Church of St Mary the Virgin, East Stoke explained

Church of St Mary the Virgin
Coordinates:50.9519°N -2.7353°W
Location:East Stoke, Stoke-sub-Hamdon, Somerset, England
Built:12th century
Designation1:Grade I Listed Building
Designation1 Date:19 April 1961
Designation1 Number:1260420

The Church of St Mary the Virgin at East Stoke in Stoke-sub-Hamdon, Somerset, England dates from the 12th century. It has been designated as a Grade I listed building.[1] It was previously dedicated to Saint Denis.[2]

Much of the church, including the nave and chancel with their stone carving are Norman, the structure being supported by pilaster buttresses.[2] The north transept was added about 1225 and the south transept about 1300.[3]

The church has a tower with six bells. It shows various medieval carving including abstract corbels, an astrological tympanum, and St Michael slaying the dragon. Two of the carvings are thought to be Sheela na Gigs.[4] The upper part of the tower was built in the 13th century with the parapet being added in the 15th.[2]

The church was restored in 1862,[5] by Benjamin Ferrey.[6]

The parish is within the benefice of Stoke-sub-Hamdon, which is part of the Wells archdeaconry.[7]

Two of the Grade II* listed 17th-century monuments in the churchyard have suffered from subsidence and as a result rising damp has caused salt crystallisation which is affecting the inscriptions. As a result, they have been added to the Heritage at Risk Register.[8]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Church of St Mary the Virgin . historicengland.org.uk. English Heritage. 2008-10-16.
  2. Web site: Parishes: Stoke sub Hamdon . R. W. Dunning (editor), A. P. Baggs, R. J. E. Bush, Margaret Tomlinson . Institute of Historical Research . 1974 . A History of the County of Somerset: Volume 3 . 28 October 2012 .
  3. Web site: The Church Building. St Mary Stoke. 28 October 2012.
  4. Web site: The Stoke sub Hamdon Figure . 2007-11-11 . Sheela Na Gig Project . 2009-03-23 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090323071632/http://www.sheelanagig.org/index.html#http://www.sheelanagig.org/SheelaStokeSubHamdon.htm . dead .
  5. Web site: Stoke sub Hamdon St Mary the Virgin. Dawson Heritage. 28 October 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20160304060805/http://www.dawsonheritage.co.uk/somerset_churches/church.asp?ChooseChurch=Stoke%20sub%20Hamdon%20St%20Mary%20the%20Virgin. 4 March 2016. dead.
  6. Web site: Church of St Mary the Virgin, East Stoke (South side), Stoke sub Hamdon. Somerset Historic Environment Record. Somerset County Council. 28 October 2012.
  7. Web site: St Mary's, Stoke-sub-Hamdon. Church of England. 28 October 2012.
  8. Web site: Two monuments in churchyard, approx 6 and 8 metres south of south transept, St Mary the Virgin, East Stoke, Stoke Sub Hamdon - South Somerset. Heritage at Risk. English Heritage. 19 October 2013. https://web.archive.org/web/20131022175020/http://risk.english-heritage.org.uk/register.aspx?id=49863. 22 October 2013. dead.

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