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St Mary, Charlynch, Somerset

Location
(51°8′3″N, 3°5′25″W)
Charlynch
ST 238 378
pre-1974 traditional (England and Wales) Somerset
now Somerset
  • Robin Downes
25 June 2004, 2 Feb 2005

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Description

Charlynch is in N central Somerset, between the Quantocks and Bridgwater 4 miles to the E. It just about qualifies as a hamlet, consisting of the church and a couple of houses nearby on a minor road. The benefice was united with Spaxton in 1957, and in 1981 Charlynch church closed and the benefice was further united with Enmore and Goathurst. Charlynch church is now deconsecrated and in private hands.

It consists of a nave with a S porch and a transeptal S chapel; a chancel with vestry and organ chamber and a W tower, probably of 1867 and restored in 1887. The S doorway, chancel arch responds and font are 12thc work. Of these, the font has been removed to a private address which cannot be supplied, and is thus described here; the doorway is in-situ and described below, and the chancel arch responds are presumably still inside but were not accessible. They were seen by Pevsner and EH, whose comments are given below.

History

Alwig Banneson held both Charlynch and Currypool before the Conquest, and in 1086 both were held by Roger de Courcelles. By 1166 both were in the hands of Hugh Vautort, and they remained in this family until some time in the 14thc. The manor was generally known as Currypool, and the lords of the manor held the advowson of the church in the 13thc and 14thc. For more information, see VCH.

Features

Exterior Features

Doorways

Interior Features

Arches

Chancel arch/Apse arches

Furnishings

Fonts

Comments/Opinions

The chancel arch was described by Pevsner as “Norman… at least in its responds. The double-chamfered arch which does not quite fit probably belongs to the C13,” and the list description agrees that the responds are Norman and the arch itself is 13thc.

The S doorway is described by Pevsner as Norman but over-restored in 1886, and the font as Norman, circular and fluted. The Diocesan Office believed the font to be at Nether Stowey church, but it is not.

Bibliography

English Heritage Listed Building 269403

N. Pevsner, The Buildings of England: South and West Somerset. Harmondsworth 1958, 119 (under Charlinch).

Somerset County Council, Historic Environment Record 13673.

Victoria County History: Somerset, VI (1992), 91-97. As Charlinch.