Church Of St Peter And St Paul

KILMERSDON CP CHURCH STREET (South side) ST65SE 11/158 Church of St. Peter and St. Paul 11.3.68 GV I

Anglican Parish Church. Of Norman origin, fabric substantially C15/C16; C19 restoration. Doulting ashlar, embattled lead sheeting and slate roofs. Nave, chancel, north aisle and north aisle chapel, C19 south organ loft and C19 vestry in place of a south porch, west tower. Perpendicular. Tower embattled and of 4 stages, corner buttresses with shafts and pinnacles, connected across the angle and ascending to large corner shafts, again pinnacles; traceried 3-light bell-chamber windows with a dense quatrefoil interlace; blank 2-light windows on the 2 lower stages, flanking niches for statuary, now missing: C19 three-light west window, though earlier label, carved heads as stops, west doorway, again with label with carved heads, door with moulded surround, studded plank doors:- "1766". Five bay buttressed north aisle and north aisle chapel, embattled parapet, gargoyles, pinnacles, 3-light windows; one incorporates a doorway, plank door with fine strap hinges, decorated boot scrapers; 4-light east window. Short chancel with 3-light east window - traces of Norman masonry. South side of nave with carved Norman corbel table and narrow semi-circular head window; 2 two-light clerestory windows. Organ loft incorporating further remains of corbel table. Vestry with 2-light window, bellcote. Interior plastered on flagstone and marble floors. C19 roofs; except C15 panelled lean-to to aisle with traces of painted decoration. Broad panelled chancel arch; lofty triple-panelled tower arch. Four-bay arcade to aisle, piers of 4-hollows moulding. Robust angels forming corbels to former roofs in nave and chancel. Restored Perpendicular stone screen between the aisle and chapel. Two niches with richly carved canopies to chapel. Good Perpendicular font. Six C15 pews to nave; in aisle a detached section of a further high quality medieval traceried pew. Altar table with carved caryatids. Pulpit with Jacobean work incorporated in a late C19 fabric. Foiled piscina. Good set of C19 pews, copies of remaining medieval pews; also C19 choir stalls and altar rail; iron grille separating nave and chancel 1878 by Singers of Frome. Organ of 1899. Five C18 wall monuments, 14 principal C19 monuments, by Bath and Bristol firms; some high quality C20 memorials; monument to vestry dated 1528. Fragments of Norman carving to chancel wall. Nine C19 stained glass windows; fragments of medieval glass in upper lights of chapel window. Studded plank door between nave and vestry. (Church Guide, undated; Atthill R., Mendip A New Study, 1976;).

Listing NGR: ST6959752427