St Mary's Church, Fairford facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mary's, Fairford |
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| Church of St Mary, High Street | |
Fairford Church, viewed from south-east
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| 51°42′33″N 1°46′56″W / 51.7091°N 1.7821°W | |
| Location | Fairford |
| Country | Gloucestershire |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| History | |
| Dedication | St Mary |
| Consecrated | 1497 St Mary's, Fairford |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade I Listed |
| Designated | 26 November 1958 |
| Style | Perpendicular |
| Completed | 1934 |
| Specifications | |
| Length | 125ft |
| Width | 55ft |
| Administration | |
| Province | Gloucestershire |
St Mary's Church in Fairford, England, is a very special old church. It's famous for its amazing collection of 28 medieval stained-glass windows. These windows are some of the best-preserved in England!
The church tower was built in the early 1400s. The rest of the church was rebuilt later in the 1400s. This was done by John Tame (around 1430–1500). He was a rich local merchant who traded in wool. St Mary's is a Grade I listed building, which means it's a very important historic place. It was built in a style called "Perpendicular."
Contents
Exploring the Church's Inside
John Tame rebuilt the church especially to put in his beautiful stained glass. Because of this, the church's design is a bit "cramped" to fit all the windows. The church was officially opened in 1497 by the Bishop of Worcester. Most of Gloucestershire was part of his area back then.
What Does the Inside Look Like?
The church has a chancel (the area around the altar), a nave (where people sit), and a tower in between them. It also has two aisles (side sections). These aisles go all the way to about half the length of the chancel. This design was needed to have enough windows. The whole church is about 125 feet long and 55 feet wide.
Special Features Inside
The church's inside parts are very beautiful and fancy. The chancel has fourteen detailed wooden seats called "misereres." It also has a screen called a "rood-screen" and side screens. These are all very well-preserved. The floor is made of blue and white marble squares. The roof in every part of the church is made of beautifully carved wood.
The north aisle of the church was the private chapel for the Tame family. It was used by them and the families who owned the Fairford manor after them.
Looking at the Church's Outside
The tower is the most important part you see from the outside. It has a square shape, but its corners are smoothed off and decorated with small statues. The top of the tower has a fancy stone railing with holes, and four pointed decorations at the corners.
Family Symbols on the Tower
You can see four large shields with family symbols on the tower.
- The shield on the west side has the symbols of the Tame family.
- The shield on the north side has symbols of the Despencer family, who were Earls of Gloucester.
- The shield on the south has symbols of the Newburgh family, later used by the Beauchamp family, Earls of Warwick.
- The shield on the east has symbols for the de Clare family, also Earls of Gloucester.
All these families owned the Fairford manor at some point.
There is also a detailed porch on the southwest side. It has a small room above it. This room is now open to the church and has a gallery. This gallery is used as a special seating area.
Amazing Stained-Glass Windows
The stained-glass windows at St Mary's are very important for history and art. They are "probably the most complete set of medieval stained glass in Britain." There are 28 windows in total, and they show scenes from the Bible.
When Were They Made?
These windows were added after the church was rebuilt in the 1490s by John Tame. His son, Edward Tame, gave the instructions for them. The glass was made between 1500 and 1517. Many of the panes are now thought to be by Barnard Flower (died 1517). He was a glazier (someone who works with glass) for King Henry VII. Some people also think that John Thornton of Coventry and Galyon Hone helped with the glass.
How Did They Survive?
These windows are special because they survived many difficult times. They were not destroyed during the Reformation or the English Civil War. This is why they are more complete than windows in almost any other church in England.
During Second World War, the stained-glass windows were taken out. They were kept safe in a cellar from 1939 to 1945. A big project to clean and fix the windows started in 1988 and finished in 2010. Now, clear glass protects the old glass.
John Tame's Monument
John Tame's monument is a large stone chest-like tomb. It is on the north side of the chancel. This was a common place for the person who built the church to be buried. Above the tomb is a beautifully carved wooden screen. It forms an arch and is supported by carved angels holding open books.
Details of the Tomb
The top stone slab of the tomb is about six feet nine inches long. It is three feet seven inches wide and three feet six inches high. The longer sides of the tomb have three shields with family symbols in round shapes. These shields show the symbols of the Twynihoe family, the Tame family, and the Tame family combined with the Twynihoe family. The west side of the tomb shows only the Tame family symbols.
On top of the tomb, there are metal plates called "monumental brasses." The main ones show John Tame and his wife standing and facing each other. Above John Tame, carved into the marble, are the symbols of the Tame family. Above his wife, Alice Twynyho, are the symbols of her family.
The Inscription on the Tomb
It's interesting that his wife looks quite old in the carving. She actually died almost 30 years before her husband. Her dress is simple and elegant, but her head-dress is a bit unusual.
The words on the tomb are written in Latin and English. They are meant to be read from the outside, which is not common. Here's what they say:
"Pray for the souls of John Tame Esquire and Alice his wife. John died on May 8th, 1500, in the 16th year of King Henry the Seventh's reign. Alice died on December 20th, 1471. May God be kind to their souls."
Then, in English, it says: "For Jesus' love, pray for me, I may not pray now, pray ye, With a Pater Noster (Our Father prayer) & an Ave (Hail Mary prayer), That my pains released may be."
This same verse is repeated below the two figures on the tomb.
