The Gate Piers And Gates, About 22 Metres North North West Of The Church, And All Of The Boundary Walls And Other Gateways, Church Of Saint Mary

The gate piers and gates, located about 22 metres north-northwest of the Church of Saint Mary, along with all the boundary walls and other gateways, are mostly from the 18th and 19th centuries. They are constructed from local and Doulting stone, featuring cast iron gates. The north boundary wall stands approximately 2.5 metres high, made of coursed rubble topped with pitched coping stones. Near the gates, there is a plaque that records flood levels. The central gate piers are square and made of ashlar, topped with pyramidal caps that support 20th-century wrought iron lights. A fine pair of cast iron gates in Gothic style complements these features. In the northwest corner, there are similar gate piers with an ashlar sweep wall leading to the Vicarage, which has 20th-century wooden gates. The west wall averages 2 metres high, with stepped pitched coping and rubble, incorporating some old tombstones. The south wall features vertical stone copings on rubble, also with tombstones set in. Opposite the east wall of the chancel is a four-centred arched gateway, which may have served as a private entrance for the Berkeley family, former owners of the Abbey. To the left of this gateway is a fragment of a chest tomb belonging to Thomas Hill, who died in 1637. The east wall is also made of rubble and is somewhat lower in height. The north and east walls are significant features in the street scene, while the south and west walls delineate the boundary between the churchyard and the site of Bruton Abbey, which was demolished in 1786.