Church Of St Peter And St Paul

Church of St Peter and St Paul

This is a parish church with a complex building history spanning from the 13th century to the 20th century. The lower stage of the tower dates to the 13th century, with the upper portion completed in the 14th century. The chancel and chapel were built in 1536. In 1827-8 the nave was enlarged by one bay beyond the South aisle, and the arcade of the latter was removed. The West end was rebuilt, a mid-20th century West gallery was added, West end windows were renewed, and a lateral stack with boilerhouse was added to the South front. Early 19th century work was undertaken by Richard Carver.

The exterior walls are largely roughcast on the West and South fronts, with blue lias and red sandstone random rubble with some brick on the other elevations. Ham stone is used for dressings. The roof to the chancel is covered in asbestos slate, whilst other roofs are Welsh slate with coped verges.

The plan consists of a North tower, a two-bay North-East chapel, chancel, South-East chapel, a long two-bay nave three bays wide, a West porch, and a North-West vestry.

The tower is four stages high with a crenellated top. The square base is broached to an octagon on the upper three stages. It features string courses, two-light bell openings with Somerset tracery, and a lancet. The North doorway has a pointed arch with continuous double chamfer. To the right is a single-storey diagonal-buttressed vestry. A reset 13th century two-light West window is visible, with external stairs leading to the West gallery door.

The gabled West front has diagonal buttresses and a lancet in the gable end. A four-light Tudor-headed window is flanked by similar two-light windows. The single-storey three-bay porch features pointed arch openings. The inner door on the left is 19th century with a Tudor arched head and chamfering; the right doorway is a reset moulded four-centred arch with a ribbed and studded door, possibly 18th century.

The South front is significantly altered by a tall 20th century roughcast stack with a single-storey brick boilerhouse. Two three-light windows are present, with a sundial between them. The South front of the chapel has a three-light cinquefoil-headed mullioned window and a diagonal buttress. The South chapel features a three-light East window and a diagonal buttress to the chancel. The 12-light cinquefoil-headed South window and three-light East window of the chancel are notable. A blue lias tablet commemorating Mary, wife of the Reverend Farmham Haskell (died 1770), is set into this wall. The North chapel has a three-light East window, with three and two-light cinquefoil-headed mullioned windows on the North front.

The interior is rendered. The long two-bay nave has no arcades. Perpendicular arches connect the South chapel and chancel, with chancel arch and arch between South chapel and nave dying into imposts. Two arches to the North chapel feature angel capitals. The tower arch is blocked; entry is via the vestry door with a blocked two-centred arch above, possibly indicating an earlier gallery entry. The nave has a plastered cambered roof. Ribbed wagon roofs with bosses cover the chapels. The chancel has a restored ribbed wagon roof with bosses and wall-plate.

An aumbry is located in the North chapel. Four pieces of carved stone are set against the East Wall, one reportedly dated, possibly from a demolished arcade. A two-light clerestory window, made from the rood loft opening in the North wall, is visible. A 20th century panelled oak West gallery with square columns supports a Royal Coat of Arms.

The church contains a fine collection of 16th century bench ends, with six set against the wall in the North chapel. The majority of seating comprises early 19th century box pews.

Notable monuments include an impressive alabaster monument in the chancel to George Farewell (died 1616), featuring a reclining figure with his wife below in bas-relief, flanked by five daughters and three sons, with traces of colour remaining. The niche head is segmentally formed but split. Two good 17th century wall tablets are reset on the South wall of the nave: one to George Farwell (died 1647) and another to his daughter Mary Brune, with a pendant niche containing three children stacked one on top of the other. The pulpit is composed of reset panelling, probably constructed in the early 19th century.

The chancel walls are in poor condition due to subsidence, the chancel having been constructed without foundations. Until 1885 the parish was considerably larger, and this was the most fashionable church in Taunton during the first half of the 19th century.