Description

ST5516SE YEOVIL CP CHURCH PATH

5/4 Church of St John The Baptist

19.3.51

GV I

Church, late C14. Limestone with Ham stone dressings: lead roofs. Cruciform plan
with South porch and vestry (1915) 1 bay sanctuary, 2-bay choir, crossing, 4-bay
nave and West Tower, with North and South choir and nave aisles and projecting
transepts. Early Perpendicular style, crypt is Decorated but not necessarily
earlier. Three tiered plinth, buttresses with double offsets terminating in
pinnacles between bays, set-back buttresses to corners. Windows to full width of
each bay: 5-light terminating in 2-centre arches, tracery of reticulated
perpendicular transitional design. String course below slender arch-panelled
parapet with roll-mouldings; parapets angled to gable ends. Blank second bays to
choir. To bay 3 of North aisle a pointed arched doorway cut into bottom of
window, opposite on South nave aisle is South porch, a half-height 2-bay
extension, in style of rain building. Doorway probably C19, crocketted label
mould to pointed archway, and swept sculptured panel in niche. Stair turrets to
East outside corners of both transepts. Tower 28 metres high, in 4-stages set
back offset corner buttresses, capped by openwork balustrading eatching the
parapets could be C19. Two-light late C14 windows on all sides at bell-ringing
and bell-chamber levels, the latter having fine pierced stonework grilles. Stair
turret to North-west corner, with windvane termination. Plain West doorway
flanked by triangular shafts, West window having Perpendicular tracery. The iron
latin cross set into the South-east corner of the parapet may be of C15. The
tower has a chiming clock, (no clock face), a Sanctus bell and a peal of 10
bells, the East window similar tracery to the West window, and the parapet is
crowned with a stone cross. Internally the South porch late C19 The Nave and
aisles are lofty, the apexes of the arcades are close to wall plate level: the
columns slender, alternate order hollowed, with small impost capitals on outer
and riddle of the five orders. Wall shafts to aisle/chapel walls; Tower and
crossing arches unpanelled and set higher. The trussed ribbed rafters of the
barrel roofs and nearly all the bosses said to be original: West bay of the
North aisle has sore ancient timbers. Colouring applied to bosses and principal
timber members throughout. The Crypt, under the choir, has four Quadripartite
vaults of early/mid C14 style, central octagonal pier, and moulded corbels to
walls. The entrance doorway (North wall of chancel) has a croketted ogee arch,
double cusps, and pinnacled side pilasters. Fittings of note: late Ill font, an
outstanding brass lectern, English c1450, inscription figure of monk on stand;
on North and South chancel walls sculptured lenton veil brackets. Memorial
brasses to Penne 1519 and Hawker 1696. Many C18 memorial, notably to Revd. J
Phelips Died l766. Newman of Barwick Died 1790, and Harbin Died 1704. Earliest
church in Yeovil, dating from c950. Rebuilt 1380-1400 probably by William
Wynford, master mason of Wells: major restoration 1851-60.

Listing NGR: ST5567016058

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Church of St John the Baptist, Yeovil at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q5117458

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.

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