St Mary's Church, Maddington facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mary's Church |
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| Location | Maddington, Shrewton, Wiltshire, England |
| Built | late 12th century |
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Listed Building – Grade II*
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| Official name: Church of St Mary the Virgin | |
| Designated | 18 February 1958 |
| Reference no. | 1023996 |
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St Mary's Church is a very old church located in the Maddington area of Shrewton, Wiltshire, in England. It was first built way back in the late 1100s! This makes it a truly historic place.
Today, St Mary's Church is a special "listed building" with a Grade II* rating. This means it's an important historical building that needs to be protected. It is now looked after by the Churches Conservation Trust, an organization that saves old churches. The church officially became part of the Trust's care in 1979.
Contents
A Look at the Church's History
St Mary's Church has roots in the Norman period, which was a style popular in England after the Norman Conquest in 1066. The very first parts of the church that you can still see today were built in the late 1100s and early 1200s.
Changes Over the Centuries
Over hundreds of years, the church has been changed and updated many times.
- In 1603, the roof of the main part of the church, called the nave, was replaced. A person named Giles Tooker paid for this work.
- Later, in the late 1600s, Sir Stephen Fox became the local lord. He paid for the chancel (the part of the church near the altar) to be rebuilt and redecorated.
- A special balcony, called a gallery, was added in 1637, but it has since been removed.
- In 1853, the chancel was rebuilt again. The whole church was also "restored" by an architect named Thomas Henry Wyatt. This means it was repaired and updated to look its best. During this time, a new entrance porch with a pointed roof was also built.
What the Church Looks Like
The outside walls of the nave and chancel are built in a cool checkerboard pattern. This pattern uses two different types of stone: dark flint and lighter sandstone.
The Tower and Bells
The church has a low tower on its west side, which was added in the 1500s. This tower has three sections and is supported by strong diagonal buttresses (supports). Inside the tower are three old bells! They were made around 1499, 1587, and 1699. Sadly, these bells cannot be rung anymore.
Inside the Church
Inside St Mary's, you can see a large plaster decoration called a cartouche. It has fancy designs and the date 1637 on it. This might be the year the old gallery was built. The church also has beautiful stained glass windows. Some of these were made by an artist named Alexander Gibbs, and others by a company called Lavers, Barraud and Westlake.
The Churchyard and War Graves
Outside the church, there's an old wall made of flint and limestone that dates back to the 1600s. The churchyard, where people are buried, also has an extra section across a path. In this part, you'll find special graves for soldiers. These are Commonwealth war graves for a Canadian soldier from World War I and a British soldier from the Dorsetshire Regiment who died in World War II.
See also
