Church of St Michael, Shepton Beauchamp

The Church of St Michael in Shepton Beauchamp, Somerset, England is built of local hamstone, and has 13th-century origins, although it has been extensively changed since then, with major renovation in 1865 by George Edmund Street. It has been designated as a Grade I listed building.[1]

Church of St Michael
LocationShepton Beauchamp, Somerset, England
Coordinates50°57′01″N 2°50′57″W / 50.95028°N 2.84917°W / 50.95028; -2.84917
Built13th century
Listed Building – Grade I
Designated4 February 1958[1]
Reference no.428473
Church of St Michael, Shepton Beauchamp is located in Somerset
Church of St Michael, Shepton Beauchamp
Location of Church of St Michael in Somerset

The building is of lias and Ham stone and is made up of a chancel with a north chapel and a vestry, a nave and tall three-stage west tower,[2] dating from 1477,[3] which was largely rebuilt in the 16th century.[2] It has set-back buttresses ascending to the shafts of former pinnacles, set off with an embattled parapet and gargoyles. There are two-light traceried bell-chamber windows with stone grilles, continuing as blank openings on the ringing chamber below. There are clocks with Roman numerals to the west and south faces and a higher polygonal stair-turret to the north corner.[1] The tower holds eight bells several of which date back to 1738 and were made by the Bilbie family.[2]

The former rectory, now called Beauchamp Manor, was built in 1874 for the rector V.S.S. Coles to house his curates and visitors.[4][5]

The parish is part of the Winsmoor benefice within the Crewkerne and Ilminster deanery.[6]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "Church of St Michael". historicengland.org.uk. Retrieved 26 January 2008.
  2. ^ a b c R.W. Dunning (editor), A.P. Baggs, R.J.E. Bush (1978). "Parishes: Shepton Beauchamp". A History of the County of Somerset: Volume 4. Institute of Historical Research. Retrieved 6 November 2011. {{cite web}}: |author= has generic name (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  3. ^ Poyntz Wright, Peter (1981). The Parish Church Towers of Somerset, Their construction, craftsmanship and chronology 1350 - 1550. Avebury Publishing Company. ISBN 0-86127-502-0.
  4. ^ Dunning, Robert (1980). Somerset and Avon. Edinburgh: John Bartholomew & Son. p. 125. ISBN 0-7028-8380-8.
  5. ^ "The Old Rectory and Beauchamp Manor". historicengland.org.uk. Retrieved 26 January 2008.
  6. ^ "St Michael's, Shepton Beauchamp". Church of England. Retrieved 6 November 2011.