St Mary the Virgin, Tarrant Crawford facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Mary the Virgin |
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The church in 2011
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| Location | Tarrant Crawford, Dorset, England |
| Built | 12th century |
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Listed Building – Grade I
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| Official name: Church of St Mary | |
| Designated | 26 June 1953 |
| Reference no. | 1110840 |
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The Church of St Mary the Virgin is a very old church located in Tarrant Crawford, Dorset, England. It was first built way back in the 12th century. Today, it is recognized as a Grade I listed building, which means it's a really important historic site. The church is now looked after by the Churches Conservation Trust. This trust takes care of churches that are no longer used for regular services. St Mary's officially joined the Trust on 1 July 1988.
Contents
A Look at the Church's History
The Church of St Mary the Virgin is the only part left of what was once Tarrant Abbey. This abbey was a special place founded in the 13th century by Ralph de Kahaines. It was a Cistercian nunnery, which means it was a home for a group of nuns who followed the Cistercian way of life. The church might have been used by people living near the abbey.
How the Church Was Built Over Time
The oldest part of the church is the chancel, which dates back to the 12th century. It's made of flint stone. The main part of the church, called the nave, along with the tower and porch, were added in the 14th century.
The tower, built in the 15th century, holds three bells. Two of these bells are very old, from the medieval period, and one is from the 17th century. The roof of the nave was put on in the early 16th century. Later, in 1911, the church had a big restoration project to fix and improve it.
Inside the Church: Art and History
The inside of St Mary's Church is full of interesting historical items.
Ancient Coffin Lids and Famous Burials
You can find several coffin lids from the 13th century inside. These lids were moved here from the old Abbey. They might be connected to two famous people who were important to the Abbey.
- One person was Queen Joan. She was the wife of Alexander II of Scotland and the daughter of King John of England. Queen Joan is believed to be buried in the churchyard, supposedly in a golden coffin!
- The other famous person is Bishop Richard Poore. He was the person who built the famous Salisbury Cathedral. Bishop Poore was baptized at Tarrant Abbey and later buried there in 1237. He was a very important church leader, serving as bishop in different places like Chichester, Salisbury, and Durham.
Beautiful Wall Paintings and Stained Glass
The church also has beautiful stained glass windows from the 15th century. There's a font from the 16th century, used for baptisms, and an octagonal pulpit from the 17th century.
One of the most amazing features is the wall paintings. These Mediaeval paintings cover most of the walls in the nave and chancel. They were created in the 13th and 14th centuries. One set of pictures tells stories about St Margaret of Antioch. Another painting from the 14th century shows the Annunciation, with the winged figure of Gabriel and the Virgin Mary.
On the south wall, there are two rows of paintings. The lower row shows three kings or princes and three skeletons. These paintings are thought to represent "the emptiness of earthly rank and riches," reminding people that wealth and power don't last forever.
Caring for the Church Today
After World War II, fewer people attended services at the church. Because of this, it was declared redundant in 1988. This meant it was no longer used for regular worship and became the responsibility of the Churches Conservation Trust.
The Trust has spent a lot of money to keep the church in good condition. About £100,000 was used for masonry repairs to make sure the building was protected from the weather. Between 2003 and 2007, another £68,000 was spent. This money helped improve drainage around the church, get rid of death watch beetle (a type of insect that damages wood), and make the tower stable and re-roofed.
See also
