St Michael and All Angels' Church, Elton on the Hill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Michael and All Angels' Church, Elton on the Hill |
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| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Broad Church |
| Website | www.wivertoninthevale.co.uk/saint-michael-elton |
| History | |
| Dedication | St Michael and All Angels |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Elton on the Hill |
| Diocese | Southwell and Nottingham |
| Province | York |
The St Michael and All Angels' Church is a special old church located in Elton on the Hill, a village in Nottinghamshire, England. It is part of the Church of England. This church is so important that it has been given a special "Grade II listed" status. This means it's a building with a lot of history and special design.
Exploring the Church Building
The church building is very old, dating back to the Middle Ages. However, it was greatly changed between 1855 and 1857. This was part of a big "Victorian restoration" project. During this time, the church was covered with a special plaster called stucco. This made it look like it was built from smooth, cut stones called ashlar.
The church used to have a unique roof that looked like a "dove house". But during the restoration, it got its current brick tower. This tower holds two bells. A modern clock was added in 1969. It was put there to remember William Noël and Hilda Grace Parr, who used to live in the Old Rectory nearby.
Inside the church, you can still see parts of the original medieval stone. On the south side of the main area, called the nave, there are old arches. These arches once separated the nave from another part of the church, which was later taken down. The area near the altar, called the chancel, is a bit narrower. The wooden rails around the altar are very old, made in the Jacobean style.
The beautiful stained glass window at the east end of the church shows a picture of St Paul talking to people in Athens. It has a message from the Bible (Acts 17:24). This message was important to the Evangelical movement in the 1800s.
Above the chancel door, there are special panels. They show the words of the Ten Commandments and the Lord's Prayer. These panels might be even older than the Victorian changes to the church.
The wooden seats, called pews, were a gift in the 1950s. They were given by W. G. Player, who lived at Whatton Manor. He is buried in the churchyard. Other wooden panels inside were given by W. Noël Parr.
There are also old memorial plaques inside the church. They remember people like Frances Launder, W. F. N. Norton, and Langford Collin, who were important families from Elton Manor. You can also find many interesting old gravestones in the churchyard. One of them, the Launder tomb, is also a listed heritage site.
The Church's Parish and Community
A "parish" is like a local area that a church serves. For a long time, the church in Elton was linked with the church in Granby. This started in 1917.
In 1957, a person named W. N. Parr gave the right to choose the church's leader (called the advowson) to the Bishop of Southwell. The church is part of the Diocese of Southwell and Nottingham.
Later, the Elton parish joined a group of other churches. This group is called the Wiverton group of parishes. It includes:
- St Michael and All Angels' Church, Elton on the Hill
- St Andrew's Church, Langar
- St Giles's Church, Cropwell Bishop
- All Saints' Church, Granby
- Holy Trinity Church, Tythby
- St John's Church, Colston Bassett
- St Mary's Church, Barnstone (this church is no longer used)
Since March 2017, these churches have formed a new, larger parish called Wiverton in the Vale. The church leaders for this group have included Rev. Colin Perkins, Rev. Andrew Wigram, Rev. Bronwen Gamble, and currently, Rev. Rachel Mitchell.
See also
- Listed buildings in Elton on the Hill
External source
- Southwell and Nottingham Church History Project Retrieved 5 January 2016.
