Church of All Saints, Chipstable facts for kids

The Church of All Saints is an Anglican church found in Chipstable, a village in Somerset, England. This historic church likely started in the early 1200s. It is part of the Tone deanery and the Diocese of Bath and Wells. The church is also a Grade II* listed building, which means it's a very important historic site.

What is the Church of All Saints Used For?

The Church of All Saints is an active part of the Church of England. It works together with several other churches around Wiveliscombe. This group of churches is called a "combined benefice" or "Wiveliscombe and the Hills". They all share the same leader, who is called a rector. Currently, their rector is The Reverend David Widdows.

This church is still part of the Tone deanery and the Diocese of Bath and Wells. Before 1929, the Church of All Saints was the only church in its benefice. Now, it shares its rector and resources with other local churches.

A Look at the Church's History and Design

There has been a church in Chipstable for a very long time. Records show one existed as far back as the early 1000s. It was even mentioned in the Domesday Book, a famous survey from 1086. The first known rector (church leader) was "Stephen, Parson of Cyppestable" in 1248. For many years, monks from Muchelney Abbey looked after the Chipstable church. This continued until 1538, when King Henry VIII closed many monasteries. In 1531, the Church of All Saints was officially dedicated.

The Church Tower and Its Features

The church's own website suggests the tower was built around 1239. However, Historic England, a group that protects historic places, believes it's from the 1400s. The tower has a special top edge called "crenellated," which looks like the top of a castle wall. It also has "handsome capitals," which are decorative tops on its columns. You can see small angel figures on each of the four sides of the tower.

How the Church Was Rebuilt

The main part of the church, called the nave, was rebuilt in 1869. A builder named Benjamin Ferrey used red sandstone and hamstone for the new parts. He tried to reuse stones from the original building when he could. The nave has two side sections, called aisles. There's also a porch on the south side. This porch still has its original doorway from the 1400s, but the door itself is from the 1800s.

The church's design mixes two old English styles: "Decorated Gothic" and "Perpendicular Gothic." These styles are known for their detailed windows and tall, straight lines.

Bells and Old Furniture

The bell tower used to have five bells. In 1901, a sixth bell was added. When the church was renovated, two old wooden bench ends were kept. These date back to about 1530. One has a picture of a pestle (a tool for grinding), and the other shows a huntsman.

The Rectory and Churchyard

The rectory, which is the house where the rector lives, has been around since at least the early 1600s. It was rebuilt and made bigger in 1870. About 100 years later, it was sold and is now known as "The Grange." A new rectory was built for the church in 1975.

In the churchyard, there are three old stone tombs called "chest tombs." These are also listed as Grade II historic items. The oldest tomb is from the 1600s, but it was changed in the 1700s. The other two are from the 1700s and 1800s. When they were surveyed, they were damaged and covered in plants. You can still see the name John Hastings on the oldest tomb. The writing on the other two is too hard to read.

See also

• List of ecclesiastical parishes in the Diocese of Bath and Wells