St Mary's Church, Barnstone facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mary's Church, Barnstone |
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| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Broad Church |
| Website | www.wivertoninthevale.co.uk/saint-mary-barnstone/ |
| History | |
| Dedication | St. Mary |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Barnstone |
| Diocese | Southwell and Nottingham |
| Province | York |
St Mary's Church is a historic parish church located in the village of Barnstone, Nottinghamshire. It is part of the Church of England. The church was built in the Gothic Revival style, which was a popular design that copied the look of old medieval cathedrals.
It was originally built as a chapel of ease. This means it was a smaller, extra church for the community, helping the main church, St Andrew's Church, Langar, which was further away.
Contents
History of the Building
A New Chapel for Barnstone
The current St Mary's Church was completed in 1857. An inscription above the entrance says it was "rebuilt" that year by a man named T. D. Hall. Mr. Hall was a wealthy landowner from the nearby village of Whatton. He had also been the High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire, an important local official, in 1843.
Building the church cost £1,200, which was a lot of money back then. Historical records show that construction likely started around 1855 and finished two years later.
What Did the Old Chapel Look Like?
Before the 1857 church was built, an even older chapel stood in Barnstone. A book from 1832, called White's History, Gazetteer and Directory of Nottinghamshire, described it as a "small building, with a short tower."
This older chapel was probably the replacement for an ancient chapel named after St. Atheburga. This very old chapel was said to have stood in the fields near Langar.
Inside the Church
St Mary's is a simple but beautiful stone building. It has two main parts: the nave, where the people sit, and the chancel, the area at the front near the altar. A small tower, called a turret, at the east end of the church holds two bells.
Inside, you can find several interesting features:
- Memorials: There are plaques on the walls that honour the local people who died in World War I and World War II.
- Stained Glass: The church has some original Victorian stained glass. The east window has five small, circular decorated windows called roundels.
- Woodwork: The pews, lectern (reading stand), pulpit (where sermons are given), and communion rail are all made of oak.
- Coats of Arms: Fifteen small, painted coats of arms hang on the walls. One of these was saved from the older chapel that was torn down.
A New Chapter for St Mary's
After serving the community for 160 years, St Mary's Church held its last service and closed in 2017.
In October 2019, a plan was presented to the local government to change the church building into a five-bedroom house. This is a way to preserve the historic building by giving it a new purpose.
Parish Information
Although it is no longer used for regular services, St Mary's Church is part of the Wiverton group of parishes. This group includes several other local churches:
