St Mary's Church, Welford facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mary's Church, Welford |
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| 52°25′02″N 1°03′31″W / 52.4173°N 1.0587°W | |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Website | www.welfordchurches.org.uk |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | E F Law (North aisle and arcade, 1872) |
| Administration | |
| Deanery | Brixworth |
| Archdeaconry | Northampton |
| Diocese | Diocese of Peterborough |
| Province | Canterbury |
St Mary's Church is a beautiful old church in Welford, England. It is the main church for the local area and belongs to the Church of England. This church is also a very important historical building, which means it's protected by law because of its age and unique features. You can find it on the east side where Church Lane and West Street meet.
Contents
History of St Mary's Church
The story of St Mary's Church goes back a very long time. People believe there was a church in Welford even before 1086. This is because the Domesday Book, a very old record from that year, mentions a priest living there.
How the Church Was Built
Most of the church you see today was built between the 1200s and the 1400s. This means parts of it are hundreds of years old! In 1872, the church was carefully fixed up. A part of the church called the north aisle was rebuilt by an architect named E F Law.
Parts of the Church
St Mary's Church has several important sections. These include the nave, which is the main part where people sit. It also has north and south aisles, which are the side sections. There is a chancel, where the altar is, and a tall west tower. You can find a detailed description of the church on the Historic England website.
Church Records and Monuments
Churches often keep important records about the people in their community. St Mary's Church is no different.
Old Parish Registers
The church has kept records of births, marriages, and deaths since 1561. These old records are called parish registers. They are now kept safe at the Northamptonshire Record Office. This helps historians learn about the past.
Special Gravestones
Inside the church and in its old graveyard, there are many old gravestones. The writings on these gravestones have been copied down and published. This helps people read them even if the original stone is worn.
There is also a special monument in the churchyard. It is about 10 metres south of the church's south side. This monument is also a protected historical building. It is a pair of headstones from the late 1600s. They are made of a special stone called lias ashlar and have shaped tops. One of them has an oval area with writing about Elizabeth Woodford from 1677, but it's hard to read all of it now.
St Mary's Church Today
Today, St Mary's Church in Welford works together with other churches nearby.
Sharing a Priest
Welford is part of a group of churches that share a priest. This group includes the churches in Marston Trussell and Sibbertoft. Even though they share a priest, each village still has its own church building.
