St Mary Magdalene Church, Hart facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mary Magdalene Church |
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| 54°42′32″N 1°16′17″W / 54.70881°N 1.27133°W | |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| History | |
| Founded | 675 AD |
| Dedication | Mary Magdalene |
| Architecture | |
| Architectural type | Anglo-Saxon |
| Administration | |
| Archdeaconry | Diocese of Durham |
St Mary Magdalene Church is a special Church of England parish church located in the small village of Hart, which is in County Durham, England. It was first built way back in 675 AD. This makes it the oldest church in the whole area of Hartlepool!
The church is a very important building, known as a Grade I listed building. This means it's considered to be of exceptional historical and architectural interest. Parts of the church are incredibly old; its tall tower was built in the 13th century, and the main part of the church, called the nave, dates even further back to the 12th century.
Discovering the Church's Past
How Old is St Mary Magdalene Church?
People know for sure that a church has stood on this exact spot since at least 675 AD. Imagine that! That's over 1,300 years ago.
From Wood to Stone: Early Buildings
The very first church here was probably made of wood. Over time, it was replaced with a stronger building made of stone. This stone church included a chancel (the area around the altar) and a nave (the main part where people sit) that didn't have side aisles. This shows how building styles changed over many centuries.
