St Nicholas's Church, Tresco facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Nicholas' Church, Tresco |
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Tresco Church
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| 49°57′28″N 06°20′06″W / 49.95778°N 6.33500°W | |
| OS grid reference | SV 892 154 |
| Location | Tresco, Isles of Scilly |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Broad Church |
| Website | https://www.ioschurches.co.uk/ |
| History | |
| Dedication | Saint Nicholas |
| Consecrated | 16 July 1882 |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade II listed |
| Architect(s) | Mr Cutts and Thomas Dorrien-Smith |
| Groundbreaking | 12 September 1877 |
| Completed | 17 June 1879 |
| Specifications | |
| Capacity | 250 persons |
| Length | 81 feet (25 m) |
| Width | 48 feet (15 m) |
| Nave width | 22 feet (6.7 m) |
| Administration | |
| Parish | Tresco |
| Deanery | Powder |
| Diocese | Truro |
| Province | Canterbury |
St Nicholas's Church, Tresco is a special church on the island of Tresco in the Isles of Scilly, England. It is part of the Church of England. This church is a parish church, which means it serves the local community on the island.
Contents
History of St Nicholas' Church
How the Church Started
Before the current church was built, two old cottages were used as a place of worship. A group called the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge (SPCK) used these cottages.
Augustus Smith helped by providing money to change the building. He made it shaped like a cross. People say that a special gallery inside the church was made from wood. This wood came from a ship that crashed near St Helen's island. This change made the church big enough for 200 people.
Building the New Church
The first stone for the new St Nicholas' Church was laid on September 12, 1877. This was done by Edith Dorrien-Smith. A very important person, Lady Sophia Tower, gave a lot of money to help build it.
The church officially opened for services on June 17, 1879. The first Bishop of Truro, Edward White Benson, opened it. It was then made sacred (consecrated) on July 16, 1882. There was a small delay because of a "legal difficulty."
The church is named after Saint Nicholas. This is the same name as the old Tresco Abbey, which was a medieval monastery. You can still see parts of the old abbey in the Tresco Abbey Gardens. The new churchyard, which is the burial ground around the church, included the old one. It was planted with many beautiful plants like aloes and flowering trees.
Special Features Inside the Church
The church has a beautiful three-panelled reredos. A reredos is a decorated screen or wall behind the altar. This one is made of red serpentine stone. It has a marble cross, a aureola (a halo of light), and other holy symbols. It was put in place in May 1879.
The font, which is a basin used for baptism, is also made of serpentine stone. It sits on small granite columns. Both the reredos and the font were made by a company called Messrs Bradbury in Penzance. The designs for the reredos were created by Charles Eamer Kempe.
Church Organ
The church has a pipe organ that was built in 1886. It was made by a builder named Eustace Ingram. You can find all the details about this organ in a special record called the National Pipe Organ Register.
Churches in the Isles of Scilly
St Nicholas's Church is part of a group of churches on the Isles of Scilly. This group is called the United Benefice of the Isles of Scilly parishes. It includes:
- All Saints' Church, Bryher
- St Agnes' Church, St Agnes
- St Martin's Church, St Martin's
- St Mary's Church, St Mary's
- St Mary's Old Church, St Mary's
Images for kids
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The sanctuary, which is the holy part of the church around the altar.
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The church organ, used to play music during services.
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The war memorial, remembering those who served.
