth finish called stucco. The top of the tower has brick.
The church was originally shaped like a cross. This design is called "cruciform". It had a main hall (nave), an altar area (chancel), and two side wings (north and south transepts). There was also a tower at the west end.
Remaining Parts of the Church
Today, only the tower and the chancel still have their roofs. The chancel roof is made of tiles. The tower has three levels. It has strong supports called buttresses at its corners. There is also a small stair turret on the southwest side.
On the lowest part of the tower, you can see a west door. There is also a large window above it with three sections. This window is in the Perpendicular Gothic style, which was popular in the 1400s. The middle level of the tower has two narrow windows, called lancet windows. The top level has two-section openings where bells would have been. The top edge of the tower is shaped like castle walls, which is called battlemented.
Windows and Walls
The walls of the nave have windows with three sections and flat tops. Only the pointed top parts of the transepts (the side wings) are still standing. The north transept has a window with three lancets of different heights. The south transept has a three-section Perpendicular style window.
The west wall of the chancel has three lancet windows. The east wall has a three-section Perpendicular window. The south wall has a two-section window with Y-shaped patterns (called tracery). It also has a door for the priest and two more lancet windows.
Inside the Chancel
Inside the chancel, you can find two special memorials. On the north wall, there is a memorial for Edward Bragge, who passed away in 1846. On the east wall, there is a beautiful marble monument from 1723. It remembers the children of Anthony Dixon.
See also
