St Mary Magdalene's Church, Broughton-in-Furness facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mary Magdalene's Church |
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St Mary Magdalene's Church from the southeast
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| OS grid reference | SD 209,874 |
| Location | Broughton-in-Furness, Cumbria |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | St Mary Magdalene, Broughton-in-Furness |
| History | |
| Status | Parish church |
| Dedication | Mary Magdalene |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade II |
| Designated | 5 March 1990 |
| Architect(s) | Paley and Austin, Austin and Paley |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Stone, slate roofs |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Broughton and Duddon |
| Deanery | Furness |
| Archdeaconry | Westmorness and Furness |
| Diocese | Carlisle |
| Province | York |
St Mary Magdalene's Church is a beautiful old church located in Broughton-in-Furness, a town in Cumbria, England. It is an active Anglican church, which means it belongs to the Church of England. This church is a special place for the local community, serving as a parish church where people gather for worship and events.
The church is dedicated to Mary Magdalene, an important follower of Jesus. It is also recognized as a Grade II listed building, which means it's an important historic building that needs to be protected.
Church History
The oldest part of St Mary Magdalene's Church is its south doorway. This doorway was built way back in the 12th century, during the time of Norman architecture. Imagine how old that is! Over the centuries, the church has been changed and added to, especially in the 16th and 19th centuries.
A big makeover happened in 1873–74. This was done by famous architects from Lancaster, Paley and Austin. They rebuilt parts of the church, like the main area called the nave. They also fixed up the chancel, which is the part of the church near the altar, and added a new aisle (a side section). During this time, they removed an old gallery and put in new seats. They used special stone from St Bees for the outside details and Runcorn sandstone for the inside walls.
Later, in 1900, the church's tower on the southwest side was replaced. This work was done by Austin and Paley, who took over from Paley and Austin.
What Does the Church Look Like?
St Mary Magdalene's Church is built from strong stone pieces called rubble, with smoother, cut stones called ashlar for details. Its roofs are made of slate. The church has a main area called the nave with five sections, and a chancel with three sections. It also has a side section called a south aisle, a south entrance porch, and a tower on the southwest side.
The windows and openings for the bells are rounded at the top, just like the old Norman doorway. The tower has three levels and is supported by strong stone supports called buttresses. At the very top of the tower, there's a flat wall called a parapet with pointed decorations called gablets on the east and west sides. The bell openings have special wooden slats called louvers.
Inside the church, the rows of arches (called an arcade) are held up by round stone pillars. In the aisle, there's a restored piscina, which is a small basin used for washing sacred vessels. The church also has beautiful stained glass windows. Some of these were made by famous artists like Kempe, Shrigley and Hunt, and even William Morris (with designs by Burne-Jones).
Outside the Church
Around the church, in the churchyard, there are a few more interesting things that are also Grade II listed buildings.
- Sundial: There's a sundial that might be the base of a very old churchyard cross from the Middle Ages.
- Atkinson Monument: You can find a headstone for the Atkinson family, dated 1805.
- Old Tombs: To the south of the church, there's a group of four tombs from the late 1700s and early 1800s.
The church tower also has a set of 12 bells! It originally had 8 bells, but more were added over time, first to 10, and then to 12.
See also
- Listed buildings in Broughton West
- List of ecclesiastical works by Paley and Austin
- List of ecclesiastical works by Austin and Paley (1895–1914)
