St Mary's Church, Welwick facts for kids
Quick facts for kids The Parish Church of St Mary, Welwick |
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| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| History | |
| Dedication | St Mary |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade I listed building |
| Style | Gothic (Early English, Decorated, and Perpendicular) |
| Years built | 13th-15th centuries and 18th century |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Diocese of York |
| Province | Province of York |
St Mary's Church is an Anglican church located in the small English village of Welwick. This village is found in the East Riding of Yorkshire. The church is a very important building, recognized as a Grade I listed building. This means it has special historical and architectural value.
Contents
A Look Back: The Church's History
St Mary's Church has been around for a long time. It is built from limestone cobbles and smooth ashlar stones. The south porch and aisle parapet were later built using bricks.
The oldest parts of the church date back to the 13th century. These include the arch connecting the tower to the main part of the church (the nave). Also, the eastern corners of the nave and the western part of the chancel (the area around the altar) are from this early period.
Most of the church you see today was built during the first half of the 14th century. This was a time known as the Decorated period in church building. During this time, side sections called aisles were added to the nave. A clerestory, which is a row of windows high up, was also added. The chancel was made longer towards the east.
Later, in the 15th century, the church's tower was rebuilt. The south porch, which is the entrance, was rebuilt in the 18th century. They even reused the original 14th-century south door.
Church Design: Inside and Out
Outside the Church
The windows of the main part of the church, the nave, show designs from the early to mid-14th century. These designs are called tracery, which are the stone patterns within the window. Some windows have pointed tops, others have rounded or even square tops. Square-headed windows were common in this area during that time.
You can see Buttresses, which are strong supports, between the sections of the church walls and at the corners. On the south side of the church, there's a special part that sticks out below a window. This part makes more sense when you go inside.
High up on the nave walls, the clerestory has three windows on each side. These windows have two lights (sections) with simple Y-shaped tracery. The original roof shape, called a gable, can still be seen below the 14th-century one. Both the nave and chancel gables have crosses on top.
The western parts of the chancel walls are from the 13th century. They have an original narrow window on the north side. On the south side, there's a window with two trefoil (three-leaf) shaped lights. Above them is a four-leaf shape called a quatrefoil. The rest of the chancel was added in the 14th century. This part has two large, pointed windows on each side. They all have beautiful, flowing tracery patterns. One window on the southeast side was later changed to have a fourth light, making it look a bit uneven. Below the southwest window, there's a doorway that has been filled in.
The impressive east window has five lights and detailed patterns. We know it was built around 1358 because someone left money in their will for its construction. Short buttresses are also used at the eastern corners of the chancel and between the windows.
The tower was rebuilt in the 15th century in the Perpendicular style. It has two main levels with strong corner buttresses. The lower west window is square-headed with two lights. The belfry openings, where the bells are, are pointed with Y-shaped tracery.
The south porch has a lovely 14th-century doorway. It features continuous mouldings and a fancy niche. Inside the niche is a statue of the Virgin Mary and Child. These older parts were carefully placed into the 18th-century brickwork of the porch. All the church walls have simple, sloped tops called parapets.
Inside the Church
Inside, the church has four-bay arcades from the Decorated period. These are rows of arches supported by octagonal piers (columns). The arches have double-chamfered edges, meaning they are cut at an angle.
The five-bay oak screen is from the Perpendicular period. It was repaired in 1906 by an architect named John Bilson. The font, used for baptisms, is from the same time. It has a cover from the 18th century. The pulpit, where sermons are given, is dated 1618.
On the walls of the clerestory, you can still see parts of old wall paintings. These were made after the Reformation. For the stained glass windows, the east window from 1877 is especially noted. It was made by Clayton & Bell and is considered very good.
The most amazing feature inside the church is a special tomb in the south aisle. It has been moved and changed a lot, and one side is now even visible on the outside wall of the church! This tomb dates back to around 1340-1350. It honors a priest, possibly William de la Mare or his brother Thomas. William was a leader at Beverley Minster, and Thomas was a vicar (a type of priest) in Welwick.
The tomb is very detailed and beautiful. It has flowing tracery, carved leaves, and figures of saints and angels. You can also see symbols of the Evangelists and the Passion (events leading to Jesus's crucifixion). Under a pointed, curved arch (called an ogee canopy) with a ribbed vault (arched roof), lies a statue of a priest. He is shown wearing his special church clothes, called vestments. Experts believe this monument was made by the same artists who created the Percy tomb in Beverley Minster. This workshop in Beverley made many sculptures and monuments for churches all over the area.
See Also
