Church Of St. Peter

Church of St Peter

Parish church originally dating from the 15th century, with the tower built in the early 16th century and the south aisle added in the early to mid 16th century. The church underwent major restoration in 1846. A north aisle was added in 1866, reusing the north wall windows, and a vestry and organ chamber were added in 1873. The chancel was redecorated in the 20th century.

The church is constructed from squared and coursed red sandstone with Ham stone dressings, featuring a dado string and concrete tiles with a slate roof to the chancel and coped verges. The building comprises a three-bay aisled nave, south chapel, south porch, north-east organ chamber with vestry, west tower and chancel.

The west tower is the dominant feature, rising in three stages with a crenellated parapet and set-back buttresses. The bell openings are two-light with Somerset tracery, and the tower displays a clock face and string course. The west window is three-light with a moulded Tudor arch to the doorway below, fitted with a 19th-century door. The south-east of the tower contains a crenellated stair turret.

The south aisle features a quatrefoil pierced parapet with crocketed finials. The south porch is single-storey and gabled, with a quatrefoil pierced parapet, renewed crocketed finials, gargoyles and an early 20th-century statue niche in Art Nouveau style containing a cross. The porch entrance has a pointed arch with moulded details and colonettes, diagonal buttresses, and a compartment ceiling. A one three-light window stands to the left of the porch.

The chancel has a 3-light east window, 2-light windows on the north side, and a 2-light window in the south wall. The chancel is diagonally buttressed and contains a 3-light window to the organ chamber, with a tall chimney serving as a clasping buttress. The north aisle has diagonal buttresses and contains 4 and 3-light windows with a buttress between them and a 2-light window at the west end.

Interior

The interior features rendered walls. The three-bay arcade displays Perpendicular styling with stylized leaf-band capitals in the original south aisle, including a capital carved with needle and thread details. A similar arch occurs between the chapel and chancel. A 19th-century beam separates the south aisle and chapel, while a 19th-century Perpendicular-style chancel arch is visible, with remains of earlier arch imposts showing beneath. The tower arch has chamfered 4-centred details, and a 19th-century panelled arch opens to the organ bay from the north aisle. A piscina stands in the south-east corner of the chapel, and a holy water stoup is positioned beside the entrance.

The chancel roof is a renewed ceiled barrel vault with bosses. The nave roof consists of a plastered ribbed barrel vault with bosses, wall plate and ceilure at the chancel end. The north aisle has a 19th-century ribbed barrel vault with bosses and wall plate, whilst the south aisle has a similar roof with angels.

The Perpendicular font rests on an ornately carved base and dates possibly from the mid 16th century. An organ by Foster and Andrews of Hull was installed in 1875.

The church contains a significant collection of 19th-century stained glass. The east window of the south aisle commemorates John de Haviland, who died in 1852. De Haviland emigrated to America where he became a renowned prison architect, introducing the concept of radiating prisons. An earlier slate slab commemorates another John Haviland, who died in 1736.

The nave contains several notable monuments and memorials. A slate tablet with good lettering commemorates William Crofts, vicar, who died in 1675. An oval marble tablet by T King of Bath features mourning figures by an urn and commemorates William Parry Wade of Bindon House, who died in 1806. A white marble tablet on slate by Pollard of Taunton records Robert Gardiner of Wellisford House, who died in 1842. A finely carved aedicule monument with open pediment, coat of arms and putti commemorates William Bacon, who died in 1663.

Historical Context

In 1509, John Peryn of Wellington left three farthings towards the building of the tower. The north aisle was added at the expense of Henry Wade of Bindon House for his family's usage. Until 1863 Langford Budville was a chapelry of Milverton, and in 1930 Runnington was united with the benefice.