Church of All Saints, Aisholt explained

All Saints Church
Coordinates:	51.1131°N -3.1514°W
Location:	Aisholt, Somerset, England
Built:	14th century
Designation1:	Grade II* listed building
Designation1 Offname:	Church of All Saints
Designation1 Date:	29 March 1963
Designation1 Number:	1178112

All Saints Church in Aisholt, Somerset, England, is the Anglican parish church for the ancient parish of Aisholt, now part of the Quantock Villages Benefice in the Diocese of Bath and Wells,^[1] and lying in the Civil Parish of Spaxton.^[2] It is a Grade II* listed building.

History

The earliest part of the existing building is the irregular and asymmetrical chancel arch which dates from the 14th century. The remainder of the building appears to be 15th century with later alterations and some slight 'restoration' in the 1890s.^[3]

Architecture

The stone building has a slate roof. It consists of a nave, chancel with a vestry and a south aisle with a porch. The two-stage west tower is supported by diagonal buttresses.

Some features of the building are:

• A squint or piercing in the masonry to allow the altar to be viewed from the South aisle.^[4]
• A 17th century hatchment or Coat of Arms painted on the wall above the Door.
• A medieval parish chest cut from a single log.^[5]
• A piscina in the chancel
• A 15th century octagonal font

Notable people

The diarist William Holland acted as curate in the church in the late 18th and early 19th century.

Notable people who have worshipped in Aisholt church include :

• The poet Henry Newbolt who owned The Old Schoolhouse at the bottom of the valley.^{[6] [7]}
• A plaque in the church commemorates the educationalist Olive Willis.^[8]
• Poet and librettist Anne Ridler who was a pupil of Olive Willis at Downe House.^[9]
• Theologian, poet, novelist, occultist and Inkling Charles Williams.

Trivia

The Church appeared in a Coleridge-themed pop video for Swing out Sister.^[10]

See also

• List of ecclesiastical parishes in the Diocese of Bath and Wells

Notes and References

1. Web site: All Saints, Aisholt. A Church Near You. Church of England. 15 September 2017.
2. Web site: Welcome. All Saints Church Aisholt. 25 October 2014.
3. Web site: Aisholt: Church . R. W.. Dunning. C. R.. Elrington. A. P. . Baggs. M. C. . Siraut . Institute of Historical Research . 1992 . A History of the County of Somerset: Volume 6: Andersfield, Cannington, and North Petherton Hundreds (Bridgwater and neighbouring parishes) . 18 July 2013 .
4. Book: Wade . G. W. . Wade . J. H. . Somerset . 1926 . . 500472869. 32.
5. Web site: Aisholt. Quantock Online. 16 September 2017.
6. Web site: Aisholt. Quantock Hills. 16 September 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171031001248/http://www.quantockhills.com/education/Qpedia/Topics/Place/People/Places/Aisholt/index.html. 31 October 2017. dead.
7. Web site: Aisholt. Thankful Villages. 16 September 2017.
8. Web site: Aisholt Parish Magazine. Aisholt. 16 September 2017.
9. Book: Ridler, Anne. Memoirs. 2004. Perpetua Press. Oxford. 9781870882187.
10. Web site: Coleridge 80s Music Vid. The Coleridge Way Companion. 16 September 2017.