St Mary's Church, Banbury facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mary's Church |
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St Mary's Church, seen from the west
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| 52°03′41″N 1°20′21″W / 52.061483°N 1.339084°W | |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Central |
| History | |
| Status | Active |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Parish church |
| Heritage designation | Grade I listed |
| Architect(s) | Samuel Pepys Cockerell Charles Robert Cockerell |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Banbury St. Mary |
| Archdeaconry | Archdeaconry of Dorchester |
| Diocese | Diocese of Oxford |
St Mary's Church is a special church in Banbury, Oxfordshire, England. It is part of the Church of England. This church is very important because it is a Grade I listed building. This means it is a historic building that needs to be protected.
Contents
A Look Back: The Church's History
The church you see today was built a long time ago, in the 1790s. It replaced an even older church that was damaged during a big conflict called the English Civil War.
Building the Church
A person named Samuel Pepys Cockerell designed the main part of the church. Later, between 1818 and 1822, Charles Robert Cockerell added the tall tower and the grand entrance.
Inside the Church
In the 1860s and 1870s, the inside of the church was changed. The vicar at the time, Henry Back, wanted to make it better for church services. He asked Arthur Blomfield to help redesign and decorate the church. They used a special Byzantine style for the decorations. During this time, beautiful stained-glass windows were also added. These windows were designed by Robert Turnill Bayne. One window shows a story from the Bible called The Parable of the Talents.
St Mary's Church Today
St Mary's Church follows the Central tradition of the Church of England. It is also a member of Inclusive Church. This means it welcomes everyone.
For a while, starting in 1993, the church was shared by both the Church of England and the United Reformed Church. This agreement ended before 2019.
The Lamp of Brotherhood
The church has a special area called the Resurrection Chapel. Here, you can find one of the 84 Lamps of Brotherhood. These lamps were made after World War II. They are a symbol of peace and friendship between different countries.
Important People from the Church
Some important people who served as vicars at St Mary's Church later became bishops.
- David Thomson was the vicar from 1984 to 1994. He later became the Bishop of Huntingdon.
- Anthony Williams was the vicar from 1931 to 1946. He later became the Bishop of Bermuda.
Images for kids
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Chancel, with altar and wall paintings
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Down onto nave from balcony
