Description

GREAT SOMERFORD TOP STREET
ST 98 SE
3/212 Church of St Peter and Paul
28.10.59
GV I
Anglican parish church. C14, C15, restored 1865 by J.H. Hakewill.
Rubble stone with stone slate roofs and coped gables. West tower,
nave, south porch, north aisle and chancel with north side organ
chamber. Late C14 or early C15 west tower, formerly roughcast,
with diagonal buttresses, plinth, dripcourses, embattled parapet
and angle pinnacles. Small 2-light Perpendicular style bell-
openings, three-sided stair turret up to second stage of south
side and west front narrow Tudor-arched door under 3-light west
window and hoodmould. South wall has late C15 long flat-headed 4-
light window with hoodmould each side of ashlar-fronted porch,
rebuilt 1905 reusing old materials. Tudor-arched doorway and C19
door within. At south east angle, three-sided rood-stair tower
with small rood-light above. On north side, nave roof is carried
down over aisle with blocked Tudor-arched door and flat headed 2-
light Perpendicular window each side. Coped east gable. Ashlar
chancel has two 3-light four-centred windows to south, with small
door between and one to north with 1880 organ chamber to right.
Four-light Perpendicular east window.
Interior: nave has collar-rafter roof and one tie-beam, heavily
moulded late C14 or early C15 tower arch with 1903 timber screen
and fine C14 four bay arcade, the piers with four shafts and four
hollows, the capitals with large crude leaf mouldings. Hollow-and-
wave moulded pointed arches. Similar mouldings to chancel arch.
North aisle has lean-to roof. Chancel has delicately painted wagon
roof, 1901 by F.C. Eden, south side windows are continued down with
blank panelling as sedilia, piscina to left. Fittings and
monuments: chancel east window by Lavers and Barraud, 1865, north
window c1865, south windows of 1924 and 1978. South side
pedimented coloured marble plaque to Rev T. Seale died 1771 and
pedimented monument with twisted and vase columns to Rev R. Browne
died 1687. Much matching early C20 woodwork: pew fronts, pulpit,
organ case, stalls and rails. In nave, Gothic monument over south
door to W. Smith died 1833, marble plaque by Lancashire of Bath to
M. Parsloe died 1788 and one south window with glass of 1873.
Medieval fragments in rood-light. Pulpit has C17 tester. Under
tower, royal arms of 1814. In north aisle, restored Perpendicular
octagonal font, monuments to L. Pyke died 1813 signed Brewer of
Box; to W. Pyke died 1791 and to E. Smith died 1798, both of
fine quality and signed T. King of Bath; to John Smith c1790 by T.
King, and to John Smith died 1772 in coloured marble. Three-light
east window glass of 1865, probably by Lavers and Barraud.
(P. Hobbs, Somerford Magna, 1982 15-22; Wiltshire Archaeological
Magazine 31 1901 283pl; N. Pevsner, Wiltshire, 1975 260-1)

Listing NGR: ST9643283104

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17529225

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Lancashire: Manchester and the South-East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  ENGLAND GUIDE TO POST WAR LISTED: A Guide to Post-war Listed Buildings
• 
  Old House Care and Repair
• 
  Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability
• 
  Wiltshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Yorkshire: York and the East Riding (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)