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

Quick facts for kids St Mary the Virgin's Church, Fawley
St Mary's Church with the Freeman Mausoleum on the left
Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).
OS grid reference	SU 754,867
Location	Fawley, Buckinghamshire
Country	England
Denomination	Anglican
Website	St Mary, Fawley
History
Status	Parish church
Dedication	Saint Mary the Virgin
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Heritage designation	Grade II*
Designated	21 June 1955
Architect(s)	Paley and Austin (restoration)
Architectural type	Church
Style	Gothic, Gothic Revival
Specifications
Materials	Flint with stone dressings Tiled roofs
Administration
Parish	Fawley
Deanery	Wycombe
Archdeaconry	Buckingham
Diocese	Oxford
Province	Canterbury

St Mary the Virgin's Church is a historic church located in the village of Fawley, Buckinghamshire, England. It is an active Anglican church, which means it belongs to the Church of England. This church serves as a local parish church, a place of worship for the community. It is also recognized as a Grade II* listed building, which means it's a very important historical building protected by law.

History of St Mary's Church

The church first started in the 12th century with a simple nave (the main part of the church) and a chancel (the area around the altar). In the 13th century, a tower was added. This tower was made taller in the 16th century.

Changes Over Time

The chancel was rebuilt in 1748. Later, from 1882 to 1883, the church was greatly improved and expanded. This work was done by architects named Paley and Austin. They raised the walls of the nave and rebuilt the arch leading to the tower. They also replaced the roof of the nave. A new north transept (a part of the church that sticks out like an arm) and a vestry (a room for clergy robes) were added. New windows were put in, and the south transept was refaced and opened up with a new arch.

Architecture of St Mary's Church

St Mary's Church is built using flint stones with stone decorations. Its roofs are made of tiles. The church has a main area called the nave, two transepts (north and south), a chancel, a vestry on the north side, and a tower at the west end.

Outside the Church

The tower has strong corner supports called buttresses. On the west side, there is a doorway with a two-light window above it. The north and south sides of the tower have tall, narrow windows called lancet windows. Near the top of the tower, there is a decorative moulded edge. Above and below this edge are small, round windows. The very top of the tower has a low gable (a triangular part of a wall) and a decorative parapet (a low wall). Along the sides of the nave, there are two-light windows. The transepts have single-light windows on their east and west sides, and two-light windows on their north and south sides. The chancel has a doorway on the south side that is now blocked. It also has a large window on the east side. Above this east window, there is a plaque with a date carved into it.

Inside the Church

Inside the chancel, there is a decorative cornice (a decorative molding). The east part of the chancel is decorated with Ionic pilasters, which are like flat columns. Some of the wooden panels in the chancel, along with the communion rails, the pulpit (where sermons are given), and the reading desk, came from a grand house called Canons. The marble font, used for baptisms, was added in 1884. The beautiful stained glass windows in the nave and transepts were made by famous companies like Clayton and Bell and Heaton, Butler and Bayne. In the vestry, there is a special memorial window designed by artists John Piper and Patrick Reyntiens in 1976. Other parts of the church have armorial glass, which shows coats of arms. This glass used to be in an older house near Henley-on-Thames. In the south transept, there is a monument from the early 1600s. In the nave, you can see a decorative cartouche from around 1718. On the inside of the tower arch, there are two painted texts from 1637. The church also has a single-manual organ, which was built in 1917 by the Positive Organ Company.

Other Interesting Features Near the Church

Close to St Mary's Church, there are two special buildings called mausolea. These are buildings built as tombs for important families.

The Freeman Mausoleum

The Freeman Mausoleum was built in 1750. It was designed by John (Cooke) Freeman for his family. This mausoleum has an eight-sided base on a plinth (a heavy base). On top of this is a round part with a rough stone finish, topped by a dome. There is an inscription (writing) on the south side of the base. On the north side, there is an entrance with an iron gate. The round part has two small oval windows. The design of this mausoleum was inspired by an ancient Roman tomb called the Tomb of Cecilia Metella near Rome. This mausoleum is also a Grade II* listed building, showing its historical importance.

The Mackenzie Mausoleum

The Mackenzie Mausoleum was built in 1862 for the Mackenzie family of Fawley Court. It is made from Aberdeen granite and has a square shape with a low, stepped pyramid roof. On the north side, there is an entrance with a frieze (a decorative band) that has an inscription. Around the entrance, there are flat columns called pilasters that support a pediment (a triangular top part). Inside the pediment, there is a carving of an hourglass. This mausoleum is listed at Grade II, meaning it is also an important historical building.

See also

• List of ecclesiastical works by Paley and Austin

Images for kids

• 

  St Mary's Church with the Freeman Mausoleum on the left