St Mary's Church, Bishopstoke facts for kids
St Mary's Church is a beautiful Anglican Church located in Bishopstoke, a village in Hampshire, England. It's a special place where people gather for worship and community events. This church has an interesting history, replacing an even older building that once stood nearby.
Building St Mary's Church
This church was designed by a talented architect named Edward Prioleau Warren. It was built between 1890 and 1891 by a company called Wheeler Bros. from Reading, Berkshire. The construction cost about £4,200, which was a lot of money back then!
The church was officially opened and blessed on November 12, 1891, by the Bishop of Guildford. When it was first built, the church didn't have its tall Perpendicular style tower. This tower was part of the original plan but had to be added later because of money limits. The tower was finally finished in 1909, making the church complete.
A New Home for St Mary's
The current St Mary's Church wasn't the first church with that name in Bishopstoke. An earlier building, also called St Mary's Church, stood in a different spot. It was closer to the River Itchen (at 50°58′20″N 1°20′21″W / 50.97224°N 1.33923°W).
That older church had been rebuilt in 1825. However, by 1908, it had been completely taken down. This meant the newer, larger church we see today became the main place of worship for the community.
