Church Of St Andrew

HOLCOMBE CP ST65SE - 5/123 Church of St. Andrew 2.6.61 GV II*

Anglican Church. Late Saxon-early Norman establishment, rebuilt C16, C18 internal fittings; some C19 restoration. Random and coursed rubble, some ashlar, some stucco, slate roofs with moulded freestone ridges. Perpendicular with Norman work and neo Norman mannerisms. Nave, south porch, chancel, west tower. Slender 2-stage tower with an ashlar parapet, corner pinnacles, squat stair turret on lower stage to north; small 2- light bell-chamber openings with ashlar grilles, small 2-light west window. Two-bay nave, square head 2-light windows, iron saddle-bars and stanchions, buttresses to East. Gabled porch with a re-used Norman doorway/chancel arch, semi-circular head with chevron moulding, 2 different scallop capitals on three quarter spiral-ornamented shafts. Forming part of one capital is a stone with an inverted incised inscription, postulated of Saxon origin; set over the arch a C16 figure of an angel. Further chevron ornament of C16 on gable face, apex with a base for a finial; kneelers in neo-Norman style. Short chancel with small square headed 2-light east window, leaded lights, label with decayed heads as stops, east buttresses. Interior of porch plastered, benched, flagstone floor floor. Ribbed and studded inner door, probably C16. Plastered interior on flagstone floors; plastered wagon roof to nave; C19 chancel roof. Jacobean pulpit; C18 box pews; C18 western gallery and coat pegs. Royal arms dated 1726. C19 choir stalls, altar rails and altar table. Decalogue plaques dated 1817. Nine C18/C19 wall monuments by local firms. Two early bells. A lonely site surrounded by the remains of a deserted medieval village, coach house at rear or The Old Rectory the only other early surviving building (qv). Members of the Scott family, including explorer's mother buried in the churchyard. (Reid R.D., Some Buildings of Mendip, 1979).

Listing NGR: ST6688050734