St Mary's Church, Wormsley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mary's Church, Wormsley |
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St Mary's Church, Wormsley, from the south
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| OS grid reference | SO 427 477 |
| Location | Wormsley, Herefordshire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | Churches Conservation Trust |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Redundant |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* |
| Designated | 2 September 1966 |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Norman, Gothic |
| Groundbreaking | 12th century |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Sandstone, Welsh slate roofs with tiles |
St Mary's Church is an old church located in Wormsley, a small place about 12 kilometers (7.5 miles) north-west of Hereford in Herefordshire, England. It's an Anglican church, which means it belongs to the Church of England. This church is no longer used for regular services, so it's called a 'redundant' church. It's a very important building, listed as Grade II* on the National Heritage List for England. This means it's a special historic building. The Churches Conservation Trust takes care of it now, making sure it stays in good condition for everyone to see.
Contents
History of St Mary's Church
St Mary's Church has parts that are very old, going back to the 12th century (the 1100s). These parts show a style called Norman architecture. People think there might have been an even older church on this spot before.
Over the years, the church was changed and updated. Some changes were made in the 13th century (the 1200s). The part of the church where the altar is, called the chancel, was probably rebuilt in the 1800s. The church stopped being used for regular services on March 1, 1972. Then, on May 21, 1974, the Churches Conservation Trust took over its care.
Looking at the Church's Design
Outside the Church
St Mary's is built from sandstone rocks, with carefully cut sandstone blocks used for details. The roof is made of Welsh slate tiles, with more tiles along the top. The church has a simple shape: a long main room called a nave with a small entrance porch on the south side, and a shorter section at the east end called the chancel.
At the west end of the nave, there's a small tower-like structure called a bellcote. It has a pointed top and two openings for bells, which were added in the 13th century. On the north side of the nave, there's an old doorway that has been filled in. Next to it are different types of windows: a tall, narrow window called a lancet window and another with a three-leaf shape at the top. The south wall of the nave also has lancet windows. The chancel has lancet windows too, along with some square-headed windows. The window at the very east end has three lancet windows that step up in height.
The main entrance on the south side is from the 12th century. It has a large stone above the door, called a lintel, and a carved stone panel above that, called a tympanum. This panel is decorated with diamond shapes.
Inside the Church
Inside, the arch that separates the nave from the chancel was built in the 13th century. The baptismal font, where baptisms take place, is very old, from the 12th or 13th century. It's a round stone bowl on a round base. The pulpit, where sermons are given, is made of oak wood and dates back to the 17th century (the 1600s).
The east window has beautiful stained glass. On the north wall, there are special metal plaques. These plaques remember two local men who sadly died during the First World War.
The Churchyard and Monuments
The area around the church, called the churchyard, has several old monuments. A stone cross and four other monuments here are also listed as Grade II historic buildings. Only the stone steps and base of the churchyard cross remain, possibly from the 14th century.
There's a sandstone tomb from the late 1700s for two sisters named Knight. You can also find three limestone tombs in a style called Neoclassical architecture. One of these, from 1824, remembers Richard Payne Knight. He was a famous archaeologist, architect, and writer. Close by is the tomb of his brother, Thomas Andrew Knight, from 1838. Thomas was an expert at growing fruit and even created new types of apples! There's another tomb for a different Thomas Andrew Knight, dated 1827. To the east of the church, there's also a war grave for a Royal Navy sailor who died in the Second World War.
See also
