St Mary's Church, Luccombe Explained

Church of St Mary
Location Town:Luccombe
Location Country:England
Completion Date:c 1450
Map Type:Somerset
Coordinates:51.1894°N -3.5593°W

The parish Church of St Mary in Luccombe, Somerset, England has a chancel dating from about 1300, with the nave and tower being added around 1450. It has been designated as a Grade I listed building.[1]

It was built by John Maris of Stogursey.[2] The chancel is the earliest part of the church dating from around 1300.[3] In 1530 the aisle was added, and in 1752-1756 a gallery added which was removed in 1840 when the church was further restored and the vestry added.[1]

Architecture

The parish church of St Mary had its origins in around 1300 when the chancel was built. The nave and tower date from around 1450, and the aisle was added in about 1530. A gallery was installed between 1752 and 1756, but this was removed when the church was restored in 1840, at which time the vestry was added. The building is constructed of roughcast stone, except for the vestry which is squared red sandstone, and the tower which is random rubble red sandstone. The roofs are slated. The plan consists of a four-bay nave and a four-bay south aisle, a chancel, a northeast vestry, a north porch and a west tower. The tower is built in three stages and topped with crenellations. It has gargoyles and string courses, but no buttresses. The tower houses a ring of six bells of which five were cast in 1759. The interior of the church is whitewashed with a barrel-vaulted roof, and a Perpendicular-style pointed tower arch.[4] The interior includes a Jacobean pulpit and chair and a medieval rood screen.[5]

The Anglican parish is part of the benefice of Porlock and Porlock Weir with Stoke Pero, Selworthy and Luccombe within the archdeaconry of Taunton.[6]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Church of St Mary. historicengland.org.uk. English Heritage. 24 January 2009.
  2. Web site: Luccombe churches. Exmoor National Park. 10 April 2009. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20081121202922/http://www.exmoor-nationalpark.gov.uk/index/learning_about/living_in_communities/churches/luccombe-churches.htm. 21 November 2008.
  3. Web site: Luccombe Churches . Exmoor National Park . 30 October 2012 . dead . https://archive.today/20121223143820/http://exstage97.peak1.titaninternet.co.uk/index/learning_about/living_in_communities/churches/luccombe-churches.htm . 23 December 2012 .
  4. Web site: Church of St Mary, Luccombe . British Listed Buildings . 31 August 2016.
  5. Web site: Luccombe. Everything Exmoor . 30 October 2012.
  6. Web site: The Blessed Virgin Mary, Luccombe . Church of England . 30 October 2012.