Church Of St Mary

ST1629 BISHOP'S LYDEARD CP CHURCH STREET (West side)

10/15 Church of St Mary

25.2.55

GV I

Parish Church. Some late C14 work, mainly late C15, chancel and North aisle rebuilt, latter extended one bay and vestry added 1860-62 by Jeboult of Taunton. Coursed and squared Lydeard red sandstone, random rubble chancel, Ham stone dressings, moulded plinth, slate roofs with coped verges, nave decorative ridge tiles, C19 patterned slate roof on chancel. Four bay nave, transepts, chancel, 4 bay North and South aisles, South porch, West tower. The church is noted for its fine tower with pierced tracery battlements, pinnacles, set back buttresses terminating in pinnacles at the bell-storey, pinnacles also on the buttresses at each stage. Two 3-light double tier bell openings with Somerset tracery and corbelled pinnacles on all faces, third stage single 2-light window with Somerset tracery, small window below at second stage, 5-light two tier window above West door, 4 centred arched opening with square surround and decorative spandrels - C19 renewed in Ham stone. Stair turret in North-east corner. All windows 3-light perpendicular. North aisle crenellated with gable incorporated at West end but rising behind crenellated parapet at East end, gargoyles and rood stair turret. North aisle without crenellations mid C19. South porch crenellated to East but filled out to form parapet at West end, pediment over entrance that contains remains of scratch clock. Perpendicular piers flanking moulding arched entrance, wagon roof and 4 centred arched doorway with C15 door with strap hinges transversing the width of the door. Interior: standard Perpendicular arcades, lower on North aisle, perhaps late C14 while taller South aisle contemporary with tower circa 1470, C15 wagon roof South aisle; exposed ribs and trusses of C15 wagon roof nave, ceiled above rood screen, painted and gilded; C19 scissor truss roof with arch braces on corbels in North aisle, ceiled wagon roof chancel C19. Painted baldacchino and painted decoration on jambs of chancel window, Ninian Comper, 1925. Fine early C16 rood screen with fan vaulting and tracery arcades, C19 painting and gilding, rood cross above by Comper l948. Jacobean pulpit on mid C19 stone stand. C15 octagonal font, restored mid Cl9 late C15 - early C16 bench ends. Collection of C18 wall tablets. Brass Nicholas Grebham, died 1598, Eleanor his wife, with their family. A fine tower and good collection of fittings. (SANHS Vols 44 and 54, 1898 and 1908; Lloyd Hughes Owens, The Church of St Mary the Virgin Bishops Lydeard, not dated; photographs in NMR).

Listing NGR: ST1679429762