St Mary's Church, Patshull facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mary's Church, Patshull |
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St Mary's Church, Patshull, from the south
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| OS grid reference | SJ 800 006 |
| Location | Near Pattingham, Staffordshire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | Churches Conservation Trust |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Redundant |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* |
| Designated | 27 June 1963 |
| Architect(s) | James Gibbs, W. C. Banks |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Georgian |
| Completed | 1874 |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Sandstone, lead roofs |
St Mary's Church, Patshull, is an old Anglican church in Staffordshire, England. It is close to Patshull Hall. The church is no longer used for regular services, so it is called a "redundant" church. It is looked after by the Churches Conservation Trust. This means it is kept safe for everyone to enjoy. The church is a very important building. It is listed as a Grade II* listed building. This shows it has special historical and architectural value. You can find the church in a large park next to a lake.
Contents
History of St Mary's Church
St Mary's Church was built around 1743. A famous architect named James Gibbs designed it. He built it for Sir John Astley. The new church took the place of an older church from the Middle Ages that was on the same spot. Later, in 1874, W. C. Banks added more parts to the church. These additions included a north aisle (a side part of the church), a bell tower, and a dome on top.
Church Design and Look
Outside the Church
The church is made from sandstone, which is a type of rock. Its roofs are covered with lead. The church has a main area called a nave with three sections, and a north aisle next to it. There is also a chancel (the area around the altar) with one section and a north vestry (a room for clergy). At the corners of the church and the tower, you can see special stone blocks called quoins. These blocks have a rough, textured look, which is called rusticated.
The tower has three levels. A decorative band of stone, called a string course, separates the bottom and middle levels. Another decorative band, a cornice, is between the middle and top levels. The tower has round and circular windows. In the top level, there are round-headed openings for the bells. These openings have louvred slats and are framed by tall, flat columns called pilasters. These columns are in the Tuscan order style. On top of the tower is a lead cupola, which is a small dome-shaped roof.
At the front of the church (the east end), there is a large window with three parts, known as a Venetian window. Above this window is a triangular shape called a pedimented gable. Along the sides of the church, you will see round-headed windows. In the nave, between these, there are also circular windows. In the middle of the south side, there is a porch. This porch is held up by Tuscan pillars.
Inside the Church
Inside the church, between the nave and the north aisle, there is a row of round arches. This is called an arcade. These arches are supported by square pillars. The font, which is used for baptisms, is made of marble and shaped like a baluster (a short, decorative pillar).
Between the nave and the chancel, there is a beautiful screen made of wrought iron. This screen was added by Banks and is covered in gold. Inside the church, you can also find memorials for members of the Astley family. One memorial is for an earlier Sir John Astley, who died in 1532. It is made of alabaster and shows two figures lying down on a stone chest, called a chest tomb.
Another memorial is for Sir Richard Astley, who died in 1687. This one shows a standing figure with two seated wives next to him. It is connected to the other monument by a decorative band called a frieze. There is also a memorial for Lord Pigot, who died in 1795, and for Sir Robert Pigot, 2nd Baronet, who died the next year. Against the south wall of the nave, you can see a very old coffin lid from the Middle Ages.
Things Outside the Church
Around St Mary's Church, there are three other structures. Each of these is also listed as a Grade II building, meaning they are historically important. These include the walls, gates, and gate pillars to the northeast and south of the churchyard. There is also another gate, gate pillars, and walls to the east of the churchyard. Finally, there are gate pillars and gates to the northeast of the chancel. The churchyard also holds the graves of two soldiers who died in World War I.
See also
- Grade II* listed buildings in South Staffordshire
- Listed buildings in Pattingham and Patshull
- List of churches preserved by the Churches Conservation Trust in the English Midlands
