St Mary the Virgin's Church, Ayston facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St Mary the Virgin's Church, Ayston
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OS grid reference	SK 860 010
Location	Ayston, Rutland
Country	England
Denomination	Anglican
Website	Churches Conservation Trust
History
Status	Former parish church
Architecture
Functional status	Redundant
Heritage designation	Grade II*
Designated	10 November 1955
Architectural type	Church
Style	Gothic
Groundbreaking	12th century
Completed	15th century
Specifications
Materials	Stone, tile roof

St Mary's church interior, showing its historic features.

St Mary the Virgin's Church is an old Anglican church in the small village of Ayston, Rutland, England. It's no longer used for regular church services, which is why it's called a "redundant" church. This special building is protected as a Grade II* listed building because of its historical importance. The Churches Conservation Trust now looks after it, making sure it stays safe for everyone to enjoy.

History of St Mary's Church

This church is very old, with parts of it dating back to the 12th century. Most of the church you see today was built in the 13th century. The very oldest stones are found at the northwest corner.

Building the Church Through the Centuries

In the 13th century, the north aisle (a side section of the church) and its arcade (a row of arches) were added. Later, the south aisle was probably rebuilt and made wider. The tall tower was also built in the 14th century. Around the same time, a clerestory was added. This is a row of windows high up on the main walls, letting in more light. In the 15th century, the chancel (the part of the church where the altar is) was rebuilt. New windows were put into the south aisle, and the porch (the entrance area) was built.

Why the Church is No Longer Used

By the early 2000s, fewer and fewer people were attending church services here. It became difficult to keep the church running. So, in 2012, the last regular service was held. On June 1, 2012, the church was officially declared "redundant," meaning it was no longer needed for regular worship. On April 10, 2014, the Churches Conservation Trust took over its care. They protect historic churches that are no longer used by their local communities.

Architecture and Design

St Mary's Church is built from rubble stone, which means rough, unshaped stones. It has roofs made of tiles. The church has a main area called the nave, with a clerestory above. It also has north and south aisles, a chancel, a south porch, and a tall tower at the west end.

Key Features of the Tower and Windows

The tower has strong corner buttresses, which are supports built into the walls. It also has paired bell openings, where the church bells can be heard. At the very top, there's an embattled parapet, which looks like the top of a castle wall. The west window of the tower has beautiful Y-tracery, which is the stone pattern that holds the glass. This style is called Decorated Gothic. In the north aisle, you can see a lancet window, which is a tall, narrow window with a pointed top. Most of the other windows are in the Perpendicular Gothic style. Along the aisles and clerestory, these windows have two or three "lights" (sections of glass). The large east window has five lights.

Inside the Church: What You Can See

Inside, the arcades (rows of arches) are supported by round piers (thick columns). The arches in the north arcade are round, while those in the south arcade are pointed. In the north wall of the chancel, there's an aumbry, which is a small cupboard used to store sacred items. In the south wall, you'll find a piscina, a basin used for washing communion vessels.

The nave has box pews from the 18th century. These are like individual wooden boxes where families would sit. There's also a font (a basin for baptisms) on a pedestal (a base). On the walls, you can still see parts of old wall paintings. One is a royal coat of arms above the chancel arch. There's also some floral decoration on the north wall of the nave. In the north aisle, there's a worn monument with the effigies (sculpted images) of a knight and a lady. One of the windows in the south aisle has some original 15th-century stained glass, which is very special.

The church also has a pipe organ with a single manual (keyboard), made around 1890. There is a ring of four bells in the tower. The oldest bell dates back to about 1365! The other bells were made around 1550, in 1626, and in 1877.

See also

In Spanish: Iglesia de Santa María Virgen (Ayston) para niños

• Grade II* listed buildings in Rutland
• List of churches preserved by the Churches Conservation Trust in the English Midlands