St Mary's Church, Marshwood facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St Mary's Church
St Mary's Church
Religion
Affiliation	Church of England
Ecclesiastical or organizational status	Active
Year consecrated	1841
Location
Location	Marshwood, Dorset, England
Architecture
Architectural type	Church

St Mary's Church is a special church in Marshwood, Dorset, England. It belongs to the Church of England. The oldest part of the church is its tower, which was built in 1840. The rest of the building was rebuilt later, between 1883 and 1884. Since 1983, St Mary's has been a Grade II listed building. This means it is an important historical building.

History of St Mary's Church

Building the First Church

Long ago, Marshwood had a small chapel dedicated to St Mary. This chapel was very old, dating back to the Norman times. It was located near Marshwood Castle. By the 1600s, the old chapel had become a ruin.

People in the village wanted a new church. They started raising money in the 1830s. In 1839, a man named Mr. C. B. Tucker generously gave land for the new church. In January 1840, Mr. Jesse Cornick was chosen to build it.

Laying the Foundation Stone

A special ceremony took place on March 25, 1840. This was when the first stone, called the foundation stone, was laid. About 2,000 people came to watch this important event! The main part of the church and its tower were finished by the end of November that year.

St Mary's Church was officially opened on October 26, 1841. The Bishop of Norwich, Edward Stanley, led the ceremony. After the church was built, people started raising money for a school. A national school was built in 1842 on land also given by Mr. Tucker.

Rebuilding and Modern Changes

By the 1880s, the church needed a lot of repairs. It was falling apart! Rev. William Toms helped raise money for the restoration. In 1883, plans by architect Mr. G. Viles were approved. The church, except for its tower, was rebuilt by Messrs Randall of Lyme Regis. This work cost £900. The church reopened with a new ceremony on May 15, 1884.

In 2000, St Mary's Church and the local primary school started working together. The school began using the church as a classroom and a hall. The church was improved for both the school and the people who attended services. They added new seats and flooring. The Bishop of Salisbury, David Stancliffe, rededicated the church on October 3, 2002. A new room, called a vestry, was finished in 2007. This allowed the old vestry to be used by the school for storage.

Notable People Buried Here

• Peter De Greef (1922-1980), a film actor who lived in the village.