St Michael the Archangel, Llanyblodwel facts for kids
St Michael the Archangel is a very old and important church located in Llanyblodwel, a village in Shropshire, England. It's known as a Grade I listed building, which means it's a special historic place protected for its unique design. The church has a really unusual spire, and it was designed by the local vicar, John Parker, between 1847 and 1856.
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Meet John Parker, the Designer Vicar
The amazing St Michael the Archangel Church was designed and rebuilt by a vicar named John Parker. He was the vicar from 1845 to 1860. He worked on the church in different steps between 1847 and 1853, transforming it from an older medieval church. John Parker designed many parts of the church, including the entrances (called porches), the ceilings, the windows, and the decorative screen behind the altar (called a reredos).
He also designed the church's very unique steeple, which was added a bit later, between 1855 and 1856. This steeple stands almost separate from the main church building! Besides the church, Parker also designed two other important buildings nearby: the school house and the schoolmaster's house, which was once used as a post office.
Inside the Church
When you step inside St Michael the Archangel, you'll see a beautiful rood screen from the 15th century. This screen is carved with detailed designs of vines and animals. John Parker also covered the walls with large quotes from the Bible. At one point, the church even had a special "double-decker" pulpit, which is a tall stand where the preacher speaks.
The church also has memorials for important people. One is for Elias Owen (1833–1899), a Welsh historian and writer who wrote a book called "Welsh Folklore" in 1887. He was the vicar here from 1892 until he passed away. There are also memorials for the Tanat and Bridgeman families.
You can also find a beautiful First World War memorial inside. It's a stained glass window that shows a soldier giving his sword to Christ. Below the window, there's a brass plaque with more details.
The South Porch Mystery
In the church's south porch, there are two pieces of a gravestone from the 14th century. These fragments are attached to the inner wall. One piece shows a hare running, and there's also some old writing. Some historians think this might be connected to the legend of Melangell, a Welsh saint. The hare symbol is also seen at Pennant Melangell, another church that once received taxes from the nearby area of Bryn.
The Unique Steeple
The steeple of St Michael the Archangel is truly special. It was built after the main church and stands a little bit apart, connected by a short hallway. The tower part of the steeple has eight sides. The spire on top has a curved, dome-like shape, which is very unusual for a church spire. John Parker believed this curved shape would be stronger than the usual straight-sided spires.
The steeple is 104 feet tall in total. The tower itself is 57 feet, and the curved spire adds another 47 feet. The curve of the spire is part of a very large circle, with a radius of 247 feet! It's said that the tower's design was inspired by the famous Freiburg Minster in Germany.
Later Changes and Restoration
After John Parker's time, during the later Victorian period, some of his original decorations were covered up with paint. The double-decker pulpit was also removed.
However, in 1960, a restoration project began to bring back some of the church's original look. This work partly reversed the later Victorian changes, uncovering some of Parker's old decorations and restoring much of the rest.
The Churchyard
The churchyard, which is the area around the church, is a peaceful place. It contains the war graves of three British soldiers who died in World War I. Besides former vicars like John Parker and Elias Owen, the famous Victorian composer and conductor Henry David Leslie (1822-1896) is also buried here.
See also
- Grade I listed churches in Shropshire
- Listed buildings in Llanyblodwel
