St Mary's Church, Yatton

Church of St Mary
View from the south-west
St Mary's Church, Yatton is located in Somerset
St Mary's Church, Yatton
Location within Somerset
General information
Town or cityYatton
CountryEngland
Coordinates51°23′06″N 2°49′07″W / 51.3850°N 2.8185°W / 51.3850; -2.8185
Completed14th century

The Church of St Mary in central Yatton, Somerset, England, is often called the Cathedral of the Moors due to its size and grandeur in relation to the village.[1] It has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade I listed building.[2][3]

While the current church was constructed in the 14th century, it is likely that a previous church was located on the same site. The chapel which was added in 1496,[4] and various other alterations and expansions of the church can be seen in the account which have survived since 1445.[5]

The central tower, which was built around 1400,[6] has three stages with diagonal weathered buttresses with crocketed pinnacles. There is a south-east hexagonal stair turret rising above the parapet with panelled sides to the top, and an open cusped parapet.[2] Unusually for Somerset a Dundry stone steeple was built in 1455–1456. In 1595 freemasons were engaged to take down the spire and reduce it to its present dimensions. There is a ring of bells within the tower.[7] The tower was damaged by fire in 1991,[8] resulting in the fourth bell having to be recast.

The 15th century Old Rectory is also a Grade I listed building.[9]

See also

References

  1. ^ "St. Mary the Virgin, Yatton". Yatton Moor Team Ministry. Archived from the original on 6 February 2012. Retrieved 26 March 2012.
  2. ^ a b Historic England. "Church of St Mary (1137349)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 19 November 2007.
  3. ^ Historic England. "Church of St Mary (1137349)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 24 January 2016.
  4. ^ Dunning, Robert (2007). Somerset Churches and Chapels: Building Repair and Restoration. Halsgrove. p. 44. ISBN 978-1841145921.
  5. ^ Dunning, Robert (1996). Fifty Somerset Churches. Somerset Books. pp. 29–32. ISBN 978-0861833092.
  6. ^ Poyntz Wright, Peter (1981). The Parish Church Towers of Somerset, Their construction, craftsmanship and chronology 1350 - 1550. Avebury Publishing Company. ISBN 0-86127-502-0.
  7. ^ "Yatton Blessed Virgin Mary". Dove's Guide for Church Bell Ringers. Retrieved 3 January 2014.
  8. ^ "A Brief History of St. Mary's, Yatton". Yatton Moor Team Ministry. Retrieved 29 August 2021.
  9. ^ Historic England. "The Old Rectory (1137331)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 9 April 2009.

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