St Mary’s Church, Seavington St Mary

The Church of St Mary, in Seavington St Mary, Somerset is a former Anglican parish church.^[1] The parish was previously held as a chapelryChurch subordinate to a parish church serving an area known as a chapelry, for the convenience of those parishioners who would find it difficult to attend services at the parish church. of South Petherton by Bruton Abbey,^[2] and was granted burial rights in 1389.^[3] Following the Dissolution of the Monasteries (1535–1539) under King Henry VIII, rights over the chapelry were granted to the chapter of Bristol Cathedral,^[2] who leased them to members of the Poulett family.^[3]

The origins of the building date from the 13th century, but it was largely rebuilt during the late 15th or early 16th century, and restored in 1880–1882. It is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II* listed buildingStructure of particular architectural and/or historic interest deserving of special protection..^[1]

St Mary’s was declared redundant in 1983 and taken into the care of the Redundant Churches Fund, renamed the Churches Conservation Trust in 1984, but it remains consecrated and holds occasional church services.^[4]

Architecture

The church is constructed of roughly cut hamstoneGolden-brown sedimentary stone, from Ham Hill in Somerset. with ashlarMasonry of squared and finely cut or worked stone, commonly used for the facing of a building. dressings, with a Welsh slate roof. The south porchVestibule before the main entrance to a Christian church, less sacred than the church proper. has bench seats along its sides.^[3]

The 16th-century three-stage tower contains six bells, the two oldest dating from 1621 and made by George Purdue of Closworth. The remaining four bells were cast in 1906 by John Taylor’s Foundry in Loughborough, Leicestershire, one of them recast from an old – presumably damaged – Purdue bell.^[1][3]

Interior

The naveCentral part of a church, used by the laiety. has a 15th-century wagon roof, but the oldest feature of the interior is the 12th or 13th-century stone font. No trace remains of the gallery mentioned in 1781 and 1861 to house the choir and village band.^[4]