History for Children
And we have a whole series of fun facts on Parish Churches.
The Marvellous, Miraculous and Mildly Morbid
Lady Chapel
Imagine you're a medieval peasant with more problems than a maths book. What do you do? Run to the Lady Chapel and ask Mary for help!
"Oh Mary, please make my boils go away!"
"Mary, can you stop my cow from exploding?"
"Pretty please, Mary, can you make the king be nicer?"
These mini-churches inside churches were like a medieval suggestion box for the sky. And boy, did people have a lot to say!
Keep your eyes peeled for the letters 'BVM'. No, it doesn't mean "Beware: Vicious Monks"! It stands for "Blessed Virgin Mary". Though in some churches, both might be true! Remember, in Lady Chapels, blue is cooler than a penguin's nose, Mary is everyone's favourite problem-solver and you might just stumble upon a very old stone vicar. Happy exploring, history detectives!
Eleanor of Castile: A Horribly Royal Tale
Ready for a right royal romp through history? Let's talk Eleanor of Castile - a queen who got married when she was only thirteen.
Born to Rule (and Stink?)
Eleanor popped into the world in 1241 in sunny Spain. Born a princess, you'd think she had it easy, right? Wrong! Medieval castles were about as cozy as a dungeon with a view. No flush toilets, no showers and definitely no deodorant.
Married at 13 (Yes, You Read That Right!)
Imagine being told at thirteen that you're getting married... to a prince... from another country! Then not going to see him until you were twenty? That's what happened to Eleanor. In 1254, she was married. Then she sailed off to England to join Prince Edward seven years later when she was twenty. Talk about a long-dis- tance relationship!
From Princess to Queen
When Edward became King Edward I in 1272, Eleanor became Queen. But being queen wasn't all a princess’s tiaras and tea parties. Medieval food could be a real pain: - Meat that was more rot than roast - Bread was so hard it could chip a tooth - Ale (beer) for breakfast (yes, even for children!) But Eleanor didn't just sit around munching mouldy mutton. Oh no...
The Medieval Mogul
Eleanor was sharper than a wood-chopping axe when it came to business. She bought land, managed estates and was richer than a chocolate-covered gold coin. Some people weren't too happy about this. They spread nasty rumours faster than the plague which killed so many people.
Crusading Queen
While most medieval ladies stayed home embroidering and stuff, Eleanor went on a crusade with Edward. Imagine camping... but with more swords and fewer marsh-mallows. She even had a baby while on crusade. Talk about multi-tasking!
A Lovesick King's Crazy Quest
When Eleanor died in 1290, Edward was so upset he did something, well, a bit all lovey-dovey. He carted her body all the way from Lincoln to London, later building fancy crosses at every stop. That's twelve crosses! Talk about a long goodbye.
Geddington's Glory
One of these crosses still stands in Geddington. It's like a 700-year-old Valentine's card, but made of stone and with weird faces. So there you have it! Eleanor of Castile: a queen who dealt with smelly castles, dubious diets and a husband who couldn't let go. Who said history was boring?
Fun Facts
Click on the headings below for more information
- An aisle is a long passage on either side of the main part of a church (the nave).
- The word 'aisle' comes from the Latin 'ala', which means 'wing'.
- Aisles were often added to churches to make more room for growing congregations.
- In medieval times, aisles sometimes had small chapels at the end.
- The spaces between arches in the arcade are called 'bays'.
- Some churches have 'flying buttresses' outside the aisles.
- In olden days, people sometimes slept in church aisles when travelling.
- Some aisles have secret passages hidden underneath.
- An altar is a special table used for religious ceremonies, and a reredos is a decorated screen or wall behind the altar.
- The altar represents both a sacrificial table and the table of Jesus's last supper.
- The five crosses on some altars remind people of Jesus's five wounds.
- Reredoses sometimes have little spaces (called niches) with statues of saints.
- In the past, some churches used curtains as simple reredoses.
