Church of St Michael the Archangel, Compton Martin

Church of St Michael the Archangel
General information
Architectural style	Norman
Town or city	Compton Martin
Country	England
Completed	12th century

The Parish church of St Michael the Archangel (grid reference ST545570) is in the village of Compton Martin, Somerset, England.

The church, which was built in the 12th century in a Norman style. Norman vaulting can be seen in the chancel and Jacobean work in choir stalls and organ screen. In the north wall is a recess containing the effigy of Thomas de Moreton which was discovered in 1858. One of the columns in the South side of the nave has an unusual spiral fluted decoration known as an apprentices column.^[1]

Above the ceiling of the Bickfield Chapel there is a void which contains a columbarium or dovecote. This housed 140 “squabs” or pigeons in 1606 for the rector’s table.^[2]

The four stage tower is approached from the nave via a lofty Tudor paneled arch which together with the tower itself which is supported by diagonal buttresses, dates from c. 1370^[3] or 1443^[4]. It is some 70 feet (21 m) high and contains six 18th century bells, five of which were cast by the Bilbies of Chew Stoke.

The church is a grade I listed building,^[5] and several of the monuments in the church yard also have listed status.^[6],^[7],^[8]

Wade and Wade in their 1929 book "Somerset" described the church as "quite remarkable" "The church is one of the finest bits of Norm. work in the county. The nave is entirely late Norm., and possesses the unusual feature of a clerestory. The fine arcades, with their cylindrical columns and circular abaci, are too obvious to escape notice, but particular attention should be paid to the twisted pillar on the N.E. The chancel has an extremely low quadripartite vault, the effect of which is rather spoilt by the distortion of the chancel arch through some defect in the foundations. The aisles are Perp., and the one on the S. curiously encloses the clerestory. Note (1) the junction of the Perp. arch and Norm. pillars, (2) recessed effigy of a lady at E. end of N. aisle, (3) semi-circular recess, probably for additional altar (cp. Cudworth); (4) Norm. font on a fluted pedestal, (5) Perp. screen, said to have been an importation. There is a Perp. W. tower of weak design and poor workmanship, opening into the nave by a panelled arch."^[9]

References

1. ^ Reid, Robert Douglas (1979). Some buildings of Mendip. The Mendip Society. ISBN 0905459164. 
2. ^ McCann, John; Mark McDermott and Frank Pexton (1999). "A columbarium at Compton Martin church". Somerset Archaeological and Natural History Society Proceedings 143. http://www.sanhs.org/Proc%20Compton%20Martin.htm. Retrieved 2007-06-18. 
3. ^ Poyntz Wright, Peter (1981). The Parish Church Towers of Somerset, Their construction, craftsmanship and chronology 1350 - 1550. Avebury Publishing Company. ISBN 0861275020. 
4. ^ Harvey, John H. (1982). "The church towers of Somerset". Transactions of the Ancient Monuments Society 26. 
5. ^ "Church of St. Michael and All Angels". Images of England. http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/details/default.aspx?id=32980. Retrieved 2007-06-18. 
6. ^ "King Walter monument". Images of England. http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/details/default.aspx?id=32983. Retrieved 2007-06-18. 
7. ^ "Symes monument at Images of England". Images of England. http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/details/default.aspx?id=32982. Retrieved 2007-06-18. 
8. ^ "Unidentified monument and Crosse monument". Images of England. http://www.imagesofengland.org.uk/details/default.aspx?id=32981. Retrieved 2007-06-18. 
9. ^
   • Somerset by Wade, G.W. & Wade, J.H. at Project Gutenberg

Coordinates: 51°18′37″N 2°39′15″W / 51.31028°N 2.65416°W / 51.31028; -2.65416

External links

• Compton Martin Village website