Parish Church Of Holy Cross Parish Church Of St Mark

ST34NE, 9/117

MARK C.P., CHURCH STREET (South side), Parish Church of St Mark (or Holy Cross)

09.02.61

G.V.

I

Parish Church. C13, mainly C14 and C15, restored 1864. Coursed and squared rubble, slate and lead sheeting roofs, North aisle and porch with a pierced parapet with pinnacles. Perpendicular. Nave, chancel, North and South aisles, North and South chapels, West tower, North and South porches, the latter now a vestry. Three stage tower, set back buttresses, terminating in diagonal shafts with pinnacles; triple 2-light bell chamber windows to top stage, centre pierced, those flanking blank shafts with pinnacles to each side and between them; pierced parapet. West doorway, above it a 4-light window; crocketed niche to North side of second stage, two similar on East side; remainder of window openings of 2 and 3-lights, 5-light East window.

Two bay arcade to South aisle probably c1400, the piers of four shafts with fillets; chancel arch and south chapel arch also of this period. Later 6-bay North aisle, the arcade piers of 4 waves section, contemporary the arches from the chancel to the North and South chapels; stair turret to former rood loft in North aisle. Chancel with piscina and sedilia, probably C15, 4 squints. South door with Perpendicular tracery. Restored wagon roof to nave with bosses, corbels carved as heads, one as King Edward VII, another as Queen Alexandra. North aisle with panelled lean-to roof on corbels, carved as angels; 96 wooden panels, each carved, to North and South sides carved angels with spread wings. Plain roof to South aisle and chapel; C19 roofs to North chapel and the chancel. Wall monument of 1798 to Jane Gilling; 6 principal C19 wall monuments, by Tyley of Bristol, Lancaster and Walker of Bristol, and Pollard of Taunton. Painted medallion of 1754 over the North door. Two late C18 painted wooden plaques under the tower recording local charities. Richly furnished. Pulpit of c1634; Perpendicular rood screen, rebuilt 1634; elaborate C15 stone font, C17 cover; 4 figures of the Evangelists to chancel, carved in wood by Andre, c1574, lodged in Bruges Cathedral until 1794; C18 altar rail; brass chandelier of 1758; C17 altar table; royal arms above South door; 3 medieval pews and 2 medieval parish chests, table and 2 coffin stools of C17, 4 early C19 chairs in a Gothick style. C19 pews and choir stalls. some C19 stained glass, C15 glass in West window of North aisle. Some C18 wall panelling. Two terracotta lions outside North porch. (Pevsner, Buildings of England, South and West Somerset, 1958).

Listing NGR: ST3807847823