Description

ST4412 MERRIOTT CP CHURCH STREET (North side)

9/109 Church of All Saints
4.2.58

GV II*

Anglican parish church. C13, modified late C15/early C16, major restoration including extension of nave, new chancel
and chapels by Benjamin Ferrey in 1860. Ham stone ashlar, but C19 work cut and squared with dressings; plain clay tiled
roofs with bands of scallop tiles between high coped gables with cross finials. Six-cell plan of 2-bay chancel and side
aisles, 4-bay nave with side aisles, with west tower and south porch. Chancel and side chapels have plinths, offset
corner and bay buttresses. Chancel east window a 3-light in Geometric tracery with plain lable, quatrefoil vent over.
The aisle east windows 2-light to satch with headstop labels. South wall of south chancel aisle has a trefoil-arched
doorway with label and imposts in east bay and a 2-light plate tracery window to west. North chancel aisle has 2
matching plate tracery windows. Nave not visible separately, apart from roof. North aisle has plinth, string course
with gargoyles and battlemented parapet, bay and offset corner buttresses. North aisle windows are 3-light
Perpendicular tracery set in hollowed pointed arched recesses without labels; no west window. South aisle similar, but
with matching projecting porch to bay 3, having shaft and hollow-moulded pointed outer arch with canopied statue niche
over: simple moulded inner arch with cinquefoil cusped statue niche and square stone panel over. Tower possibly Cl3,
but modified in C15: plinth, string course to top with corner gargoyles and low plain parapet, tapered sides; pairs of
corner buttresses to half-height. C15 deeply moulded pointed arched west doorway with carved spandrils under square
label. Immediately over a 3-light Perpendicular-traceried window in deep hollowed recess with plain almost
semi-circular label. Above a single and a pair of rectangular slit windows, with pairs of similar slit windows on north
and east sides. On south side, set centrally on wall, an octagonal plain stair turret with battlemented top, taller
than rest of tower, having an outer door and a clockface. To right at high level a plain lancet window with perforated
stone baffles. Interior essentially C15 and C19. Chancel has timber rib-and-panel ceiling, with quatrefoil banding at
all level on east wall. Finely detailed C13 style arcades to side chapels with 4 detached shafts to each column.
Trefoil-arched and gabled piscina, and small stoup in south chapel. North chapel serves as organ chamber and vestry.
Chancel arch probably C19, but in C13 style, with plain side arches. Nave has C19 traceried panelled quaenpost roof
trusses, with rib and panels between, and also to aisle roofs. C15 hollow-and-shaft arcading. Wide tcwer arch in C13
style. No particular features in aisles. Mid C20 gallery and screen to under-tower space. Church liturgically
re-ordered, c1980, with chancel cleared of C19 fittings. Nave altar. C19. Pulpit now set in north aisles, C19 font in
south aisle. C19 pews and nave choir stalls. At back of nave the base of an older font. A carved stone cross fragment,
set on cill of chancel east window. Memorials include cartouche commemorating Patrick Roche, died 1712, by Parfore de
Tetbury, Gloucestershire; pedimented and bracketted plaque to Revd. Edward Whitley, died 1775, and plainer plaque to
John Whitley, died 1750, all in north aisle; bracketted and pedimented plaques to Robert England died 1742, to Mary
Rodbard, died 1733 and another Mary Rodbard, died 1745, all in south aisle. First recorded rector in 1297. Tower used
as model for church at Queen's Cross, Glasgow, by Charles Rennie Mackintosh (Pevsner N, Buildings of England, South and
West Somerset, 1958; VCH Somerset, Vol IV, 1978).

Listing NGR: ST4427212844

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Church of All Saints at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q17554040

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

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  Kent: North East and East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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