Church Of St Mary

The Church of St Mary is a parish church with origins in the late 14th century, largely rebuilt in the late 15th century. The chancel and the north aisle were rebuilt and the latter extended, with a vestry added in 1860-62, by Jeboult of Taunton. The church is constructed of coursed and squared Lydeard red sandstone, with a random rubble chancel, Ham stone dressings, a moulded plinth, and slate roofs with coped verges. Decorative ridge tiles adorn the nave, and a patterned slate roof covers the chancel. The church comprises a four-bay nave, transepts, a chancel, a four-bay north and south aisle, a south porch, and a west tower.

The west tower is a prominent feature, distinguished by pierced tracery battlements, pinnacles, and set-back buttresses terminating in pinnacles at the bell-storey. Buttresses also have pinnacles at each stage. The tower features two three-light double-tier bell openings with Somerset tracery and corbelled pinnacles on all faces. A third-stage single two-light window incorporates Somerset tracery. A small window is located below at the second stage, and a five-light two-tier window sits above the west door. The arched opening of the west door has a square surround and decorative spandrels, renewed in the 19th century using Ham stone. A stair turret is situated in the north-east corner. All other windows are of three-light perpendicular design.

The north aisle has crenellations with a gable incorporated at the west end, rising behind a crenellated parapet at the east end. It features gargoyles and a rood stair turret. The north aisle lost its crenellations in the mid-19th century. The south porch is crenellated to the east but filled in to form a parapet at the west end, above which is a pediment containing remnants of a scratch clock. Perpendicular piers flank a moulded arched entrance, leading to a wagon roof and a four-centred arched doorway with a 15th-century door fitted with strap hinges.

Inside, standard perpendicular arcades are present, with a lower arcade in the north aisle, possibly dating to the late 14th century, and a taller arcade contemporary with the tower around 1470. The south aisle has a 15th-century wagon roof; exposed ribs and trusses are visible in the nave’s wagon roof, which is ceiled above a rood screen. The north aisle features a 19th-century scissor truss roof with arch braces on corbels and a ceiled wagon roof in the chancel. A painted baldacchino and painted decoration on the chancel window jambs were added by Ninian Comper in 1925. A fine early 16th-century rood screen features fan vaulting and tracery arcades, with 19th-century painting and gilding. A rood cross sits above the screen, designed by Comper in 1948. A Jacobean pulpit stands on a mid-19th-century stone stand. The octagonal font is of 15th to 16th-century origin, restored in the mid-19th century, and features late 15th to early 16th-century bench ends. Several 18th-century wall tablets are also present, alongside a brass depicting Nicholas Grebham, who died in 1598, his wife Eleanor, and their family. The tower is considered fine, and the church holds a good collection of fittings.