- Church of St Michael, Shepton Beauchamp
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Church of St Michael 
Location: Shepton Beauchamp, Somerset, England Coordinates: 50°57′01″N 2°50′57″W / 50.95028°N 2.84917°WCoordinates: 50°57′01″N 2°50′57″W / 50.95028°N 2.84917°W Built: 13th century Listed Building – Grade I Designated: 4 February 1958[1] Reference #: 428473 
Location of Church of St Michael in SomersetThe 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]
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
- List of Grade I listed buildings in South Somerset
- List of towers in Somerset
References
- ^ a b c "Church of St Michael". Images of England. http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/details/default.aspx?id=428473. Retrieved 26 January 2008.
- ^ 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. http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=117099#s5. Retrieved 6 November 2011.
- ^ Poyntz Wright, Peter (1981). The Parish Church Towers of Somerset, Their construction, craftsmanship and chronology 1350 - 1550. Avebury Publishing Company. ISBN 0861275020.
- ^ Dunning, Robert (1980). Somerset and Avon. Edinburgh: John Bartholomew & Son. pp. 125. ISBN 0702883808.
- ^ "The Old Rectory and Beauchamp Manor". Images of England. http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/details/default.aspx?id=428531. Retrieved 26 January 2008.
- ^ "St Michael's, Shepton Beauchamp". Church of England. http://www.achurchnearyou.com/shepton-beauchamp-st-michael/. Retrieved 6 November 2011.
Categories:- Church of England churches in Somerset
- 13th-century architecture
- Grade I listed churches
- Grade I listed buildings in Somerset
- South Somerset
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