St Mary sub Castro, Dover facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mary sub Castro |
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St Mary sub Castro
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| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Christian |
| Rite | Church of England |
| Ecclesiastical or organizational status | In use |
| Year consecrated | ?c.600; c.1000 |
| Location | |
| Location | Dover Castle, Dover, Kent |
| Architecture | |
| Architect(s) | Original architect(s) unknown; George Gilbert Scott & William Butterfield (Victorian rebuilds) |
| Architectural style | Saxon, tower completion is an addition by Butterfield |
| Completed | ?c.600; c.1000 |
| Materials | Stone, flint, tile (much from neighbouring Roman lighthouse) |
St Mary sub Castro is a very old church located inside the grounds of Dover Castle in Kent, south-east England. Its name means "St Mary below the Castle" or "St Mary in the Castle." This church is a heavily repaired Saxon building. It stands right next to an ancient Roman lighthouse, which was later used as the church's bell tower. St Mary sub Castro serves both the local people and the British Army soldiers stationed at Dover. It is known as the church for the Dover Garrison.
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Where is St Mary's Church?
Dover is a big port town on the south-east coast of England. It sits in a gap between the famous white cliffs. This spot is very close to mainland Europe, making it a key place for military, shipping, and trade for thousands of years.
The Romans built forts here around AD 130 and AD 270. Dover has had many defenses built over time. The Romans also built two tall lighthouses, called pharoses, possibly around AD 130. These were on the Eastern and Western hills above the cliffs. St Mary sub Castro is on the Eastern hill.
The church is a bit lower than the castle's main tower. However, it is still on the castle hill and inside the outer walls. This might explain why its name uses different words like "below" or "in" the castle.
How Old is St Mary's?
The Earliest Church (Around 600 AD)
Records show that a church was built "within the castle" by Eadbald of Kent in the 630s. It's not fully clear if this meant inside the Saxon town on the Eastern Hills or within the old Roman fort ruins in the valley. A large, late-Saxon graveyard around the current church suggests a church might have been there around 600 AD.
The Present Saxon Church (Around 1000 AD)
The church you see today was built on the Eastern Hills around 1000 AD. It is right next to the surviving Roman lighthouse. Builders used materials from the lighthouse for the church. You can still see Roman tiles in the church walls, especially around the window arches. Flint and tiles from the lighthouse were used throughout the church's stone walls.
The church has a cross shape, with a central tower. This tower is as wide as the main part of the church (called the nave). The church's main door arch is the oldest one still standing in any church in England.
Changes in the Middle Ages
Around the late 1100s, a new arched ceiling and an altar area were likely added to the church. In 1226, Henry III of England ordered the church to be repaired. Later, he asked for three altars and statues of saints to be made.
A new section was added to the Roman lighthouse to turn it into a bell tower. A short passage was also built to connect it to the church. In 1252, three bells were made in Canterbury for the tower. Later, in the mid-1300s, these bells were sold. Two new, larger bells were bought to replace them. Between 1426 and 1437, more work was done on the bell tower, including adding five new stone windows.
Other work on the church included repainting in the early 1300s. More money was spent on the church and castle in 1494.
Neglect and Restoration
From 1555 to 1557, the church was closed off because it was unsafe and needed repairs. Later, in 1576, people suggested fixing the main part of the church, putting glass in the windows, and adding seats. It took six more years, but in 1582, fourteen small chairs were bought. Public worship continued until 1690, though soldiers were still buried in the churchyard for some time after.
By 1780, the church ruins were used as a storage building and a place to make barrels. After another collapse in 1801, it became a coal storage area by 1808. It stayed this way until 1860.
That year, the first of two big repair projects began. The first lasted until 1862 and was led by George Gilbert Scott. The second repair happened in 1888, led by William Butterfield. Butterfield's work finished the tower and added mosaic art inside. However, many people felt Scott's earlier work was more respectful of the church's original style.
St Mary's Church Today
Today, St Mary sub Castro is still an active church. It serves both the Army and the local community. It continues to be the Dover Garrison Church.
What Does the Church Look Like Now?
The tall arches at the east and west ends of the church's center are likely original. They have a special design made of projecting tiles. A tall, rounded stone doorway, now blocked, once led into the main part of the church from the south. It shows typical Saxon features with alternating horizontal and vertical stone slabs.
Unusual double-sided, rounded windows are found in the north and south walls of the main church area. George Gilbert Scott, who found these windows during his repairs, thought there might have been another pair near the west end. He believed these windows, along with holes in the walls for supporting timbers, showed that there was once a gallery (a raised platform) inside the church.
The church is a Grade I listed building. This means it is a very important historical building.
