Church Of St John The Baptist

ST0042 CARHAMPTON CP CARHAMPTON VILLAGE

15/5 Church of St John the Baptist

22.5.69 GV I

Parish church. Perpendicular, extensively restored, north wall rebuilt 1862-3, tower rebuilt 1868-70 and vestry added. Lias and red sandstone random rubble, tower squared and coursed red sandstone, chancel blue lias, slate roofs, coped verges. Chancel and 4-bay nave without division, 6-bay south aisle, north east vestry, west tower, south porch. Three-stage crenellated tower with crocketed pinnacles, diagonal buttresses, 3-light louvred bell openings, stringcourses, lancet, 3-light west window, stair turret north east corner with octagonal crocketed roof; 3-light window to west end of aisle, diagonal buttress, 3-light windows flanking single storey gabled porch with diagonal stepped buttresses, lancet on right return, pointed arch opening chamfered in 2 orders, C19 inner door, stepped buttress with 3-light window beyond, east end 2 tier 3-light window, east end of chancel 4-light window, 2-light window to vestry possibly reset, door on north front, nave with two 3-light windows between buttresses. Interior rendered. No chancel arch, C19 tower arch chamfered in 3 orders. Nave and chancel restored arch braced roof with gilded and painted bosses, south aisle wallplate and open wagon roof with bosses. 6-bay standard Perpendicular arcade. Rood loft stair with opening. Handsome 10-bay late C15 fan vaulted screen, painted and gilded with 5 carved friezes to cornice. Early-mid C18 pulpit with raised and fielded panels, Late C19 square font, eariler font moved to Church of St Bartholomew, Rodhuish (qv). Medieval chest. Brass plaque with fine lettering to Richard Escott died 1755 signed C Sherborn, Gutter Lane, London. Marble aedicule to Sara Trevelyan of Knowle, died 1667. Bells: first and second dated 1868, third 1612, fith and sixth 1684. The road used to run past the porch which may account for the poor condition of the chest tombs (qv) in churchyard. (Photograph in NMR; Pevsner, Buildings of England South and West Somerset, 1958).

Listing NGR: ST0093142660