Church of St Mary, North Petherton

The Church of St Mary in North Petherton, Somerset, England dates from the 15th century and has been designated as a grade I listed building.[1] It is on the Heritage at Risk Register due to the condition of the roof and north aisle parapet.[2]

Church of St Mary
Location within Somerset
General information
Town or cityNorth Petherton
CountryEngland
Coordinates51.0922°N 3.0148°W / 51.0922; -3.0148
Completed15th century

There was a church in North Petherton before the Norman Conquest and the site belonged to Buckland Priory from the 12th century.[3] The current building dates from the expansion of the town around 1490,[4] although it does contain some fabric from the 13th century.[3]

The minster church has a highly decorated tower which, at 120 feet (37 m) high, was described by Nickolaus Pevsner as one of the finest towers in the county.[1] The tower was built around 1508.[5] It contains a peal of six bells, and a clock built in Bridgwater in 1807.[1] On the stonework are hunky punks in the shape of animals.[6]

The interior has a minstrel gallery from 1623,[1] a carved wooden pulpit from the 15th century, and a brass chandelier which was added in 1984.[7]

The parish is part of the Alfred Jewel benefice within the Sedgemoor deanery.[8]

See also

References
  1. "Church of St. Mary". historicengland.org.uk. Retrieved 19 November 2007.
  2. "Church of St Mary, Fore Street, North Petherton — Sedgemoor". Heritage at Risk. English Heritage. Archived from the original on 20 October 2013. Retrieved 14 October 2013.
  3. Gathercole, Clare. "An archeological assessment of North Petherton" (PDF). English Heritage Extensive Urban Survey. Somerset County Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 August 2011. Retrieved 31 October 2011.
  4. Gathercole, Clare. "North Petherton". Somerset Urban Archaeological Surveys. Somerset County Council. Archived from the original on 25 October 2012. Retrieved 31 October 2011.
  5. Poyntz Wright, Peter (1981). The Parish Church Towers of Somerset, Their construction, craftsmanship and chronology 1350 - 1550. Avebury Publishing Company. ISBN 0-86127-502-0.
  6. Wright, Peter Poyntz (2004). Hunky Punks: A Study in Somerset Stone Carving (2 ed.). Heart of Albion Press. pp. 124–135. ISBN 978-1872883755.
  7. R W Dunning, C R Elrington (Editors), A P Baggs, M C Siraut (1992). "North Petherton: Churches". A History of the County of Somerset: Volume 6: Andersfield, Cannington, and North Petherton Hundreds (Bridgwater and neighbouring parishes). Institute of Historical Research. Retrieved 31 October 2011.CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  8. "St Mary the Virgin, North Petherton". Church of England. Retrieved 31 October 2011.
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