St Michael and St Martin's Church, Eastleach Martin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Michael and St Martin's Church,Eastleach Martin |
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St Michael and St Martin's Church, Eastleach Martin
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| OS grid reference | SP 202 052 |
| Location | Eastleach Martin, Gloucestershire |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Anglican |
| Website | St Michael and St Martin's Church, Eastleach Martin [1] |
| History | |
| Founded | 12th century |
| Founder(s) | Richard Fitzpons |
| Architecture | |
| Functional status | Redundant |
| Heritage designation | Grade I |
| Designated | 5 February 1987 |
| Architectural type | Church |
| Style | Norman, Gothic |
| Specifications | |
| Materials | Limestone, stone slate roofs |
St Michael and St Martin's Church is a very old Anglican church in a village called Eastleach Martin, which is in Gloucestershire, England. It is looked after by a group called The Churches Conservation Trust. This church is considered a Grade I listed building, which means it's very important historically.
The church is located near the River Leach. This river actually separates Eastleach Martin from another village, Eastleach Turville. Interestingly, the Church of St Andrew in Eastleach Turville is only about 180 metres away from St Michael and St Martin's Church.
Contents
History of the Church
This church was first built in the 12th century by a person named Richard Fitzpons. His son later gave the church to Great Malvern Priory in the year 1120.
Over time, more parts were added to the church. The chancel, which is the area around the altar, was built in the 13th century. Then, in the 14th century, a transept was added. A transept is a part of the church that crosses the main part, making the building look like a cross from above.
In the early 1800s, a church leader named John Keble worked here. He later became an important member of the Oxford Movement, a religious group. There's a small stone bridge nearby called "Keble's Bridge" named after him.
The church was repaired and updated in 1880, a process often called a Victorian restoration. Its roof was replaced in 1886. The church stopped being used for regular services on 1 May 1981. It was then officially given to The Churches Conservation Trust on 24 November 1982, so they could take care of it.
What the Church Looks Like
The church is built from rough limestone rocks and has a roof made of stone tiles. It has a main area called a nave, a porch on the south side, and a transept on the north side. There's also the chancel and a tower at the west end.
Outside the Church
The main entrance on the south side has a doorway from the 12th century. It's built in the Norman style, which means it has a round arch. The porch itself was added later, in the 13th century. It has a pointed arch, a triangular top called a gable, and a sundial on top. Inside the porch, there's a small niche (a shallow alcove) with a special three-leaf shape called a trefoil head.
To the right of the porch, there's a window from the 13th century with two sections. On the north side of the nave, you can see where an old doorway was blocked up. There's also a blocked-up window higher up.
The church tower has two levels and a hipped roof, which slopes down on all sides. It has a tall weathervane on top. The tower has strong supports called buttresses at its corners. The west window of the tower is in the Perpendicular style, which is a later Gothic design. The bell openings in the upper part of the tower are small and square. There's also a small stair turret (a small tower) on the north side of the main tower.
The transept has a large window on its north side with five sections. It also has three-section windows on its east and west sides. All these windows have fancy stone patterns called tracery in the Decorated style. You can still see parts of an old bellcote (a small structure for a bell) on the gable at the east end of the nave.
Inside the Church
The east window of the chancel has three sections with Early English style tracery, which is an older Gothic design. Above this window, there's another small niche. The north and south walls of the chancel have tall, narrow windows called lancet windows.
The inside walls of the church are covered in limewash, which is a type of white paint. You'll find a piscina inside, which is a basin used for washing sacred vessels, with a trefoil-shaped head. There's also a six-sided wooden pulpit (where sermons are given) with Jacobean style panelling. The eight-sided stone font, used for baptisms, dates back to the 15th century. Some of the windows still have small pieces of medieval stained glass.
External Features
Outside the church, in the churchyard, there are two other old structures that are also listed as Grade II historic buildings. One is the base and part of the shaft of a cross from the 14th century. The other is a pair of old tombs from the early 1700s and early 1800s.
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