St Mary's Church, Hartley Wintney facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mary's Church, Hartley Wintney |
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St Mary's Church, Hartley Wintney, from the southwest
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| OS grid reference | SU 768 558 |
| Location | Hartley Wintney, Hampshire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | Churches Conservation Trust |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Redundant |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* |
| Designated | 24 November 1961 |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Gothic, Gothic Revival |
| Groundbreaking | 13th century |
| Completed | Mid-nineteenth century |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Body of church flint with some puddingstone and brick Transepts brick Tower flint Roofs tiled |
St Mary's Church is an old Anglican church in Hartley Wintney, a village in Hampshire, England. It's not used for regular church services anymore, but it's a very special historical building. This church is listed as a Grade II* building, which means it's really important. A group called the Churches Conservation Trust looks after it. You can find St Mary's Church on a hill south of the village, about 8 kilometres (5 miles) east of Basingstoke.
Contents
A Look at St Mary's Church History
The church was first built in the 13th century, which is over 700 years ago! Nuns from Wintney Priory built it. Back then, it only had a main hall, called a nave, and a special area for the altar, known as a chancel.
Later, in the middle of the 19th century, more parts were added. These included side sections called transepts and a tower. St Mary's was once the main church for the village. But a new church, dedicated to Saint John, was built. After that, St Mary's became a chapel used for funerals.
The church stopped being used for regular services on March 13, 1974. It was then officially given to the Churches Conservation Trust on October 22, 1975. This group helps protect old churches like St Mary's.
Exploring the Church's Design
Outside the Church: What It Looks Like
The main part of the church, the nave and chancel, is built from flint stones. It also has some puddingstone and brick. The transepts, which are the arms of the church, are made of red brick. The tower is also built from flint. Red tiles cover the church roof.
The church's layout includes a nave and a chancel. It also has transepts on the north and south sides, and a tower at the west end. The chancel is about 5.4 metres (17 feet 9 inches) long and 4.6 metres (15 feet) wide. The nave is much bigger, about 15.5 metres (50 feet 10 inches) long and 6.1 metres (20 feet) wide. The transepts are about 5.3 metres (17 feet 5 inches) long and 3.7 metres (12 feet) wide. The tower is a square shape, about 3.7 metres (12 feet) on each side.
The windows in the chancel and nave sides are very old, from the 14th and 15th centuries. They have one, two, or three sections of glass. The windows in the transepts and the large east window were added in the 19th century.
The tower has three levels and strong corner supports called buttresses. On the bottom level, there's a door on the west side. There are also single windows on the north and south sides. The middle level has two-section windows on the north, west, and south sides. The top level has openings for bells with three sections of glass on all sides. At the very top of the tower, there's a wall with a jagged, castle-like top, called an embattled parapet. Each corner has a small pointed tower, known as a pinnacle.
Inside the Church: Hidden Treasures
Inside the chancel, you can find a piscina from the 12th century. This was a basin used for washing holy vessels. There's also a hagioscope, which is a small opening that allowed people to see the altar.
The church also has old box pews, which are enclosed seats. The communion rail, where people receive communion, dates back to the early 18th century. You can also see hatchments, which are special painted boards showing a family's coat of arms after someone has died. There's even a royal arms from 1705.
One of the most exciting things inside are the remains of 13th-century wall paintings. One painting shows Saint Christopher, who is said to have carried the Christ child across a river. Another painting shows Saint George bravely killing the dragon.
Notable People Buried Here
Many interesting people are buried at St Mary's Church:
- Henry Hawley: A general nicknamed "Hangman" who won a famous battle.
- William Lethaby: A well-known architect.
- Alan Brooke, 1st Viscount Alanbrooke: A very important military leader during World War II.
- Ambrose Heal: A famous furniture maker.
- Robert Weir Schultz: An architect known for his Arts and Crafts style.
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