St Medardus and St Gildardus Church, Little Bytham facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Medardus and St Gildardus Church |
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St Medardus and St Gildardus
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| 52°45′02″N 0°30′03″W / 52.75056°N 0.50083°W | |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| History | |
| Dedication | SS Medard & Gildard |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Lincoln |
| Province | Canterbury |
The Church of St Medardus and St Gildardus is a very old and special church located in Little Bytham, England. It's so important that it's called a Grade I listed building, which means it's one of the most historically significant buildings in the country.
This church is dedicated to two French saints from the 500s: St Medard and St Gildard. This dedication is the only one of its kind in the whole United Kingdom! St Medard is still very famous in France, with many towns named after him. St Gildard, who might have been his brother, is less known. Every year, the village celebrates a special day (a fête) around St Medard's feast day, which is June 8.
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Church History and Design
The oldest parts of the church show building styles from the Anglo-Saxon period. You can see special "long-and-short" stones at the corners of the main part of the church (called the nave).
Norman Era Features
The church also has many features from the Norman era, which started after 1066. These include a special door for the priest. This door is very fancy and has a carved stone panel above it called a tympanum.
- Priest's Door: The tympanum above the Priest's Door has an empty round space. People say this spot once held a special relic (a holy item) of St Medard.
- Bird Carvings: On either side of the empty space, there are carvings of birds inside circles. These are probably eagles. A legend says an eagle once protected St Medard from the rain.
- Other Norman Parts: The plain arch leading into the tower and the north door (from the late 1100s) are also from the Norman period.
Later Additions
More parts of the church were built in the 1200s. These include the south aisle (a side section) and the top parts of the tower and spire.
- East Window: The east window of the south aisle, with its fancy stone patterns, was added around 1300.
- Piscina: A piscina (a stone basin used for washing holy vessels) near the east window is also from around 1300.
- Chancel Arch: The arch leading into the chancel (the part of the church where the altar is) is likely from the late 1200s.
- Double Piscina: The chancel also has a double piscina, which might be from the same time.
- Easter Sepulchre: An Easter Sepulchre (a special place used during Easter) in the chancel is from a slightly later time, but it's not as detailed as some others.
Unique Stone Carving
A beautifully carved stone top (called a capital) was found in the church. It shows a Green Man, a mythical face made of leaves, surrounded by oak leaves. This carving is similar to others found in nearby churches and also dates from around 1300. It was once built into a wall facing inwards, but it was found during later repair work.
Pulpit and War Grave
The stone base of the pulpit (where the priest gives sermons) is dated 1590. It has a Latin message carved into it that says Orate et parate, which means "Pray and prepare."
The churchyard also holds a special grave. It is the war grave of a soldier from the Royal Engineers who died in the First World War.
