Old Church of St James, Upton facts for kids

The Old St James's Church is a historic building in Upton, a village in Somerset, England. Today, only its tall tower remains. This tower stands overlooking Wimbleball Lake.

This old church tower is very important. It is officially protected as a Grade II* listed building. This means it's a special historic place. The Churches Conservation Trust now looks after it. The church was no longer used after 4 November 1971. It was then given to the Trust on 24 May 1973.

What the Church Looked Like

The church used to have two main parts. One part was the chancel, which was square. The other part was the nave, which was rectangular. These two parts together were about 20 meters (66 feet) long. They were also about 4 meters (13 feet) wide.

The Remaining Parts

Most of the church was built in the 14th century. Today, only the lowest parts of the nave and chancel are left. The tower is also still standing. This tower has three levels. It did not have supports called buttresses at first. However, a buttress was added to its southeast corner in the 1800s. The tower was made safe in 1973 so it would not fall down.

Why a New Church Was Built

A new church for St James was built in 1870. This new church replaced the old one. People thought the old church was too far from the village. So, they built a new one closer to where people lived.

The Bells of the Church

The bells from the old church were not left behind. They were moved and used in other places. One bell is now at the St John the Baptist church in Pitney. Another bell traveled all the way to Green Point, New South Wales, Australia!

See also

• List of churches preserved by the Churches Conservation Trust in South West England