St Mary's Church, Castle Street, Reading facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mary's Church, Castle Street |
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St Mary's Church, Castle Street
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 St Mary's Church, Castle Street
Location in Reading Central
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| 51°27′13.59″N 0°58′29.32″W / 51.4537750°N 0.9748111°W | |
| Location | Reading |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England (Continuing) |
| History | |
| Founded | 1798 |
| Dedication | none |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* |
| Style | Corinthian |
| Administration | |
| Archdeaconry | N/A |
| Diocese | N/A |
St Mary's Church, Castle Street, is a special independent church in the heart of Reading, a town in England's Berkshire county. It's quite close to another church called the Minster Church of St Mary the Virgin, but this one is different and has its own unique story.
Contents
The Church's Story: A New Beginning
The story of St Mary's Church began in 1798. There was a disagreement between the Bishop and the people who attended St Giles' Church nearby. Because of this, many people decided to leave St Giles' Church.
They wanted to start a new place of worship. So, they built a new chapel on Castle Street. This spot used to be where Reading's old prison stood. Over time, this chapel grew and became what we know today as St Mary's Church, Castle Street.
Amazing Architecture: A Look Inside and Out
St Mary's Church is recognized as a Grade II* listed building. This means it's a very important historical building. The first building from 1798 was a simple Georgian style.
The Grand Front Entrance
In 1840, a local architect and builder named Henry Briant added a grand new front to the church. This part is called a portico, which is like a fancy porch with columns. It has six columns in the Corinthian style, which means they have detailed, leafy tops.
The front of the church is covered in a smooth finish called stucco. The decorative tops of the columns are likely made from Coade stone, a special type of artificial stone popular back then.
Inside the Church: Galleries and Organs
Inside, the church has a gallery that was built in the late 1700s. This gallery has five sections. The columns on the ground floor are in the Doric style, which is simpler. The columns supporting the gallery are in the Ionic style, which has scroll-like decorations.
The ceiling in the middle of the church is curved and has decorative blocks called modillions. There's also a small area at the front called a chancel. This area holds the church's organ, which was added in the mid-1800s.
The organ itself was made by a company called Vowles in Bristol in 1870. It was moved to St Mary's Church in 1987. In the past, the church was lit by two beautiful cast iron chandeliers from the mid-1800s.
St Mary's Church Today
Today, St Mary's Church is part of the Church of England (Continuing). This is a small group of churches that are separate from the main Church of England. They describe themselves as "evangelical, reformed, Anglican" on their website. This means they follow a specific set of beliefs and traditions within the Christian faith.
Gallery
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The church in 1890 by Henry Taunt
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The church in its current street context
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External links
- Official web page of St Mary's, Castle Street: http://www.stmaryscastlestreet.org.uk
