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 special church in the Church of England. You can find it in Hugh Town, which is on the island of St Mary's, Isles of Scilly in the UK. This church was officially opened on September 7, 1838.
It was built to replace an older church in Old Town. The old church was not easy for people in Hugh Town to get to and needed a lot of repairs. So, the new St Mary's Church became the main place of worship for the community.
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Building St Mary's Church
Even though he wasn't a trained architect, Augustus Smith designed St Mary's Church. He was very proud of his design skills. Smith placed the first stone for the church on October 31, 1836. The church was built on high ground at the eastern end of Hugh Town.
The building was finished in August 1838. King William IV gave £1,500 to help build it. This was a lot of money back then! The church was officially opened on September 7, 1838.
A special message was planned for the church. It was meant to say that King William IV built the church. It would also mention his care for the people of the islands. The actual message on the church 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."
Historical Treasures Inside and Out
Inside the church, you can see a colorful wooden lion. This lion came from the main ship of Sir Cloudesley Shovell. His ship was unfortunately wrecked in 1707.
Outside the church, there are two old lead water tanks. These tanks have fancy designs and plaques on them. They were made in 1727 and were moved here from Star Castle. The church was also repaired between 1979 and 1980 by architects from Falmouth.
Beautiful Stained Glass Windows
St Mary's Church has some amazing stained glass windows. The 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 were added on the north side in 1967. These were created by Alfred Wilkinson.
The Church Bells
The church has a set of eight bells. These bells were all made together in 2008 at the famous Whitechapel Bell Foundry. This foundry has been making bells for a very long time! The bells were hung in their frame by Nicholson Engineering in 2009.
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. It was his first visit to the islands.
The Church Organ
St Mary's Church has a large pipe organ. It was built by a company called Willis in 1866. You can find more details about this organ on the National Pipe Organ Register website.
Churches in 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 means they work together. The other churches in this group are:
