Church of St Mary, North Petherton

Church of St Mary
Location within Somerset
General information
Town or city	North Petherton
Country	England
Coordinates	51°05′32″N 3°00′53″W / 51.0922°N 3.0148°W / 51.0922; -3.0148
Completed	15th century

The Church of St Mary in North Petherton, Somerset, England dates from the 15th century and has been designated as a grade I listed building.^[1]

There was a church in North Petherton before the Norman Conquest and the site belonged to Buckland Priory from the 12th century.^[2] The current building dates from the expansion of the town around 1490,^[3] although it does contain some fabric from the 13th century.^[2]

The minster church has a highly decorated tower which, at 120 feet (37 m) high, was described by Nickolaus Pevsner as one of the finest towers in the county.^[1] The tower was built around 1508.^[4] It contains a peal of six bells, and a clock built in Bridgwater in 1807.^[1]

The interior has a minstrel gallery from 1623,^[1] a carved wooden pulpit from the 15th century, and a brass chandelier which was added in 1984.^[5]

The parish is part of the Alfred Jewel benefice within the Sedgemoor deanery.^[6]

See also

• List of Grade I listed buildings in Sedgemoor
• List of towers in Somerset

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d} "Church of St. Mary". Images of England. http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/details/default.aspx?id=269339. Retrieved 19 November 2007. 
2. ^ ^{a b} Gathercole, Clare. "An archeological assessment of North Petherton". English Heritage Extensive Urban Survey. Somerset County Council. http://www1.somerset.gov.uk/archives/hes/downloads/EUS_North_PethertonText.pdf. Retrieved 31 October 2011. 
3. ^ Gathercole, Clare. "North Petherton". Somerset Urban Archaeological Surveys. Somerset County Council. http://www1.somerset.gov.uk/archives/hes/eus/northpetherton_eus.htm. Retrieved 31 October 2011. 
4. ^ Poyntz Wright, Peter (1981). The Parish Church Towers of Somerset, Their construction, craftsmanship and chronology 1350 - 1550. Avebury Publishing Company. ISBN 0861275020. 
5. ^ R W Dunning, C R Elrington (Editors), A P Baggs, M C Siraut (1992). "North Petherton: Churches". A History of the County of Somerset: Volume 6: Andersfield, Cannington, and North Petherton Hundreds (Bridgwater and neighbouring parishes). Institute of Historical Research. http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=18689. Retrieved 31 October 2011. 
6. ^ "St Mary the Virgin, North Petherton". Church of England. http://www.achurchnearyou.com/north-petherton-st-mary-the-virgin/. Retrieved 31 October 2011.