St Mary's Church, Tenby facts for kids
.jpg)
St Mary's Church, Tenby is a very old and important church right in the middle of Tenby, a town in Pembrokeshire, western Wales. It's part of the Church in Wales, which is a Christian church. This church serves as the main church for both the town of Tenby and the nearby countryside.
Contents
A Journey Through Time at St Mary's
Most of the church you see today was built in the 1400s. But some parts are even older, from the 1200s! People believe there has been a church on this spot since the time of the Normans, who came to Britain a very long time ago.
One of the first leaders of the church here was a famous person called Gerald of Wales. He lived many centuries ago and was known for his writings and travels.
Amazing Roofs and Chapels
The main part of the church, called the chancel, has a special "wagon" roof from the 1200s. This ceiling has 75 carved decorations called bosses. They show all sorts of things like plants, funny faces, fish, a mermaid, and even a "green man." You can also see a carving of Jesus with his four main helpers, the Apostles.
Later, in the mid-1400s, two more chapels were added: St. Thomas' Chapel and St. Nicholas Chapel. The tall spire you see on top of the church was also built around this time, in the 1400s.
Inside the Church Tower
The church tower is next to the chancel and was built in the late 1200s. The first floor of the tower used to be a small chapel. It still has a stone altar (a special table) and a piscina (a small basin for water) that were used for services.
Special Fonts and Bells
Inside the church, there are two fonts. A font is a large basin used for baptisms, which is a special Christian ceremony. One font is very old, from the 1400s. The other is from the 1800s and has a fancy Gothic style.
The church also has a bell from the 1400s. It has the words 'Sancta Anna' cast into it, which means 'Saint Anne'.
Important People and Memorials
St Mary's Church holds many memorials to people from the past. You can find the tombs of Thomas and John White. They were both important mayors of Tenby in the 1400s.
Thomas White is famous for a very important secret he kept. He helped hide a young boy named Henry Tudor from King Richard III. Henry Tudor later became King Henry VII of England!
There's also a special plaque on the wall for Robert Recorde. He was a clever scholar from the 1500s. He invented the equals sign (=) that we use in maths every day!
What Else is There?
St Mary's Church is considered a very important building. It was given a "Grade I listed" status in 1951. This means it's an amazing old church with beautiful roofs and special memorials.
Outside the church, about 20 metres to the west, you can see the remains of another old building. People think it was a school or college for choir singers from the late 1400s. These remains also have a special "Grade II* listed" status, showing how important they are.
