St Mary's Church, St Mary's facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mary's Church, St Mary's |
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St Mary's Church, Hugh Town, St Mary's
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| 49°54′56″N 06°18′38″W / 49.91556°N 6.31056°W | |
| OS grid reference | SV906106 |
| Location | St Mary's, Isles of Scilly |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Broad Church |
| Website | https://www.ioschurches.co.uk/ |
| History | |
| Dedication | Blessed Virgin Mary |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade II listed |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 100 feet (30 m) |
| Width | 45 feet (14 m) |
| Administration | |
| Parish | St Mary's, Isles of Scilly |
| Deanery | Powder |
| Diocese | Truro |
| Province | Canterbury |
St Mary's Church, St Mary's is a parish church in the Church of England. It is located in Hugh Town, which is on St Mary's, Isles of Scilly in the UK. The church was officially opened on September 7, 1838. It took the place of an older church in Old Town, which was difficult for people in Hugh Town to reach and needed repairs.
Contents
Building the Church: A Look at its History
The church was designed by Augustus Smith, even though he was not a trained architect. He was very proud of his design skills. Smith laid the first stone for the church on October 31, 1836. The church was built on high ground in Hugh Town, between Carn Thomas and Buzza Hill.
The building was described as "bold" and "plain," meaning it was strong and simple rather than fancy. King William IV gave £1,500 to help build it. The church was finished in August 1838 and officially opened on September 7, 1838.
The original idea for the church's inscription was to thank King William IV for his generosity. The actual inscription says: "In the year of our Lord, 1837, this Church was erected by the munificence of His Majesty King William IV. The same was completed at the expense of Augustus Smith, Esq." This means King William IV paid for most of it, and Augustus Smith paid for the rest.
Special Features Inside and Out
Inside the church, you can see a colorful wooden lion. This lion came from the flagship of Sir Cloudesley Shovell. His ship was wrecked in 1707.
Outside the church, there are two old lead water tanks. These tanks have decorative plaques and designs. They date back to 1727 and were moved here from Star Castle. The church was repaired between 1979 and 1980 by architects from Falmouth.
Beautiful Stained Glass Windows
The large window at the east end of the church was made in 1899 by Charles Eamer Kempe. The window at the west end was designed by Arthur Lucien Ward in 1937. Two more windows on the north side were added in 1967 by Alfred Wilkinson.
The Church Bells
The church has a set of eight bells. They were all made together at the Whitechapel Bell Foundry in 2008. The bells were hung in 2009 by Nicholson Engineering. The new bells, along with a clock and chimes, were officially dedicated on May 21, 2009. This special event was led by the Bishop of Truro, Timothy Martin Thornton, during his first visit to the Islands.
The Church Organ
The church has a pipe organ made by Willis in 1866. You can find more details about this organ on the National Pipe Organ Register website.
Churches of the Isles of Scilly
St Mary's Church is part of a group of churches called the United Benefice of the Isles of Scilly parishes. This group includes:
