St Mary Magdalene's Church, Lillington facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mary Magdalene's Church, Lillington |
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| Lillington Parish Church | |
The church from the west
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| Location | Vicarage Road, Lillington, Warwickshire, CV32 7RH |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Central |
| History | |
| Status | Active |
| Dedication | St Mary Magdalene |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Parish church |
| Heritage designation | Grade II listed |
| Designated | 1 March 1949 |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Lillington |
| Deanery | Warwick and Leamington |
| Archdeaconry | Archdeaconry of Warwick |
| Diocese | Diocese of Coventry |
St Mary Magdalene's Church in Lillington is a special church for the local community. It's a Church of England parish church located in Lillington, Warwickshire, which is part of Royal Leamington Spa. About 11,000 people live in Lillington. You can find the church where Vicarage Road and Church Lane meet. This historic building has been recognized as a Grade II listed building since 1949, meaning it's an important building that needs to be protected.
Contents
History of the Church
The oldest parts of this church are very ancient. Some parts might even be from before the Norman Conquest in 1066. For example, there's a doorway now found between the Lady Chapel and the Sacristy. Also, the south wall of the chancel (the area around the altar) is very old.
Building Changes Over Time
The tall west tower of the church was built in the 15th century, around 1480. It's in a style called Perpendicular Gothic, which means it has tall, narrow windows and strong vertical lines.
Most of the rest of the church was built or rebuilt during the Victorian era, between 1847 and 1884.
In 1847, the old south aisle (a side part of the church) was made longer, and a new north aisle was added. Later, in 1868, the south aisle was taken down and a wider one was built.
In 1875, special windows called dormer windows were put into the roof. Then, in 1884, the chancel was rebuilt, except for its south wall. The Lady Chapel and Sacristy were also added on the north side of the chancel. The very old Romanesque doorway was moved for the second time during these changes.
Special Features and People
Three of the beautiful stained glass windows in the church were made by C.E. Kempe and Company. One is the east window of the south aisle, made in 1895. The other two are in the north aisle, from 1908 and 1920.
A choir vestry, a room for the choir, was added in 1914. The pulpit, where sermons are given, was designed by T. Lawrence Dale in the 20th century. In 1987, a separate octagonal (eight-sided) meeting room was built in the churchyard.
Benjamin Satchwell, who helped start the famous spa town of Leamington, got married in this church. He married Mary Whitmore here on April 23, 1764.
The Miser's Grave
In the churchyard, you can find a famous grave known as the 'Miser's Grave'. It belongs to William Treen, who passed away on February 3, 1810, at 77 years old. His headstone has a very well-known inscription:
"I Poorly Liv'd and Poorly Dy'd,
Poorly Bury'd and no one Cry'd."
This quote was mentioned in many old guidebooks about Leamington. It was also famously shared by the American writer Nathaniel Hawthorne in his book Our Old Home in 1863.
Church Bells
St Mary Magdalene's Church has a set of eight bells that can be rung together. This is called a ring of bells. One of the bells, the sixth one, was made around 1480 by Thomas Harrys of London. This means it's as old as the church tower itself!
The seventh bell was cast in 1625 by Watts of Leicester. The largest bell, called the tenor, was made in 1675 by Henry Bagley of Chacombe, Northamptonshire. The other five bells were made much later, in 1927, by Mears and Stainbank of the Whitechapel Bell Foundry. All the bells were re-hung by Nicholson Engineering of Bridport, Dorset, in 2007, so they could be rung safely and beautifully.
Church Clock
The clock in Lillington church tower was made by Potts of Leeds and put in place in 1897. It seems the tower didn't have a clock before then. In 2007, the clock was carefully restored by the Cumbria Clock Company of Penrith. They repainted and gilded the four clock faces. They also moved the clock's working parts to a new spot inside the ringing chamber, making sure it keeps good time.
See also
