St Mary's Church, North Leigh facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mary's Church, North Leigh |
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| Parish Church of St Mary, North Leigh | |
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| 51°49′13″N 1°26′22″W / 51.82028°N 1.43944°W | |
| Location | North Leigh, Witney, Oxfordshire OX29 6TT |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Website | St Mary's – North Leigh |
| History | |
| Dedication | Saint Mary |
| Architecture | |
| Style | Anglo-Saxon, Early English Gothic, Decorated Gothic, Perpendicular Gothic and Georgian |
| Years built | circa 1050–1725 |
| Administration | |
| Parish | St. Mary, North Leigh |
| Deanery | Witney |
| Archdeaconry | Oxford |
| Diocese | Oxford |
| Province | Canterbury |
The Parish Church of Saint Mary, North Leigh is a historic Church of England church. It is located in North Leigh, a village near Witney in Oxfordshire, England. This church has stood for nearly 1,000 years, changing and growing over the centuries.
Contents
A Church Through the Ages
The oldest part of St Mary's Church is its bell tower. It was built in the early 11th century, during the Anglo-Saxon period. Back then, the church had a main area (called a nave) and a special area for the altar (called a chancel).
Over time, the church needed more space. In the late 12th century, the old nave was replaced. A new, larger nave was built, along with side sections called aisles. A new chancel was also added further east. These parts were built in the Early English Gothic style.
In the 13th century, the church grew even more. The arch leading to the tower was made bigger. A third chancel was built, and the 12th-century chancel became part of the nave.
By the early 14th century, the side aisles were made longer. They now stretched past the tower. New, fancy windows were put in, following the Decorated Gothic style.
Around the mid-14th century, the church layout changed again. An arch was added in the chancel's north wall. This was probably to connect to a new small chapel.
The Wilcote Chapel
After 1439, a beautiful new chapel was built. It was made in the Perpendicular Gothic style. This chapel has amazing fan vaulting on its ceiling. This type of ceiling is very special for a village church.
The chapel was built for Elizabeth Wilcote. She was the lady of the manor at the time. She had lost her husband and two sons. The chapel was a chantry, a place where special prayers (called Mass) could be said for them. Some of the original 15th-century stained glass is still in the chapel's windows. More new windows were also added to the north and south aisles during this century.
Changes After the Reformation
The parents of William Lenthall are buried in this church. William Lenthall was an important person during the English Civil War. He was the Speaker of the House of Commons. A special stone tablet in the Wilcote chapel remembers them.
The Perrott Family's Additions
In 1723, John Perrott, who owned the manor, hired Christopher Kempster. Kempster was a skilled builder who had worked on churches in London. He added a new burial chapel for the Perrott family. This chapel is on the north side of the church.
Kempster connected the new chapel to the north aisle with an arcade. This means a row of arches supported by columns. The chapel has tall, round-headed windows. These are typical of Georgian style. Inside, there are large, detailed memorials to the Perrott family.
Victorian Restoration
In 1864, a famous architect named GE Street worked on the church. He was known for his Gothic Revival style. Street "restored" the church, which meant he brought back some of its older features.
He opened up windows that had been blocked. He also put the old Norman font back inside the church. It had been moved outside and used as a water barrel! Street replaced some Georgian windows with ones that matched the older Gothic style.
During his work, a 15th-century painting was found. It's called a "Doom painting" and shows the Last Judgment. It was cleaned and restored. Street also rebuilt the south porch of the church.
The Church Bells
The church tower has had bells for a very long time, since the 16th century. By 1875, there were five bells. That year, they were melted down and recast. This created the six bells that are used today for change ringing.
