Church of St John the Baptist, Axbridge

The Church of St John the Baptist in Axbridge, Somerset, England, was built in the 13th century and has been designated as a grade I listed building.[2][1]

Church of St John the Baptist
Location within Somerset
General information
Town or cityAxbridge
CountryEngland
Coordinates51.2877°N 2.8166°W / 51.2877; -2.8166
Completedc.1400
Renovated1888
Renovating team
ArchitectJ. D. Sedding
Listed Building – Grade I
Designated9 February 1961[1]
Reference no.1173117

Work on the current building began in the early 15th century, and grew from an earlier building dating back to about 1230. The church is built of limestone and decorated with Doulting stone, while the steps are an interesting example of dolomitic conglomerate, which is called puddingstone.[3]

The crossing tower, which was built around 1400,[4] is over 100 feet (30 m) high, and holds six bells, one of which dating from 1723 was made by Edward Bilbie of the Bilbie family.[5] The statue on the east side is that of St John the Baptist. On the west side is a king — perhaps Henry VII, which would place it after 1485. The North aisle ceiling retains some mediaeval painted panels, and amongst the carved bosses is the head of a Green Man, with leaves sprouting around his face. The nave roof is Jacobean and dates from 1636.[3] The church was restored by John Dando Sedding in the 1880s.[6]

The churchyard contains a Commonwealth war grave of a Dorsetshire Regiment soldier of World War II.[7]

See also

References
  1. Historic England. "Church of St John The Baptist  (Grade I) (1173117)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
  2. "Church of St John The Baptist". historicengland.org.uk. Retrieved 2006-05-09.
  3. Reid, Robert Douglas (1979). Some buildings of Mendip. The Mendip Society. ISBN 0-905459-16-4.
  4. 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.
  5. Moore, James; Rice, Roy; Hucker, Ernest (1995). Bilbie and the Chew Valley clock makers. The authors. ISBN 0-9526702-0-8.
  6. "History". Axbridge Parish Church. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
  7. "Lance Corporal GAGE, FREDERICK JAMES". Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Retrieved 30 January 2019.
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