St Mary's Church, Marston Magna facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of St Mary |
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| Location | Marston Magna, Somerset, England |
| Built | c. 1360 |
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Listed Building – Grade I
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| Designated | 19 April 1961 |
| Reference no. | 262672 |
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The Church of St Mary is a very old church in Marston Magna, a village in Somerset, England. Its history goes back even before the Norman Conquest in 1066. The building you see today was mostly built around 1360. More parts were added in the 1400s. It is considered a Grade I listed building, which means it's a very important historic place.
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A Look Back in Time
This church was once owned by Polsloe Priory, a type of monastery near Exeter. This was from the 1100s until the time when monasteries were closed down in England. This happened in the 1500s, a period known as the dissolution of the monasteries.
Ancient Parts of the Church
You can still see parts of an even older church here. There are two small window tops on each side of the main arch. These are from a Saxon church that stood on this spot long ago. The north wall of the church also has special "herringbone masonry." This means the stones are laid in a pattern like fish bones.
The font, which is a basin used for baptisms, is also very old. It dates back to the Norman period, which was after the Norman Conquest.
Windows and Chapels
The large window at the east end of the church has three tall, narrow sections. This "triple lancet east window" was put in around 1230. However, the colorful glass inside it is from the Victorian era, which was in the 1800s.
The Lady Chapel, a smaller area for prayer, was built in the 1400s. Also from the 1400s are the wooden screen below the west gallery and the rood screen. These screens are beautiful wooden dividers inside the church.
The Church Tower
The church has a tall tower with three levels. On the south-east side, there's a small tower with stairs inside. These stairs lead up to the belfry, which is where the church bells are kept.
The top of the tower has battlements, which look like the tops of old castles. It also has fancy pointed decorations called crocheted pinnacles. You can also spot gargoyles, which are carved stone figures that often act as water spouts.
Inside the base of the tower is the vestry. This is a room where the clergy get ready for services. It has a clock made by William Monk in 1710. This same clockmaker also made the clock in the famous Sherborne Abbey. The church bells were officially dedicated in 1912. This happened when new land was added to the churchyard, paid for by the governors of Winchester College.
See also
- List of Grade I listed buildings in South Somerset
- List of towers in Somerset
- List of ecclesiastical parishes in the Diocese of Bath and Wells