- Some altars are over 1000 years old.
- In the Middle Ages, people hid treasures inside hollow altars.
- Some reredoses can open up to show hidden paintings.
Aumbries are small cupboards, sedilia are stone seats for priests, and piscinas are special sinks in churches.
- Aumbries often had fancy locks to keep the holy items safe.
- Some sedilia have beautiful carvings above them.
- Churches often have three sedilia — for the priest, deacon, and sub-deacon.
- Some piscinas have two basins — one for washing hands and one for washing the sacred vessels used in communion.
Bell towers are tall structures that hold bells, which are rung for various reasons in churches.
- The oldest church bell in England is over 1000 years old.
- Bell ringers use special patterns called 'changes' to ring the bells.
- Some churches have a 'carillon' — many small bells played with a keyboard.
- The heaviest church bell in England weighs as much as 30 cars.
- Bell ringers can play tunes that last for hours without repeating.
- In the past, people thought church bells could scare away storms and evil spirits.
A chancel is the area around the altar, usually at the east end of a church.
- The word 'chancel' comes from Latin 'cancelli', which means grating or lattice.
- Since 1215, churches were told to have screens to separate the chancel from the nave.
- The screen helped keep the special religious bits separate from the noisy everyday activities in the nave.
- Sometimes the floor of the chancel is higher than the nave to show it's an important area.
- Some chancels have secret rooms underneath called crypts.
- Chancels can make your voice sound amazing.
Choir stalls are special seats in churches for the choir and clergy during services.
- Some medieval choir stalls have 'misericords'. These are small shelves that fold down to provide a ledge. Standing choir members lean on them during long services.
- Choir stalls often have intricate carvings, sometimes with funny or strange designs.
- In some churches, the choir stalls are arranged in a U-shape around three sides of the chancel.
- Some choir stalls have secret compartments where choirboys used to hide snacks.
- The carvings on misericords often show funny scenes.
- In medieval times, some church choirs included animals trained to 'sing' along.
Church history covers the stories and events related to churches from ancient times to today.
- Some village churches are older than the Tower of London.
- During World War II, some churches were used as secret military bases.
- The oldest church door still in use is over 900 years old.
- Some churches have hidden rooms called priests' holes where priests used to hide.
- In some old churches, there are marks on the walls where knights sharpened their swords before battle
A church organ is a large musical instrument used to play music during services.
- Some organs have thousands of pipes.
- The longest organ pipe in the world is 19.5 meters (64 feet) long.
- Organs can make sounds like many different instruments.
- The organ is one of the oldest musical instruments, first used over 2000 years ago in Ancient Greece.
A churchyard is the land around a church, often used as a burial ground, with gravestones marking graves.
- Some gravestones have special symbols that tell us about the person buried there.
- Yew trees in churchyards are often very old and were thought to protect the church from evil.
- Graves usually face east because Christians believe Jesus will return from the east.
- Churchyards are often good places for wildlife to live.
- People used to have markets and fairs in churchyards.
- Some churchyards have rare plants that don't grow anywhere else.
Effigies are sculptures of people lying down, often found on tombs in churches.
- Knights' effigies often show them in full armour, sometimes with their feet resting on a dog (a symbol of loyalty).
- Ladies' effigies might show detailed carving of their dresses and jewellery.
- Some effigies have their hands joined in prayer.
- Some effigies were painted in bright colours when they were new.
A font is a special basin used to hold holy water for baptisms in churches.
The word 'font' comes from the Latin word for 'fountain'.
Some fonts are very old — even 1000 years old.
Fonts can be different shapes — round, square, or even star-shaped.
Since 1236, fonts had to have lockable lids to protect the holy water.
In medieval times, people sometimes stole holy water from fonts because they thought it had magical powers.
A Lady Chapel is a special area in a church dedicated to Mary, the mother of Jesus.
- 'Lady' is an old way of showing respect to Mary.
