St Mary's Church, Welshpool facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mary's Church, Welshpool |
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| 52°39′40″N 3°08′47″W / 52.661097°N 3.146442°W | |
| Location | Welshpool, Powys |
| Country | Wales |
| Denomination | Church in Wales |
| History | |
| Status | Church |
| Dedication | Saint Mary |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade I |
| Architect(s) | George Edmund Street |
| Style | Gothic Revival |
| Years built | c. 1250; rebuilt in 1870 |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | St Asaph |
| Province | Wales |
St Mary's Church is a historic church located in Welshpool, a town in Powys, Wales. It is the main Anglican church for the area and belongs to the Church in Wales. This beautiful building is very important, so it has a special "Grade I listed" status. This means it's considered one of the most important historic buildings in Wales.
Contents
A Look at St Mary's Church
St Mary's Church is dedicated to Saint Mary. It is a place of worship that has stood for many centuries. The church is still active today, serving the local community.
How Old Is the Church?
The very first church here was likely built around the year 1250. However, most of what you see today was rebuilt or restored in 1871. This work was done by a famous architect named George Edmund Street.
Some parts of the original church still remain. For example, the lower sections of the tower are from the 13th century. The main part of the church, called the nave, was rebuilt in the 1500s.
Interesting Features
The ceiling in the chancel (the area near the altar) is very old, dating back to the 15th century. People believe this ceiling might have come from Strata Marcella Abbey, which was about five miles away. There's even a stone in the churchyard that is said to be part of the abbot's (leader of the abbey) throne!
A special memorial inside the church honors Bishop William Morgan. He was a vicar (a type of priest) at St Mary's from 1575 to 1579. Bishop Morgan is famous for being the first person to translate the entire Bible into the Welsh language.
Famous People Connected to the Church
Another important person linked to St Mary's is Adam of Usk. He was a priest at this church in 1411.
War Graves in the Churchyard
The churchyard is also a place of remembrance. It contains seven Commonwealth war graves. These are the resting places of five British soldiers who died in World War I. There is also a soldier and an airman who died during World War II.
See also
