St Mary's Church, Garthorpe facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St Mary's Church, Garthorpe
St Mary's Church seen from the south
Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
OS grid reference	SK831209
Location	Garthorpe, Leicestershire
Country	England
Denomination	Church of England
Website	St Mary's Church, Garthorpe, Leicestershire
History
Dedication	Saint Mary
Architecture
Functional status	Redundant
Heritage designation	Grade I
Designated	1 January 1968
Architect(s)	J Day (restoration)
Architectural type	Church
Style	Norman, Gothic
Groundbreaking	early 13th century
Completed	15th century
Specifications
Materials	Body ironstone, Clerestory and tower limestone, Roofs lead
Bells	3
Tenor bell weight	6½ cwt
Administration
Parish	Wymondham, Edmondthorpe and Garthorpe
Diocese	Leicester
Province	Canterbury

St Mary's Church is an old church in the village of Garthorpe, England. It's a Church of England building that is no longer used for regular services, which is why it's called 'redundant'. It's a very important historical building, listed as 'Grade I', meaning it's of exceptional interest. Since 1999, the Churches Conservation Trust has looked after it, making sure it stays safe for everyone to see.

History of St Mary's Church

The oldest parts of St Mary's Church were built in the early 1200s. This includes the south arcade, which shows the Norman style. The north arcade was built a little later.

In the 1300s, parts like the aisles and chancel were changed. Then, in the 1400s, the upper windows (called the clerestory) and the tall west tower were added. The church was later repaired and updated by J Day in 1895–96.

Recent Care and Repairs

In recent years, people noticed that the north wall of the church was leaning outwards. There were also cracks in this wall and other parts of the church. Experts are watching these issues closely. In 2009, the Churches Conservation Trust decided to strengthen the north aisle wall by adding support underneath it.

Architecture of the Church

Outside the Church

The main part of the church is made from a type of stone called ironstone. However, the clerestory (the upper part with windows) and the west tower are made from limestone. The roofs are covered with lead. The church has a main area called the nave, with upper windows, and aisles on the north and south sides. It also has a south porch, a chancel (the area around the altar), and a tower at the west end.

The West Tower

The tower has three main levels and strong supports called buttresses. On the lowest level, there's a double window on the west side. The middle level has two small, four-leaf clover shaped windows on the south. At the very top, there are double windows for the bells on each side, with special curved tops.

Around the top of the tower, there's a decorated band with diamond shapes. You can also see four gargoyles (stone carvings that look like creatures), a crenellated top (like a castle wall), and four pointed decorations called pinnacles at the corners.

Clerestory and Aisles

The clerestory has three sections, and a cross sits on its eastern roof edge. On the north side, there's one double window, and on the south side, there are three similar windows. The north aisle has two sections of different sizes. It has a double window on its west wall and another on its north side, both with beautiful Decorated patterns.

The Chancel and South Porch

The chancel has two sections and a cross on its east roof edge. The east window has three tall, narrow windows. On the south side, there's a door for the priest and another window with three narrow lights. The south aisle has three sections. It has three narrow windows on its east and west walls, and a double window on its south side. The south porch has stone benches and a roof edge with a cross.

Inside the Church

The south arcade inside the church is in the Norman style, while the north arcade shows a mix of Norman and Transitional styles. The rest of the building, especially the clerestory and west tower, is in the Perpendicular Gothic style. Both arcades have three sections with round-topped arches. The pillars in the south arcade are round, but those in the north arcade are eight-sided.

Stained Glass and Features

Some windows in the north aisle have round pieces of stained glass from the 1300s. At the east end of the south aisle, you can find a piscina (a basin for washing sacred vessels) and an aumbry (a small cupboard) from the 1200s. In the north wall of the chancel, there's a special space for a tomb with an aumbry above it, under a fancy carved top.

The east window has stained glass from the 1800s. The decorated screen behind the altar (the reredos), the seats, and the desks are all from the 1800s and are in the Gothic Revival style. The round font is from the 1600s. The wooden pulpit and another eight-sided font were made in 1899. The church also has boards from the 1800s for donations and the Ten Commandments, the Royal coat of arms of King George III, and memorials including three brass plaques.

Church Bells

The west tower has a set of three bells. The smallest bell was made around 1580. The largest bell was made in 1600, and the middle bell in 1608. Unfortunately, the smallest bell is damaged, and none of the bells can be rung today.

The 15th-century west tower, seen from the south.

Churchyard Sundial

In the churchyard, to the southeast of the church, there is a sundial from the late 1800s. It has a brass face and is placed on an older stone pinnacle from the 1400s. This sundial is also a Grade II listed structure, meaning it's of special interest.

See also

• Grade I listed buildings in Leicestershire
• List of churches preserved by the Churches Conservation Trust in the English Midlands