St Mary the Virgin, Lytchett Matravers facts for kids

Quick facts for kids St Mary the Virgin, Lytchett Matravers
50°45′54″N 2°05′32″W / 50.76507°N 2.09224°W / 50.76507; -2.09224
Location	Lytchett Matravers
Country	United Kingdom
Denomination	Church of England
Previous denomination	Roman Catholic
History
Founded	12th century
Dedication	St Mary the Virgin
Architecture
Heritage designation	Grade I listed
Designated	20 November 1959
Years built	13th–15th centuries
Specifications
Bells	6 (Ring)
Tenor bell weight	0 long tons 7 cwt (800 lb or 0.4 t)
Administration
Parish	Lytchett Matravers
Deanery	Poole
Archdeaconry	Dorset
Episcopal area	Sherborne
Diocese	Salisbury
Province	Canterbury

St Mary the Virgin is a historic church in Lytchett Matravers, a village in Dorset, England. It is a Church of England parish church, which means it serves the local community. This special building is also listed as 'Grade I', meaning it is very important and protected because of its history and architecture. The church is part of the Diocese of Salisbury.

History of St Mary's Church

When Was the Church Built?

We do not know the exact date when St Mary's Church was first built. Records from the Domesday Book in 1086 show that Sir John Maltravers owned the land here.

Just outside the church's north door, there is a very old yew tree. In the 1980s, experts thought it was at least 1,700 years old! Its location next to the church suggests this spot has been a holy place for a very long time, even before the current church was constructed.

A knight named Sir Walter Maltravers went on a Crusade to the Holy Land. It is thought that he might have ordered the church to be built around the year 1200. The oldest parts of the church, like the west tower, the nave (main part of the church), and the chancel (area around the altar), were built at this time. The north aisle (a side section) was added later, in the 14th century.

The tower is the oldest part of the building. Its arch dates back to 1200. The decorative tops, called pinnacles, were added around 1500. They feature the Maltravers family symbol.

The row of arches on the north side of the nave was built around 1350, when the north aisle was added. You can also see a large opening called a hagioscope or squint. This allowed people in the north aisle to see the chancel and the altar.

The Black Death and Church Changes

Brass monument from about 1475, remembering Rev. Thomas Pethyn

A font from about 1500, in the Perpendicular Gothic style

Local stories say that the village moved away from the church during the time of the Black Death. The church was used less often, mostly just by the Rector for private prayers. Regular church services moved to a smaller chapel in the village.

Inside the church, there is a special brass monument from the late 1400s. It remembers Thomas Pethyn, who was the rector from 1430 to 1470. This monument is unusual because it shows his body wrapped in a burial shroud.

Around the early 1500s, Dame Margarita Clements paid for a lot of restoration work to be done on the church.

In the 1600s, the Arundel family, who inherited the Maltravers estate, helped pay for more restoration of St Mary's. They also rebuilt the north aisle. After this, the chapel in the village closed, and all church services returned to St Mary's.

The English Civil War

During the English Civil War, soldiers from the New Model Army damaged a tomb in the north aisle. They removed and destroyed its special plaque. People believe this tomb belonged to a member of the Arundel or Maltravers family.

Changes in the 1800s and 1900s

In the 1800s, new pews (church benches) were added to St Mary's.

In 1891, the church replaced its old barrel organ with a new pipe organ. This organ was improved several times over the years. A new room, called a vestry, was built behind the organ. This room was used for church administration. In 1992, the pipe organ was replaced with a modern electronic organ.

The current pulpit (where the sermon is given) was put in during the 1950s.

In the 1990s, more modern pews were added to the north aisle. These pews originally came from Sherborne Abbey. You can easily tell them apart from the older pews.

In 1993, the north transept (a part of the church that sticks out) was made bigger. This added new facilities, including a new vestry and a small room upstairs. This upper room was used for Sunday school and meetings.

A famous footballer named Fred Pentland was buried in the churchyard in 1962.

Recent Work in the 2000s

By the early 2000s, the church building needed some repairs. In 2011, workers found that the outside walls had been covered incorrectly. This was causing problems with the walls and the floor inside. The wooden beams supporting the floor were rotten because of moisture. Emergency repairs were made to the beams, and a temporary floor was put in so the church could still be used. The pulpit had to be removed because the floor could not support it.

In 2012, volunteers helped redecorate the church. The old wall covering was removed, and a special lime wash was applied to the walls. Other repairs were made between 2012 and 2013, including improving the drainage around the church.

Church Bells

The church tower has a ring of six bells.

• The third bell is very old, made around 1400.
• The fifth bell was cast in 1616.
• The tenor bell (the largest bell) was cast in 1684.
• The treble, second, and third bells were cast in 1931 by Mears and Stainblank.

In 1931, the older bells were also cleaned and fixed up.

Church Leadership

The parish of St Mary's was part of the Poole Deanery until the mid-1990s. Then it became part of the Milton and Blandford Deanery. On January 1, 2010, it returned to the Poole Deanery. In October of that year, the parish joined with the Lytchett Minster and Upton Team Ministry to form a Benefice. This means they share resources and work together. St Mary's still has its own vicar, but they are part of a larger team of clergy.

Past Rectors and Clergy

Here is a list of the Rectors who served St Mary's from 1313 to 1977, based on records by local historian Shirley Percivel:

Here are the clergy who have served since 1977: