St Mary's Church, Marlborough facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mary's, Marlborough |
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| Church of St Mary the Virgin | |
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 St Mary's, Marlborough
Location in Wiltshire
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| 51°25′18″N 1°43′46″W / 51.4218°N 1.7295°W | |
| OS grid reference | SU189692 |
| Location | Marlborough, Wiltshire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Style | Perpendicular |
| Years built | 12th, 15th–17th centuries, 1874 |
| Administration | |
| Parish | St. Mary the Virgin with St. Peter and St. Paul |
| Deanery | Marlborough |
| Archdeaconry | Wilts |
| Diocese | Salisbury |
| Province | Canterbury |
St Mary's Church is a Church of England parish church. It is found in the town of Marlborough, Wiltshire, England.
The church stands at the east end of the town's High Street. It was first built in the 12th century. Parts of it were rebuilt after a big fire in 1653. The church was made bigger in 1874. It is a very important building, listed as Grade I.
Contents
History of St Mary's Church
Records from 1091 mention two churches in Marlborough. By 1223, the bishop of Salisbury took control of both St Mary's and St Peter's churches. St Mary's served the eastern part of the town. St Peter's, located at the other end of the High Street, served the western part.
What the Church Looks Like
The church is built from cut stone and rough stone. The tower is made of cut stone. In the west wall of the tower, there is an old doorway from the 12th century. Inside the church, you can find small pieces of stone from the 11th century. These include parts of corbels, which are stone supports.
The tower was added in the 15th century. In that same century and the early 16th century, the side parts of the church, called aisles, were rebuilt and made larger.
Changes After the Great Fire
Marlborough had a huge fire in 1653. This fire destroyed the roof and the inside of St Mary's Church. It also damaged the old Norman arches. After the fire, the north arches were joined with the main part of the church, called the nave. A Norman respond, which is a half-pillar, still remains at the west end.
The south arches were rebuilt with five rounded arches. These arches are considered very interesting by experts. Galleries, which are raised seating areas, were added to the nave in 1707. The chancel, the area around the altar, was rebuilt in 1873-74. This work was designed by an architect named G.E. Street.
After the First World War, the south chapel was repaired and made into a memorial. More repair work was done between 1955 and 1957.
Church Bells
The church tower has eight bells. One bell is from 1653, and two others are from the 18th century. The seventh and eighth bells were made in 1969. They were cast from the old bells of St Peter's church. St Mary's Church was given its Grade I listed status in 1949. This means it is a very important historic building.
The Church Community
The two church communities in Marlborough joined together in 1924. The areas they served, called parishes, were united in 1952. This created the parish of Saint Mary the Virgin with Saint Peter and Saint Paul. St Peter's church was later closed as a church in 1974. It then became a community centre and a place for events.
Today, the Marlborough Anglican Team serves the parish. This team also looks after St George's church in Manton. Manton is just west of Marlborough. They also serve St John the Baptist church in Mildenhall, which is to the east.
