St Mildred's Church, Canterbury facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of Saint Mildred |
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| Church of St. Mildred with St. Mary de Castro | |
St. Mildred's Church seen from the south
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| 51°16′36″N 1°4′27″E / 51.27667°N 1.07417°E | |
| Location | Canterbury, Kent |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Previous denomination | Catholic |
| Tradition | Anglo-Catholic |
| History | |
| Consecrated | Before 1066 |
| Administration | |
| Diocese | Canterbury |
| Province | Canterbury |
The Church of Saint Mildred is a very old stone church in Canterbury, England. It was built a long, long time ago, probably in the 11th century. Some parts of it are even older, from the Anglo-Saxon period before 1066. This church is special because it's the only church from before the Norman Conquest that is still standing inside Canterbury's old city walls. Since 1949, it has been a Grade I listed building, which means it's a very important historical site.
A Look Back in Time
It's not known exactly when the Church of Saint Mildred was first built. However, two of its walls in the main part of the church (the nave) are from the Anglo-Saxon period. This means they are over 950 years old! People also believe that the front part of the church (the chancel) is Anglo-Saxon too.
How Old Is It Really?
The church might have been built around the middle of the 11th century. This was when the bones of Saint Mildred, who died in 768, were moved. Her relics were taken from Canterbury Cathedral to St Augustine's Abbey. It's thought the church was built around the same time her relics were moved.
Changes Over the Centuries
The Church of Saint Mildred has a main hall (nave) with five sections and a chancel with two sections. Most of the nave and the smaller chapels were built between the 13th century and 1512. The church was also greatly repaired and updated in 1861.
For a long time, the church belonged to St Augustine's Abbey. But in 1538, the abbey was closed down by the king. Since then, the Church of Saint Mildred has belonged to the Crown, which means it's owned by the monarch of England.
The Church Today
Today, the Church of Saint Mildred is part of a group of churches called the Benefice of St Dunstan, St Mildred and St Peter, Canterbury. This group is part of the larger Diocese of Canterbury. The church follows the Anglo-Catholic tradition within the Church of England. This means it has a style of worship that is similar in some ways to older Catholic traditions.
