Church Of Saint Vincent

ST52SE CHILTON CANTELO CP

ASHINGTON 4/1 Church of Saint Vincent 19.4.61 - I

Church. C13 and later. Local stone mixed with Han stone, roughly squared and coursed; Han stone dressings; plain clay tile roof with bands of fish scale tiles between coped gables having cross finials to the chancel and South porch. Two-cell church with added South porch, nave and chancel each of 2 wide bays; Western bell turret. Chancel has a triple lancet East window, with string course only under this window, and a pair of cusped lancets with square labels in both North and South walls; a simple plinth and clasping corner buttresses. Nave has offset buttresses to each bay, with a larger projection housing the rood loft stair on the North-east corner; aid C15 traceried pointed arch windows to North and South walls; between them on the North a small triangular arched doorway with old door; and opposite the South porch, apparently a C19 rebuild, protecting an early, probably C15, door set in a C15 archway, complete with separate sanctuary ring and a partly defaced latin inscription; above and to the left an ogee arched statue niche. High on the East nave gable a niche with cusped pointed arch with a calvary sculpture of which the top is missing: the originally unbuttressed West wall has a large central stepped buttress to support a lantern shaped bell turret with crocketted pinnacled roof. Inside, the chancel largely a C19 refurbishment, with cinquefoil rere-arch to East window and trefoil rere-arches to remainder; the chancel arch a rural C15 type. The nave has a blocked early C13 lancet window in the West wall: the glazing incorporates some later medieval fragments and there is early internal ferracenta, c.f. Ashington Manor, (qv). The North private, manor, door blocked inside - nearby the triangular headed roof loft doorway and flat headed opening above. C19 roof and tiled floor. Fittings include early C17 box pews and pulpit with tester and readers desk, also early C17; simple octagonal font with coving under bowl on octagonal shaft; memorial plaque or North chancel Wall to Sir John St. Barbe died 1723, with scrolls, urn and supporting achievement of Arms. (Francis Goulding, Ashington, Chilton Cantelo, Mudford - The Story of Three Somerset Parishes, 1982).

Listing NGR: ST5611021412