St Mary the Virgin, Great Brickhill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mary the Virgin’s Church, Great Brickhill |
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St Mary the Virgin’s Church, Great Brickhill
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| 52°00′1.5″N 0°40′42.5″W / 52.000417°N 0.678472°W | |
| Location | Great Brickhill |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| History | |
| Dedication | St Mary the Virgin |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* listed |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Great Brickhill |
| Deanery | Mursley |
| Archdeaconry | Buckingham |
| Diocese | Diocese of Oxford |
St Mary the Virgin's Church in Great Brickhill, Buckinghamshire, is an old and important church. It is a parish church for the Church of England. This church is so special that it is listed as a Grade II* listed building. This means it is a very important historic place.
Contents
Church History
The church was first built a very long time ago, in the thirteenth century (the 1200s). Over the years, new parts were added and changes were made. In the mid-1860s, the church had a big makeover. During this time, a new porch was added to the building.
Modern Updates
In 1997, a special project started to make the church better for today's community. This project had two main parts. The first part was to fix up the church's towers and bells. The second part was to make the church bigger. This included adding a meeting room, a kitchen, and toilets. As of April 2024, most of this work has been finished.
Roof Repairs
Between 2014 and 2016, a big problem happened: the church's lead roof was stolen. Because there wasn't enough money right away, some parts of the missing roof were covered with felt. In October 2023, there was a report that the church might have to close if the roof wasn't fixed. This was because water was leaking inside. Luckily, the National Churches Trust promised a lot of money, £473,750, to help fix the roof. This money was part of a larger fund given to 33 churches.
Outside the Church
The church's bell tower was built in the middle of the 1200s. The first time anyone wrote about bells being in the tower was in 1637. Later, in 1789, six new bells were made by Thomas and William Mears. They worked at a famous bell factory called the Whitechapel Bell Foundry, which is now closed. In 1840, one of these bells was remade, but we don't know why.
Thanks to money from the local council and other groups, the bells were taken away for repairs. In October 2009, they went to a company called Whites of Appleton in Oxfordshire. Two brand new bells were made. In April 2010, all the bells were brought back and put up again in the tower.
The church also has a churchyard, which is like a graveyard. It was closed at some point, but a new cemetery run by the church was built nearby.
Inside the Church
Inside the church, there is a large pipe organ. This organ was built in 1875 by a company called William Hill and Son. You can find more details about this organ on the National Pipe Organ Register website.
Church Community
St Mary the Virgin's Church is part of a group of churches that work together. This group, called a joint parish, includes:
- All Saints Church, Bow Brickhill
- St Mary Magdalene's Church, Little Brickhill
- St Luke's Church, Stoke Hammond
