Church of St Mary the Virgin, Westonzoyland

The Church of St Mary the Virgin in Westonzoyland, Somerset, England dates from the 13th century and has been designated as a Grade I listed building.[1]

Church of St Mary the Virgin
Location within Somerset
General information
Town or cityWestonzoyland
CountryEngland
Coordinates51.1087°N 2.9264°W / 51.1087; -2.9264
Completed13th century

St Mary’s Parish Church, with its 15th-century carved timber roof, has a link with two conflicts. It served as a prison for around 500 troops after the Battle of Sedgemoor.[2]

From 1508 the vicar was Hugh Inge who went on to hold the offices of Bishop of Meath, Archbishop of Dublin and Lord Chancellor of Ireland.[3]

The four-stage tower, which dates from around 1470,[4] has an embattled parapet with quatrefoil arcading, and set-back buttresses which terminate in pinnacles on the bell-chamber stage.[1] There are six bells in the tower.[5] On the corners of the tower are hunky punks representing dragons.[6]

Restoration during the 1930s of the roof was funded by public subscription and carried out by W. D. Caroe.[3]

The church contains a corner dedicated to local airmen who lost their lives in 1918 and 1919 and post World War II in the early 1950s. The current clergyman is the Reverend Christopher Keys. The parish is part of the benefice of WestonZoyland with Chedzoy within the Diocese of Bath and Wells.[7]

See also

References
  1. "Church of St Mary the Virgin, Westonzoyland". historicengland.org.uk. Retrieved 5 March 2008.
  2. Foard, Glen (2003). "Sedgemoor Battle" (PDF). Battlefields Trust. Retrieved 6 August 2008.
  3. Dunning, Robert (1996). Fifty Somerset Churches. Somerset Books. pp. 59–62. ISBN 978-0861833092.
  4. 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.
  5. "St Mary's Church, Westonzoyland". Zoyland heritage. Archived from the original on 2 April 2012. Retrieved 18 September 2011.
  6. Wright, Peter Poyntz (2004). Hunky Punks: A Study in Somerset Stone Carving (2 ed.). Heart of Albion Press. pp. 22–28. ISBN 978-1872883755.
  7. "The Blessed Virgin Mary, Westonzoyland". A Church Near You. Church of England. Retrieved 11 February 2016.
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