Church of St Barnabas, Queen Camel facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Church of St Barnabas
Location	Queen Camel, Somerset, England
Built	14th century
Listed Building – Grade I
Designated	24 March 1961
Reference no.	431093
Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).

The Church of St Barnabas is a very old and important church located in a village called Queen Camel in Somerset, England. It was built way back in the 14th century, which means it's over 600 years old! Because it's so old and special, it has been given a "Grade I listed building" status. This means it's one of the most important historic buildings in England and is protected.

A Look at History

The Church of St Barnabas has a long and interesting past. Before the year 1140, there was an even older church in Queen Camel. This earlier church was like the main church for several nearby areas, including Somerton and Chilton Cantelo.

From Abbey to Parish

In the 12th century, the church was given to Cleeve Abbey, which was a monastery. This meant the monks from the abbey were in charge of it. The first person officially recorded as the church's leader, called a rector, was in 1317. Later, in 1888, the church had a big makeover. This was part of a trend called "Victorian restoration," where people in the Victorian era updated old churches.

The Tall Tower and Its Bells

One of the most impressive parts of the Church of St Barnabas is its tall tower.

Tower's Height and Age

The tower stands about 96 feet (29 m) high, which is like a nine-story building! It was built in five main sections and dates back to around 1491. That makes the tower itself over 500 years old.

World's Heaviest Bells

Inside the tower, there is a set of six very heavy bells. While another church in Cornwall has the heaviest single bell, the bells at Queen Camel are special because they are the heaviest set of six bells in the world when you add all their weights together! Imagine how much effort it takes to ring them!

Inside the Church

The inside of the church is just as interesting as the outside.

Memorials and Features

You can find memorials inside the church that remember members of the Mildmay family. They were important people who owned the land around the church for many years. The church also has a beautiful wooden screen called a rood screen. This screen used to separate the main part of the church from the altar area. There is also an eight-sided stone font, which is used for baptisms. It is supported by four large, carved stone pillars.

A Special Grave

In the churchyard, which is the area around the church, there is a special grave. It belongs to a sailor from the Royal Navy who died during World War I. This grave is looked after by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, an organization that cares for the graves of service members.

Church Community

The Church of St Barnabas is part of a group of churches called the Cam Vale benefice. This group includes churches in nearby villages like Corton Denham, Sparkford, Sutton Montis, West Camel, and Weston Bampfylde. They all work together within the larger Bruton and Cary deanery.

See also

• Grade I listed buildings in South Somerset
• List of Somerset towers