St Michael and All Angels Church, Kerry facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Michael and All Angels, Kerry |
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St Michael and All Angels, Kerry
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| Location | Kerry, Powys |
| Country | Wales |
| Denomination | Church in Wales |
| History | |
| Founded | Probably 7th century |
| Founder(s) | Possibly Cadwgan |
| Dedication | St Michael |
| Consecrated | 7th century AD |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Active |
| Heritage designation | Grade I |
| Designated | 3 October 1953 |
| Architect(s) | G.E. Street |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Medieval and Victorian |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Llanymynech Limestone with Grinshill dressing used in restoration |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Kerry |
| Archdeaconry | Montgomery |
| Diocese | St Asaph |
St Michael's Church is a very old church in the village of Kerry, in Powys, Wales. It's thought that there might have been a church on this spot as early as the 600s! The church was rebuilt and given a new dedication in 1176.
Some parts of the church, like the north aisle, are from the original building. The church has a cool square stone tower with a special wooden top, which is common in this area. Most of the church you see today was rebuilt between 1882 and 1883 by a famous architect named George Edmund Street. A generous person named James Walton paid for this big project.
Contents
A Look Back: Early History
Historians believe that Kerry might have been an important Welsh church centre in the 600s or 700s. It was part of the Diocese of St Davids for a long time.
A Famous Argument in 1176
In 1176, something interesting happened at the church. There was a big argument between Gerald of Wales, who was an Archdeacon, and the Bishop of St Asaph. The bishop wanted to take control of the church for his own area. Gerald of Wales wrote all about this event. There's even a special plaque from 1818 on the church wall that tells the story!
When the church was rededicated in 1176, it was likely named after St Michael. This makes people wonder what it was called before. An old bell in the church has an inscription that might give a clue. The church built in 1176 was made of stone. It was quite a large and important building for its time, with aisles on both sides.
Church Design and Features
Ancient Arches: Norman Arcades
One of the most interesting parts of St Michael's Church is its four Norman arcades. These are rows of arches supported by round columns. They are probably from the church that Gerald of Wales rededicated in 1176.
During the church's restoration in 1883, workers found parts of similar columns in the south wall. This suggests that the 12th-century church had aisles on both the north and south sides, much like St Cadfan's church in Tywyn.
Roofs: Old and New
The nave (the main part of the church) and the aisles have beautiful roofs from the 1400s. The nave roof has strong wooden beams that help support it. A very large beam was added in the early 1500s, possibly when the wooden bell-tower was put on top of the stone tower. The decorative patterns on the roof's wind-braces were likely added during the Victorian restoration.
The Bell-Tower: A Wooden Top
Kerry Church has a stone tower with a special wooden top, which is a common style for churches in this part of Wales and England. The tower has extra supports called buttresses to help hold the weight of the bells.
Scientists have used a method called dendrochronology (tree-ring dating) to find out when the wooden parts of the tower were built. They discovered that the wood for the bell chamber was cut in the winter of 1525/26. The wood for the clock chamber ceiling was cut in the winter of 1567/68. The stone part of the tower is probably from the 1200s, but the bell section was changed twice in the 1500s. The tower holds three bells.
The Chancel: A Place for the Altar
The chancel is the part of the church where the altar is located. Its wagon roof was replaced in 1883. It has many closely spaced wooden arches. The section right above the altar has a restored medieval canopy with beautiful carved details. The decorative bosses (carved ornaments) have recently been re-gilded, meaning they were covered in a thin layer of gold again.
Restoration and Furnishings
In 1849, the church's control moved from the Diocese of St Davids to the diocese of St Asaph. By 1853, a report said the church was in bad shape and should be torn down, but only small repairs were made to the tower.
An old drawing shows what the inside of Kerry Church looked like before the big restoration in 1883. It shows old-fashioned box pews (enclosed seats) and a gallery at the back of the church. Many of the memorials you see on the walls today were in different places back then.
The pulpit (where sermons are given) is Victorian, but it includes some pieces from a 15th-century screen. The chancel screen and the lectern (a stand for reading) were added during the 1883 restoration. The beautiful stained-glass window at the east end, showing the Resurrection, was made in 1871 by Charles Eamer Kempe.
The church has many interesting memorials on its walls. These include tributes to people like Margaretta Herbert, Harriet Lang, and John Herbert, often featuring figures, books, or mourning women. There's also a slab for Reverend John Catlyn from 1717 with an angel carved into it. A very detailed and expensive memorial honors Richard Jones, who died in 1788. He was a Royal Navy Purser who started the Black Hall School and gave a lot of money to the church. His memorial shows two children reading and writing, next to a marble tomb with a bust of Jones on top.
Churchyard
The churchyard, the area around the church, is also home to the war graves of four British soldiers who died in World War I.
Gallery
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See also
