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© Mrs Sue Durant LRPS

IoE Number: 261970
Location: HOLY TRINITY CHURCH,
  BRATTON SEYMOUR, SOUTH SOMERSET, SOMERSET
Photographer: Mrs Sue Durant LRPS
Date Photographed: N/A
Date listed: 24 March 1961
Date of last amendment: 24 March 1961
Grade II*

BRATTON SEYMOUR CPST63SEBRATTON SEYMOUR VILLAGE2/34Church of St. nicholas24.3.61

BRATTON SEYMOUR CP ST63SE BRATTON SEYMOUR VILLAGE 2/34 Church of St. nicholas 24.3.61 - II* Anglican Parish Church. C13 et seq. Local stone uncoursed rubble with Doulting and Ham stone dressings; Welsh slate roofs with sawn stone ridges, plain gabled to chancel and porch, stepped coped gables to nave. Two-cell plan, of 2-bay chancel and 3-bay nave, with west tower and south porch, and small north-east vestry. Chancel c1300: chamfered plinth, angled corner buttresses; east window 3-light, 'Y'-traceried over cinquefoil cusped lights (possibly a C18 repaired window) set under arched label with ball-flower stop; south window 2-light trefoil cusped, with quatrefoil above - almost plate tracery - under arched label with ball-flower stops; to west a small single-light with segmental arched head, of uncertain date, no label. Lean-to vestry on north side has double trefoil cusped window in north wall. Nave has chamfered plinth south side only: north wall has one 2-light window, south wall 2 to match, with 3-centre arched lights and plain chamfered mullions, probably C18, no labels; rendered pilaster to south-east corner. South porch has 2 C12 archways, the outer having reset stones of rudimentary lozenge pattern, with plain keystone; inner arch has double chevron mould, chevron capitals, plain jambs; door of early date. Tower has ashlar base over chamfered plinth, low, square and one-stage only: offset angled buttresses to 2/3 height, string course and irregular battlemented parapet with corner pinnacles; massive north-east stair turret almost full height, in 2 stages with stone chamfer roof and small slit lights: 3-centre arched west doorway now blocked, above it a 2-light window in semi-circular arched recess, light barely pointed arched, one cusp remains, solid panel over; at high level at north and south side - 2 to latter - are plain simple rectangular windows with a small C13 2-light window on east side, all with external wood louvred shutters; finial to earlier ridge line on east wall. Inside, the chancel has simple rere-arches to windows, and a plain almost triangular chamfered chancel arch; fittings all C19. Nave has C19 scissor truss roof erected in 1837, William Matthews builder, Mr. Davies architect, a plain chamfered almost semi-circular tower arch, and mostly C19 fittings, except the C13 font, a very low tulip bowl on turned base. Bells of interest, a treble by Henry Jordon of London, 1450 with original hangings, tenor of 1390 by a Bristol firm - although Whitfield claims it is dated 1583 and has no makers name. Church probably of Saxon origin, but first mention of church 1217. Originally dedicated to St. Giles, and has also been known as Holy Trinity Church (M Whitfield, In Praise of Bratton St Maur, 1974).