St Thomas à Becket Church, Pensford facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Thomas à Beckett Church |
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| General information | |
| Town or city | Pensford |
| Country | England |
| Coordinates | 51°22′16″N 2°32′59″W / 51.371025°N 2.549796°W |
| Construction started | 14th century |
St Thomas à Becket Church in Pensford, Somerset, England, is a very old building. It was first built in the 14th century, which means it's over 600 years old! While most of the church was rebuilt later, its tall tower is still from those early days. This church has seen a lot of history, including a big flood that caused it to close for many years. Today, it has found a new life as a home.
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About St Thomas à Becket Church
This church is located in the village of Pensford. It was first used for services around the year 1341. Most of the church you see today was rebuilt much later, in 1868. It was officially opened again in 1869.
A Look Back in Time
The oldest part of the church is its west tower. This tower, along with its special arched ceiling called a tierceron vault, dates back to the 14th century. The main entrance, with its unique pointed arch, is from the 15th century. The stone font, used for baptisms, is also from around the same time. It has cool designs like quatrefoils (four-leaf shapes) and roses. The rest of the church was rebuilt in 1869 by an architect named Charles Edmund Giles.
Facing Challenges
In 1968, a big flood from the River Chew badly damaged the church. Because of this damage, the church could no longer be used. It stayed empty and unused for many years, until 2008.
The church is considered a very important historical building. It is listed as a Grade II* building on the National Heritage List for England. This means it's a building of special interest and importance. For a while, it was even on the "Buildings at Risk Register" because of the flood damage. The church was officially declared "redundant" (meaning it was no longer needed for church services) in 1971. The old tower is now looked after by the Churches Conservation Trust, a group that saves historic churches.
A New Chapter
In the 1980s, people tried to turn the church into an arts centre. However, they stopped this plan when they realized how much repair work was needed to make the building safe.
In 2007, the church was put up for sale. In 2008, it was bought by someone who wanted to fix it up and turn it into a private home. This amazing transformation was even shown on a BBC television show called Restoration Home. The show explored the church's long history and its journey to becoming a unique home.
See also
- List of churches preserved by the Churches Conservation Trust in South West England
- List of ecclesiastical parishes in the Diocese of Bath and Wells