- Some Lady Chapels have blue decorations because blue is Mary's special colour.
- Lady Chapels were often the most decorated part of a church.
- In medieval times, people would pray to Mary to ask for her help.
- Some Lady Chapels have special star-shaped windows to represent Mary as the "Star of the Sea".
A lectern is a stand used to hold large Bibles or other religious books for reading during church services.
- The eagle is a symbol of St. John the Evangelist.
- It represents the Word of God being taken to the whole world's four corners.
- In medieval times, lecterns held chained books. This was to prevent theft.
- Some lecterns can rotate, allowing different books to be read from the same stand.
- The sloped top of a lectern helps the reader see the text more easily.
- Some lecterns are made from parts of old ships.
- Some lecterns have secret compartments for hiding valuable books
Medieval wall paintings are very old pictures on church walls that told Bible stories to people who could not read.
- Some paintings were covered up during the Reformation and only found centuries later.
- Artists used natural materials like eggs and plants to make their paints.
- Wall paintings often showed scenes of heaven and hell to teach people how to be good.
- Some wall paintings use crushed jewels for colour.
- Churches are still finding new wall paintings hidden under old paint.
- Some medieval wall paintings include jokes and funny scenes hidden among the religious images.
Memorials are special markers in churches that remember people who have died.
- Some floor memorials are so old that the writing has worn away from people walking on them.
- Wall plaques often tell us interesting things about the person's life.
- Memorial windows often have symbols that tell us about the person.
The nave is the main part of a church, where most people sit during services.
- The word 'nave' comes from the Latin 'navis', meaning 'ship' — some think the roof looks like an upside-down boat.
- In old times, the nave wasn't just for praying. People used it for meetings, plays, and even storing weapons.
- The nave's upkeep used to be the responsibility of the local people, not the priest.
- Some naves were used for 'trial by ordeal' — a way of deciding if someone was guilty of a crime long ago.
- The longest church nave in England is longer than a football pitch.
- The tall ceilings make singing sound amazing.
A pulpit is a raised platform in a church where the priest or minister preaches sermons.
- The word 'pulpit' comes from the Latin word 'pulpitum', meaning a platform or stage.
- Pulpits became common in churches after the Reformation. Preaching became more important then.
- Some pulpits have an hour-glass attached to time the sermon.
- In some churches, there are two pulpits — one for reading the Bible, and one for preaching.
- Some pulpits have special 'sound boards' on top.
- The highest pulpit in England is so tall it needs its own staircase.
- Some pulpits have hidden trapdoors in the floor
A screen is a barrier in a church that separates different areas, often ornately decorated.
- The word 'rood' means 'cross' in old English.
- Many rood screens had a large cross (the Great Rood) on top with Jesus, Mary, and St. John.
- Some screens had a walkway on top called a rood loft, where people could sing or read to the congregation.
- After the Reformation, many beautiful screens were taken down or damaged.
- Screens sometimes have tiny hidden faces carved into them.
- Some screens have secret hiding places for valuable things.
A stained-glass window is a window made of coloured glass pieces that form pictures, often telling Bible stories.
- The colours in stained-glass come from adding different metals to the glass when it is made.
- Some stained-glass windows tell stories. Can you 'read' the story in the window?
- In the Middle Ages, stained-glass windows helped teach Bible stories to people who could not read.
- Some windows change colour depending on the time of day.
- During World War II, many stained-glass windows were hidden to protect them from bombs
Stone carvings in churches often include gargoyles and grotesques, which are decorative stone creatures and faces.
- The word 'gargoyle' comes from a French word that means 'throat'.
- People thought gargoyles scared away evil spirits from churches.
- Not all scary statues are gargoyles. If they do not spit water, they are called 'grotesques'.
- Gargoyles help protect the building by directing rainwater away from the walls.
- Some gargoyles make whistling noises when it rains.
- Some grotesques are actually faces of real people who helped build the church.