Description

BUCKLAND ST MARY CP
ST21SE
BUCKLAND ST MARY VILLAGE

Church of St Mary
5/36

4.2.58

GV II*

Parish church. 1853-63 on site of earlier church, tower restored 1966. Architect: Benjamin Ferrey, builder Henry Davis
of Taunton. Random rubble chert stone, Ham stone dressings, ashlar plinth, plain clay tile roofs, concrete double-Roman
tile roof to east range of south aisle, coped verges. South-west tower, 6-bay nave, 4-bay north and south aisles with
south chapel and north-east organ bay, chancel. Three-stage tower with parapet of quatrefoil panels with trefoil-heads
below, setback buttresses to south-west corner rising to continuous hoodmould of 2-light mullioned and transomed
bell-opening, upper portion louvred, lower with Somerset tracery, 4-light window with reticulated tracery on south
front, west door with ornately moulded architrave and hoodmould including ivy and acanthus leaf decoration, decorative
hinges to double doors, 2-stage bell-turret in south-east corner with pointed arch opening to buttresses doorway set
square into angle of turret; south front, one 2-light window left and 2 right of full height gabled porch with steeply
pitched roof and setback buttresses, moulded pointed arch opening with crocketed niche above containing statue of
Christ by Forsyth flanked by 2 empty round headed niches all resting on moulded string, step inscribed 'Prepare to meet
thy God', quadripartite stone vaulted ceiling carried on angel corbels with 2-light windows on returns, moulded arch
inner doorway and door with decorative hinges; buttress at junction with south chapel, door and 2-light windows south
and east fronts, set back buttresses to chancel with gargoyles and decorative cornice, 3-light south window, 5-light
east window, 3-light north window, 3-light to east wall of organ bay, 4-light north front projecting beyond line of
nave, three 2-light and one 3-light window set between buttresses, 2-light west window to aisle, lancet and 2-light
window to north front of nave, diagonally buttressed west end, 6-light window with flowing tracery. Interior: rendered
with stencilled and painted inscriptions below wallplate in nave, along extrados of arcade and elsewhere. Chancel faced
with moulded plaster tiles. Perpendicular style chancel arch with green marble columns and decorative capitals, low
wall with arcade and marbles columns closed by brass double gates; chamfered arch dying into imposts in organ bay with
4-bay stone screen; pointed tower arch. Roofs: chancel arch braced with angel corbels, decorative wall plate,
stencilled decoration on rafters, monopitch compartment ceiling to south chapel and to aisles, archbraced roof to organ
bay, nave with 6-bay hammerbeam roof with decorative corbels, crocketed niches containing statues of the 12 Apostles by
Earp.Tower groin vaulted roof carried on corbels with angels playing musical instruments. Chancel; reredos of alabaster
and purple marble depicting the Deposition by Forsyth, dated 1888 in memory of the Rev. E J Lance; Ninton tiles in
sanctuary, 3-seat sedilia of Ham stone and alabaster, brass altar rails, carved choir stalls. Striking memorial set
under north window in chancel to Madelina Louisa, died 1839, also by Forsyth. Trefoil-headed aumbry in chapel with 1:3
bay screen to chancel. Organ with stencilled pipes, built by Sweatland of Bath, rebuilt by Osmonds of Taunton 1972.
Pulpit of coloured marble with crocketed niches for figures. Brass lecturn and good brass scones. Octagonal font carved
with scenes of the Baptism, ornate cover and pulley presented by Henry Davis, the builder. Stained glass in all
windows, chancel windows thought to be by O'Connor, west window and tower window by Clayton and Ball, the former dated
1914, lady chapel window and one in north aisle by Kempe. The original load spire or fleche was removed in 1937, to the
detriment of the design, and the recent reroofing of part of the south aisle with concrete tiles is unfortunate. One of
the finest C19 church interiors in Somerset. (Photograph in NMR; Pevsner Buildings of England South and jest Somerset,
1958 Kelly's Directory l914; Colledge and Hind, 3uckland St Mary, Past and Present, 1974).

Listing NGR: ST2708313408

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Church of St Mary at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q17554620

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.

Recommended Books

• 
  The Listed Buildings and Other Principal Structures at the Royal Gunpowder Mills Waltham Abbey
• 
  Sussex: West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Bristol (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  Essex: Buildings of England Series (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair
• 
  Harrow on the Hill: A photographic portrayal of listed buildings and structures (Historic Buildings Picture Guides)