Sutton Mallet Church facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sutton Mallet Church |
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| Location | Sutton Mallet, Stawell, Somerset, England |
| Built | 1827-1829 |
| Architect | Richard Carver |
| Architectural style(s) | Georgian |
| Governing body | Churches Conservation Trust |
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Listed Building – Grade II
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| Official name: Sutton Mallet Church | |
| Designated | 29 March 1963 |
| Reference no. | 1174207 |
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Sutton Mallet Church is a special old building in the village of Sutton Mallet, England. It was built a long time ago, between 1827 and 1829. What makes it even more interesting is that it uses parts from an even older church that stood on the same spot in the 1400s! This church is so important that it's officially protected as a Grade II listed building.
Contents
A Landmark on the Levels
The village of Sutton Mallet is located in a flat, open area called the Somerset Levels. It sits right at the bottom of the Polden Hills. The original church, which was built in the Middle Ages, was a very important landmark. People crossing the wide, open moorland could easily spot it.
Why the Church Was Rebuilt
Over many years, the old church started to fall apart. Reports from the 1500s and 1600s mentioned that the building was in bad shape. By the 1700s and 1800s, church services were only held there sometimes. Because of this, a decision was made to build a new church.
Building the Current Church
The church you see today was built by an architect named Richard Carver from Taunton. He started building it in 1827, and it was finished in 1829. The new church was built right next to the old tower, which was kept.
Old Parts in a New Design
Even though the new church was built in a Georgian style, which was popular at the time, some parts from the much older church were reused. For example, a beautiful window from the Middle Ages was put into the small, rounded end of the church called an apse. Also, the altar rails, which are fences around the altar, were from the 1600s and were used again in the new building.
The Church Tower and Bells
The church tower has a Gothic design. Inside, it holds two old bells from the 1600s. One bell was made in 1607 by R. Purdue, and the other was made in 1657 by Robert Austen.
Keeping the Tower Strong
When the church was rebuilt, the tower wasn't connected strongly enough to the rest of the building. This caused problems over time. By 2008, special long, strong steel rods, about 6 meters (20 feet) long, had to be put into the tower. These rods help to hold the tower together and stop it from getting worse.
Sutton Mallet Church Today
Today, Sutton Mallet Church is no longer used for regular church services. It is now looked after by the Churches Conservation Trust. This organization helps to protect and care for old churches that are no longer in use. The church officially became part of the Trust's care on November 1, 1987.
See also
