St Mary's Church, Atherstone facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St. Mary’s Church |
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St. Mary’s Church, Atherstone
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| 52°34′42.96″N 01°32′46.32″W / 52.5786000°N 1.5462000°W | |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Broad Church |
| Website | stmarysatherstone.co.uk |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* |
| Designated | 1968 |
| Style | Perpendicular Gothic chancel, Gothic Revival nave and aisles |
| Completed | C12 (possible origins), C13/14, C17, C18 |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | red sandstone, sandstone ashlar, Hartshill granite rubble |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Atherstone |
| Diocese | Diocese of Coventry |
St. Mary's Church in Atherstone is a very old and important church. It is located in Atherstone, a town in Warwickshire, England. This church is so special that it is listed as a Grade II* building. This means it has a lot of historical and architectural importance. Currently, some of the stone on the church tower is not in good shape. Because of this, it is on a special list called the "Heritage at Risk Register". This list helps protect important historical places.
Contents
History of St. Mary's Church
The original St. Mary's Chapel in Atherstone is very old. It was first built around the early 1100s. At that time, monks from a place called Bec gave about 12 acres of land. They gave this land to a group of friars and hermits. These groups were later known as "Austin friars."
Early Years and Neglect
Records from a historian named Nichols show what happened next. In 1542, the chapel was given to a person named Henry Cartwright. After this, the chapel was left empty and uncared for. It stayed this way for a long time.
Revival and Rebuilding
The chapel finally saw a new beginning in 1692. A person named Samuel Bracebridge decided to help. He set aside money each year for a priest from Mancetter. This priest would come to preach at the chapel every other Sunday during the winter.
After this, St. Mary's Chapel started to become active again. In 1782, its square tower was rebuilt. It was designed in the popular "Gothic" style of that time. This big change might have caused some discussion. However, a beautiful drawing of the chapel was made in 1790 by Jacob Schnebbelie. This drawing made Nichols say that "the new tower provides a good effect."
Later Redesigns
St. Mary's was changed even more in 1849. Two architects, Thomas Henry Wyatt and David Brandon, worked on its redesign. Later, in 1888, the chapel was restored. It was then used as the chancel, which is the part of the church where the altar is.
The Church Organ
The first time an organ is mentioned at St. Mary's Church is in 1852. An organ made by a company called Holdich was put in place then. This organ was later replaced in 1898. The new organ was made by Henry Jones and Sons. It came from Christ Church in South Banbury. You can find more details about this organ on the National Pipe Organ Register.
