St Mary, West Chinnock
St Mary, West Chinnock
St Mary's is a Grade II parish church on Higher Street in West Chinnock, Somerset, in the Diocese of Bath and Wells: a late-Victorian rebuild of 1889-90 by Charles Kirk on a site with thirteenth-century origins, now in the Ham Hill Churches Benefice.
- Location
- West Chinnock, Somerset
- Country
- England
- County
- Somerset
- City / town
- West Chinnock
- Address
- Higher Street, West Chinnock, Somerset, TA18 7QA
- Postcode
- TA18 7QA
- Built
- C13 origins; rebuilt 1889-90 after the earlier church burned
- Architect
- Charles Kirk
- Denomination
- Church of England
- Dedication
- Mary
- Diocese
- Bath and Wells
- Parish
- West and Middle Chinnock
- Grade
- II
- Style
- Early English and Decorated Gothic Revival
- Materials
- Ham stone ashlar and dressings; Welsh slates between coped gables
- Grid reference
- ST 467 134
- Opening hours
- The church is open every day, typically between 9am and 4pm.
- Access
- Accessible toilets in church. Level access to the main areas. Ramp or level access available on request
Overview
Historic England lists the Church of Saint Mary (list entry 1057129, designated 19 April 1961). The listing records thirteenth-century origins but a total rebuild in the late nineteenth century, in Ham stone ashlar and dressings with Welsh slates between coped gables. The plan is a two-bay chancel, three-bay nave and aisles, and a west tower. The tower is in thirteenth-century style, the remainder in fourteenth-century style. The two-stage tower has a round-arched west doorway, a simple lancet, paired lancets and a pitched roof between coped gables with a small central spirelet. Internally the church is wholly nineteenth-century in character, with no apparent survivals from the earlier church except a hatchment board dated 1825.
The listing notes that the first recorded rector was John de Kirkeby in 1293, and that the probable date of rebuilding was between 1880 and 1890, apparently after the old church was burnt down. Wikipedia, citing the listing, names Charles Kirk as architect and gives the completion date as 1890. The church forms part of the Ham Hill Churches Benefice.