| Church of St Mary | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Location within Somerset | |
| General information | |
| Town or city | Woolavington |
| Country | England |
| Coordinates | 51°10′13″N 2°56′03″W / 51.1703°N 2.9341°W |
| Completed | 11th century |
The Church of St Mary in Woolavington, Somerset, England has 11th-century origins and is a Grade I listed building.[1]
There may have been a church on the site prior to the Norman conquest but the present building may have been started around 1154 by Maud and Philip Columber the lords of the manor at that time.[2] In the early 12th century it was granted to Goldcliff Priory in Monmouthshire by its founder Robert de Chandos who was lord of the manor of Woolavington.[3] In the 14th century the chancel was added and the tower started.[2] By 1285 a separate chapel in the churchyard housed three chantries.[4] A chapel was added in 1441.[5] In the 15th century it passed to the cannons of Windsor.[3]
The tower, the upper stages of which were rebuilt in the 17th century,[6] has a peal of eight bells, the oldest of which was cast in 1400.[2]
The interior includes a pulpit and oak panels from the 15th century. There is also a memorial stone to Sir John Hody an English judge and Chief Justice of the King's Bench who died in the 15th century.[2]
The parish is part of the benefice of Woolavington with Cossington and Bawdrip within the Sedgemoor deanery.[7]
- ^ "Church of St Mary". historicengland.org.uk. English Heritage. Retrieved 14 December 2008.
- ^ a b c d "The Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary Woolavington, Somerset: A Short History". Woolavington. Archived from the original on 26 April 2012. Retrieved 28 November 2011.
- ^ a b Bush, Robin (1994). Somerset: The Complete Guide. Dovecote Press. pp. 242. ISBN 1-874336-26-1.
- ^ Dunning, Robert (2007). Somerset Churches and Chapels: Building Repair and Restoration. Halsgrove. p. 38. ISBN 978-1841145921.
- ^ Dunning, Robert (2007). Somerset Churches and Chapels: Building Repair and Restoration. Halsgrove. p. 44. ISBN 978-1841145921.
- ^ Robert Dunning, ed. (2004). "Woolavington". A History of the County of Somerset: Volume 8: The Poldens and the Levels. Institute of Historical Research. Retrieved 28 November 2011.
- ^ "The Blessed Virgin Mary, Woolavington". Church of England. Retrieved 28 November 2011.