St Mary de Crypt Church, Gloucester facts for kids

St Mary de Crypt Church in Gloucester.

The agnus dei carving above the church door.

A special semi-circular seat in the churchyard that tells the history of Gloucester.

Paintings of John and Joan Cooke, who helped the church.

St Mary de Crypt Church is a very old Anglican church located on Southgate Street in Gloucester. It was first mentioned in records way back in 1140, when it was known as 'The Church of the Blessed Mary within Southgate'. This church is next to the old ruins of Greyfriars. It is a very important building and is listed as a Grade I listed building.

History of the Church

The church has been a key part of Gloucester's story for many centuries.

The Crypt School

In 1539, a school called The Crypt School was started right next to the church. A woman named Joan Cooke used money she received from her husband, John, to found it. The original schoolroom is still there, even though the school itself has moved to a bigger place now. Both Mr. and Mrs. Cooke were buried in the church, and there are special brass plaques inside to remember them.

During the English Civil War

During the First English Civil War in 1643, Gloucester was under attack in what was called the Siege of Gloucester. At that time, St Mary de Crypt Church was used as a place to make and store ammunition.

Famous People Connected to the Church

• In 1736, George Whitefield, who was one of the people who helped start Methodism, gave his very first sermon at this church.
• Robert Raikes, who is famous for starting Sunday Schools, was buried under the South Chapel in 1811. He had also been baptised there in 1736.
• In 1836, Jemmy Wood, who was known as 'The Gloucester Miser' (meaning he was very careful with his money), was also buried at the church.

Recent Times

In 1952, St Mary de Crypt Church joined with the parish of the old St Michael's Church.

More recently, in 2019, the church and the old Crypt schoolroom reopened after a big two-year project to fix them up. Before this, the buildings had become quite old and unused. Now, they are used again for church services, and also as a place for creative activities, community events, and other gatherings. This restoration project received a large amount of money, about £1.36 million, from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Church Architecture

The church was originally built in the 12th century, and you can still see many parts from that time, which are called Norman features.

West Door and Nave

One of the most special features is a beautifully carved stone panel called a tympanum above the west door, which opens onto Southgate Street. This carving shows the agnus dei, which means 'lamb of God' in Latin. It's a symbol of Jesus Christ's resurrection.

The church was rebuilt and made larger in the late 1300s, but it still kept some of the older parts from the 12th and 13th centuries. More work was done in the 1400s and 1500s. The 'crypt' mentioned in the church's name is a special underground room at the western end of the main part of the church, called the nave. The nave itself was built in the 1400s and has a Renaissance-style pulpit from the 1600s, which is where sermons are given.

Church Records

The records of the church, including details from 1653 to 1906, are kept safe at the Gloucestershire Record Office.