St Mary's Church, Mosterton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mary's Church |
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Church of England |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | Active |
| Year consecrated | 1833 |
| Location | |
| Location | Mosterton, Dorset, England |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Edmund Pearce |
| Architectural type | Church |
St Mary's Church is a beautiful old church located in Mosterton, Dorset, England. It belongs to the Church of England. This church was built a long time ago, between 1832 and 1833, and was designed by an architect named Edmund Pearce. It was built to replace an even older church that was no longer suitable. Today, St Mary's Church is an important historical building, recognized as a Grade II listed building.
Contents
A Look Back: The Church's History
Why a New Church Was Needed
Before the current St Mary's Church was built, there was an older church on a different spot. This first church was built way back in the 1400s! It had a main hall (called a nave), a special area for the altar (called a chancel), and a porch on the north side. You can still find some old gravestones near where this first church stood, opposite Chapel Court Farm. We even know a church existed in Mosterton as early as 1086, because it was mentioned in the Domesday Book, a very old record of England.
By the early 1800s, the old 15th-century church was in bad shape. It was falling apart and wasn't big enough for all the people who wanted to attend services. Plus, its location wasn't convenient for many villagers. So, people decided it was time to build a brand new church in a better, more central spot, about half a mile away from the old one.
Building the New Church
On February 1, 1832, a special meeting was held where everyone agreed to get plans for a completely new church. They wanted the new church to hold 350 people and cost no more than £700. They also wanted it to look like an old Gothic church, but they had to stick to their budget.
Mr. Edmund Pearce from Canford Magna drew up the plans for the church. The building work was done by Mr. Elias Dawe from South Perrott. A special grant helped make sure that 259 out of the 359 seats in the new church would be free for anyone to use.
The new St Mary's Church was officially opened and dedicated on September 27, 1833. The ceremony was led by the Bishop of Bath and Wells, George Henry Law, because the local Bishop of Bristol was too ill to attend.
Inside and Out: The Church's Architecture
St Mary's Church is built using strong, smooth stone called ashlar. It has roofs made of corrugated asbestos and tiles. The church has a main hall (the nave) with four sections, a chancel, a porch on the north side, and a tall tower with three levels at the west end.
Inside the church, at the west end of the nave, there's a gallery. Many of the church's windows are tall and narrow, known as lancet style windows. The church still has many of its original features, including the font (a basin used for baptisms). This font, with its eight-sided bowl and round base, was actually moved from the old church! The tower holds a single bell that dates back to the early 1600s. In 1975, a beautiful stained glass window was added to the east side of the church. It shows scenes of farming, like a combine harvester and a tractor, celebrating the local community's connection to the land.
