St Mary's and All Saints' Church, Checkley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mary's and All Saints' Church, Checkley |
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The tower and nave, seen from the south
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| 52°56′18″N 1°57′35″W / 52.93833°N 1.95972°W | |
| OS grid reference | SK 028 379 |
| Location | Checkley, Staffordshire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Website | http://www.checkleychurch.co.uk/ |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade I |
| Designated | 3 January 1967 |
| Administration | |
| Deanery | Uttoxeter Deanery |
| Diocese | Diocese of Lichfield |
St Mary's and All Saints' Church is an Anglican church located in the small village of Checkley, Staffordshire, England. It's a very old and important building, recognized as a Grade I listed building. This means it's considered a building of special historical interest and is protected. The oldest parts of the church were built way back in the 12th century, which is over 800 years ago! Other parts were added later, during the medieval period and in the 1600s.
Contents
Exploring the Church Building
This church has many interesting features that show how it has changed over hundreds of years.
The Tower and Entrance
The bottom part of the church's tower was built in the 12th century. The upper part was added later in a style called "Perpendicular," which means it has tall, thin windows and strong vertical lines. If you enter the church, you'll use the south door, which is protected by a porch. This door was built around the year 1300.
The main part of the church, where people sit during services, is called the nave. It has four sections. High up on the walls of the nave, you'll see windows from the 1600s. These are called clerestory windows and they let in lots of light.
On the north side of the nave, there's a row of arches called an "arcade," which was built in the 1200s. The windows in the north aisle (the side section next to the nave) are round-arched and from the 1600s. The arcade on the south side is taller than the north one. Even though some parts of it are from the 12th century, it was changed and updated later.
The Chancel and Font
The chancel is the part of the church near the altar. It has four sections and was built in the late 1200s. The large east window has five lights (sections) and the side windows have three. They all feature beautiful stone patterns called "tracery." The colorful glass in the chancel windows is from the 1300s.
You can also see the church's font, which is a large stone bowl used for baptisms. It's shaped like a cylinder on a stand and both parts are from the 12th century. The bowl has cool carvings, including a Lamb of God on an altar, surrounded by panels with unique triangle patterns.
Ancient Stone Crosses
Outside the church, in the churchyard to the south, you'll find three very old stone crosses. They are from the early medieval period and are still standing close to where they were first placed. People in the village have a story that these crosses were put up to remember three bishops who died in a battle nearby. These crosses are considered some of the best examples of Anglo-Scandinavian crosses in Staffordshire.
Each cross is a tall, rectangular stone shaft that gets narrower towards the top. The southern cross is about 1.6 meters (5.2 feet) tall, and the central cross is about 1.35 meters (4.4 feet) tall. Both of these crosses have carvings on all four sides. You can see full-length human figures and woven patterns. The northern cross, which is about 1.43 meters (4.7 feet) tall, does not have any decorations.
See also
