- Church of St John the Baptist, Midsomer Norton
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Church of St John the Baptist 
Location: Midsomer Norton, Somerset, England Coordinates: 51°17′09″N 2°29′07″W / 51.28583°N 2.48528°WCoordinates: 51°17′09″N 2°29′07″W / 51.28583°N 2.48528°W Listed Building – Grade II* Official name: Church of St John the Baptist Designated: 19 May 1950[1] Reference #: 31927 
Location of Church of St John the Baptist in SomersetThe Anglican Church of St John the Baptist in Midsomer Norton, Somerset, England is a Grade II* listed building.[1] St. John's is part of the Diocese of Bath and Wells.[2]
The exact date of the building of the church is unknown, but was probably around 1150. The church was under the patronage of Merton Priory in London until the dissolution of the monasteries, but the origin of this link is unknown. A deed of surrender was signed by the prior John Ramsay in 1539 after which Henry VIII bestowed Norton on his Royal Foundation at Oxford.[3] The patronage was passed to Christ Church, Oxford.[4]
The Midsomer Norton Knight is a 13th or 14th century tomb effigy carving which may be the figure of one of the Gourney or Warknell family.[5] The wooden effigy used to sit on the top of a tomb which was demolished in the 18th century. It was moved into the vicarage garden and used to represent Judas, becoming known as the Jack o’ Lent. In 1975 the effigy was rediscovered and moved to the Bristol City Museum and Art Gallery for conservation.[6]
The font is Norman and the east window includes stained glass by Charles Eamer Kempe which was installed in 1889.[7]
The tower dates from the 15th century, although the upper stages are from 1674, including the staue of Charles II,[8] but the rest was rebuilt in Gothic style by John Pinch the younger in 1830-1831 and was extended in the 20th century with new chancel and lady chapel.[1] The rest of the church was also rebuilt around 1483 and was part funded by Sir John Cheddar. By the beginning of the 19th century the church had fallen into a state of disrepair and major rebuilding and expansion work was carried out under the direction of the bath architect John Pinch,[3] at a cost of £2,829.[9]
The churchyard includes a memorial to the 12 miners killed in 1839 at Wellsway pit in Westfield when their rope was severed.[10]
Since 2009 a major programme of restoration has been undertaken. The chancel has been given a new floor and the alter and choir stalls have been moved. Glass doors were constructed in the Lady Chapel and a new glass screen erected at the front of the St Barnabas Chapel.[11] Some controversy arose when it was revealed that proposals to attach a 21 feet (6.4 m) mobile phone mast on the tower were under consideration to help fund the restoration work.[12]
References
- ^ a b c "Church of St John the Baptist". Images of England. http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/details/default.aspx?id=31927. Retrieved 2006-12-10.
- ^ "Benefice of Midsomer Norton with Clandown (no church)". Diocese of Bath and Wells. http://www.bathandwells.org.uk/index.cfm?fuseaction=about.parish&parishid=26489. Retrieved 15 March 2010.
- ^ a b Robinson, W.J. (1915). West Country Churches. Bristol: Bristol Times and Mirror Ltd. pp. 48–53.
- ^ "St John the Baptist, Midsomer Norton". A church near you. http://www.achurchnearyou.com/midsomer-norton-st-john-the-baptist/. Retrieved 15 March 2010.
- ^ Patient Parry, J '[The Midsomer Norton Knight]'. Unpublished MA thesis, University of Reading, Graduate Centre for Medieval Studies.
- ^ "Midsomer Norton Knight". Midsomer Norton Society. http://www.midsomernortonsociety.co.uk/Projects%20Knight.htm. Retrieved 27 November 2010.
- ^ Pevsner, Nikolaus (1958). North Somerset and Bristol. Harmondsworth: Penguin. pp. 228–229.
- ^ Wickham, A.K. (1965). Churches of Somerset. Dawlish: David & Charles. p. 69.
- ^ Wickham, A.K. (1965). Churches of Somerset. Dawlish: David & Charles. p. 77.
- ^ Scott, Shane (1995). The hidden places of Somerset. Aldermaston: Travel Publishing Ltd. p. 20. ISBN 1902007018.
- ^ "Restoration". St Johns Church. http://www.stjohnschurchmsn.org.uk/index.php?p=1_33_Restoration. Retrieved 27 November 2010.
- ^ "Midsomer Norton church wants phone mast on its tower". Western daily Press. http://www.thisisbristol.co.uk/news/Midsomer-Norton-church-wants-phone-mast-tower/article-389590-detail/article.html. Retrieved 26 November 2010.
External links
Categories:- Church of England churches in Somerset
- Grade II* listed churches
- Grade II* listed buildings in Somerset
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