Church of St Stephen, Charlton Musgrove facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Church of St Stephen
Location	Charlton Musgrove, Somerset, England
Built	13th century
Listed Building – Grade II*
Official name: Church of St Stephen
Designated	24 March 1961
Reference no.	1346185
Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).

The Church of St Stephen is an old church in Charlton Musgrove, a village in Somerset, England. It was built a very long time ago, in the 13th century. This means it's over 700 years old! It's a special building because it's a Grade II* listed building. This means it's considered very important and needs to be protected.

History of the Church

Early Connections

The Church of St Stephen has a long history. In the 12th century, it was connected to Bruton Priory. A priory was like a monastery, a place where monks lived and prayed.

Changes and Challenges

For many years, from 1661 until 1976, members of the Leir family served as the rectors of the church. A rector is the main priest in charge of a church parish.

In 1884, the church went through a big change called a Victorian restoration. This was a time when many old churches were updated. However, the rector at the time, Charles Edward Lier, made some changes without getting permission. He needed to get approval from the bishop, who is a senior church leader. This caused some disagreements.

What the Church Looks Like

Building Materials and Shape

The Church of St Stephen is made of stone. It has roofs covered with slate, which is a type of rock used for roofing. The church has a main open area called a nave. This part has three sections, or "bays." There's also a chancel, which is the area near the altar. The chancel has two bays.

The West Tower

At the west end of the church, there is a tall tower. This tower has three levels, or "stages." Inside the tower, there are three bells. These bells would have been used to call people to worship.

The tower is also decorated with interesting stone carvings. Some of these are called hunky punks. These are often strange or funny figures carved into the stone. You might also see gargoyles. Gargoyles are carvings that usually have water spouts coming out of their mouths. They help drain rainwater away from the building.

Inside the Church

When you go inside the church, you'll find an octagonal font. "Octagonal" means it has eight sides. This font was made in the 17th century. It's used for baptisms, which are special ceremonies.

There is also a hatchment from 1660. A hatchment is a special painted sign. It usually shows the coat of arms of someone important who has died. It would be displayed in the church to honor them.

The Church Community

The Church of St Stephen is part of a larger church area called a benefice. This benefice includes Charlton Musgrove, along with the nearby villages of Cucklington and Stoke Trister. All these churches work together within the Diocese of Bath and Wells. A diocese is a large area managed by a bishop.

See also

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