St Mary's Church, Burnham Deepdale facts for kids
St Mary's Church is a very old church located in the village of Burnham Deepdale, Norfolk, England. It is famous for its unique round tower, which was built over 900 years ago in the 11th century. Many parts of the church, including its tower, date back to this early period.
Over the centuries, the church was changed and rebuilt several times. By the early 1700s, it needed a lot of repairs. Most of the church's look today comes from a big renovation done in 1870 by an architect named Frederick Preedy. St Mary's Church is also well-known for its beautiful stained glass windows from the 1300s and 1400s. It also has a special stone font from the Norman period, which shows carvings of different activities for each month of the year.
Church Design and History
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The village of Burnham Deepdale is part of a group of villages called the "Norfolk Burnhams." It is about 8 kilometers west of Wells-next-the-Sea and is close to the sea, separated by marshlands.
St Mary's Church is right next to the main road, the A149 road, that goes through the village. It is one of 129 churches in Norfolk that still have a round tower. We don't know the exact dates when the church was built. However, the oldest parts are believed to be the round tower and the wall next to it. These parts are thought to be Anglo-Saxon, meaning they were built before the Normans conquered England in 1066.
The round tower is made of flint, a type of stone. It goes up to a belfry, which is where the church bells are kept. This part has narrow windows. The very bottom of the tower has thicker walls. This suggests it might have been rebuilt or fixed up at some point. The top of the round tower has a metal roof made of lead. However, it was probably covered with tiles when it was first built.
Changes Over Time
During the Norman period, which started after 1066, new parts were added to the Anglo-Saxon church. For example, a doorway on the north side was built. More changes and repairs happened in later centuries. In the 1400s, a new Perpendicular style arch was added in the chancel.
By the early 1700s, the church was in poor condition. People described it as a "gloomy moss-covered cavern." Over the late 1700s and 1800s, a lot of work was done to clean and repair the building. Then, in 1870, the church had a major reconstruction. This work was led by Frederick Preedy, and it gave the church much of the appearance it has today.
Inside the Church
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St Mary's Church is famous for its many beautiful medieval stained glass windows. Most of these colorful windows were made in the 1300s and 1400s.
The church is also known for its special font. A font is a large basin used for baptisms. This one is from the Norman period and is carved from Barnack stone. The outside of the font has 12 panels. Each panel shows one of the Labours of the Months. These are typical farming or rural activities that people would do during each of the 12 months of the year.
The Font's Journey
In 1797, during some building work, the font accidentally broke into three pieces. These pieces were taken out of the church. They were used to decorate the garden of the rectory, which is the house where the church's priest lives, in a place called Fincham.
In the 1840s, the broken pieces were put back together and partly fixed. Then, they were returned to the church. Later, the font was fully restored. Worn parts were carefully reshaped to make it look like it did when it was first made.
In 1953, St Mary's Church was given a special status called Grade II* listed. This means it is a very important historic building. The church is still used regularly for Sunday services. It also hosts stalls during the yearly Deepdale Christmas Market, which is a popular event.
