St Michael's Church, Brent Knoll facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of St Michael |
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| General information | |
| Town or city | Brent Knoll |
| Country | England |
| Coordinates | 51°15′07″N 2°57′14″W / 51.2520°N 2.9539°W |
| Completed | 11th century |
The Church of St Michael is a very old church in Brent Knoll, Somerset, England. It was first built way back in the 11th century! That's over 900 years ago. Over time, it has been made bigger and fixed up many times. It's so important that it's officially called a Grade I listed building. This means it's a building of special historical interest.
You can still see a Norman doorway from its early days. Most of the church you see today was built around 1290. The north side aisle was added later, in the late 1400s.
The church has a tall, three-part tower built around 1397. Inside the tower is a bell made in 1777 by the Bilbie family, who were famous bell makers. The church is also known for its special carvings on the ends of some of its wooden pews. Three of these carvings are like a cartoon. They are thought to show a greedy Abbot of Glastonbury looking like a fox. The church's pulpit, where the priest gives sermons, is from the 1600s.
Exploring the Church's Design
The Parish Church of St Michael in Brent Knoll started being built in the 11th century. More parts were added in the 1300s and 1400s. It was also repaired in the 1800s. The church is built from rough, cut stones. Most of its roofs are covered with lead, except for the chancel roof, which has slate tiles.
You can see cross-shaped decorations called finials on the pointed ends of the roofs. The church is mostly built in the Perpendicular style, which was popular in England in the late Middle Ages. The church has a main area called the nave, a chancel (the part near the altar), a north aisle (a side section), and a south porch from the 1300s. There's also a south transept, which is now used as a vestry (a room for changing robes).
The tower, built in the 1300s, is at the west end of the church. It has three levels and strong supports called buttresses. At the top, there's a low wall with pointed decorations called pinnacles. There are also gargoyles that stick out to help rainwater drain away. The Norman doorway in the south porch has zigzag patterns, which are typical of Norman art.
The nave, built in the 1400s, has a special "wagon roof" that looks like the inside of a covered wagon. Inside the church, you'll find many old items. There's an 11th-century font (a basin for baptisms). The pulpit is from 1637. There's also a Jacobean coffin-stool and a chair, and a medieval chest where parish records were kept. The church is especially famous for its beautifully carved wooden bench ends on the pews, which date from the 1300s and 1400s.
The church is also a place for music and art events during the summer.
See also
- List of Grade I listed buildings in Sedgemoor
- List of towers in Somerset
- List of ecclesiastical parishes in the Diocese of Bath and Wells
