Church of St James, Ashwick facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Church of St James |
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| General information | |
| Town or city | Ashwick |
| Country | England |
| Coordinates | 51°14′02″N 2°31′16″W / 51.2338°N 2.5211°W |
| Completed | 1881 |
The Church of St James is a beautiful old church located in Ashwick, a village in Somerset, England. This church was mostly built in 1881. It is considered a very important historical building, known as a Grade I listed building, and stands right next to Ashwick Court. What's really cool is that part of the church, its tower, is much older, dating all the way back to 1450!
History of St James Church
The main part of the Church of St James was built between 1876 and 1881. It was designed in the Gothic style popular during the Victorian era. The builders were Browne and Gill from Bath. Even though the main church is from the 1800s, the church tower is much older, built around 1463.
The earliest record of a church being on this spot goes back to 1413. That's when a religious leader named Bishop Bubwith officially opened the churchyard at Ashwick. He said people could be buried there. We don't know exactly when the very first church building was put up.
For a long time, this church was like a smaller branch of the main church in Kilmersdon, near Radstock. It was called a "chapel of ease." This meant it was a convenient place for people to worship without having to travel far to the main church. It stayed that way until Ashwick got its own official church area, called a parish. Later, in 1923, the church in Oakhill joined with Ashwick. Then, in 1969, Binegar also joined. Now, one rector (a type of priest) looks after all three villages.
Important People and Memorials
Inside the Church of St James, at the back of the aisles, you can find two special memorial tablets. These tablets honor John Billingsley, his wife Mary, and their family. John Billingsley was a very important person in farming. He wrote a famous book in 1794 called the Survey of Somerset. He also helped start a group called the Bath and West Society, which is now known as the Royal Bath and West of England Society. This society helps promote farming and rural life.
The churchyard also has a special grave for a soldier. This grave belongs to an officer from the Home Guard who served during World War II. It is looked after by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, which cares for the graves of service members from the Commonwealth.
See also
- List of ecclesiastical parishes in the Diocese of Bath and Wells
