St Mary's Church, Ware facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mary's Church, Ware |
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| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Specifications | |
| Number of towers | 1 |
| Number of spires | 1 (Hertfordshire spike) |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | St Albans (since 1877) |
| Province | Canterbury |
St Mary's Church is a very old and important church in Ware, England. It is a grade I listed building, which means it is protected because of its special history and architecture.
Church History: A Look Back
There has been a church on this spot for a very long time. Records from the time of William the Conqueror, like the Domesday Book, show that a church and a priest were already in Ware. This was soon after the Norman Conquest in 1066.
The oldest part of the church you see today is the chancel. It was built in the 1200s. Back then, the church was used by both the people of Ware and the monks from a nearby Benedictine monastery.
In the 1390s, the church got bigger. New windows were added high up (called clerestories), and side sections (aisles) were built. You can still see carvings of Joan of Kent, who was a princess, and her family symbols from this time. Also from this period is the octagonal font, used for baptisms, which has carvings of saints and a head thought to be King Richard II.
The church was later repaired and updated in the 1800s by an architect named George Godwin.
Church Design and Features
The outside of St Mary's Church is made from flint, a type of stone.
The church has a tower with a short, pointed roof on top. This type of roof is special and is known as a "Hertfordshire spike" because it's common in this area.
Famous People Connected to St Mary's
Many interesting people have been linked to St Mary's Church over the centuries.
- Charles Chauncy was a vicar (a type of priest) at the church during the reign of King Charles I. He later moved to America and became the President of Harvard University.
- The Fanshawe family owned land in Ware in the 1500s. Several family members were buried in the church:
- Thomas Fanshawe (remembrancer of the exchequer) (1533-1601) was an important government official.
- Katherine Ferrers (1634-1660) was married to Thomas Fanshawe, the Second Viscount Fanshawe of Ware Park. She is a well-known historical figure from the area.
- Sir Richard Fanshawe (1608-1666) was a politician and writer. He served as an ambassador for King Charles II in Spain.
