St Martin of Tours' Church, West Coker facts for kids
Quick facts for kids St Martin of Tours’ Church, West Coker |
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St Martin of Tours’ Church, West Coker
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| 50°55′10.71″N 2°41′20.65″W / 50.9196417°N 2.6890694°W | |
| Location | West Coker |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Broad Church |
| History | |
| Dedication | St Martin of Tours |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* listed |
| Administration | |
| Parish | West Coker |
| Deanery | Yeovil |
| Archdeaconry | Wells |
| Diocese | Diocese of Bath and Wells |
| Province | Province of Canterbury |
St Martin of Tours' Church is a very old and important church located in West Coker, a village in Somerset, England. It is a parish church, which means it serves the local community. This church is part of the Church of England and is considered a special historical building, known as a Grade II* listed building.
Contents
A Look Back in Time: The Church's History
This church is very old! It was first built way back in the 1200s.
Rebuilding in the 1800s
The church was given a big makeover between 1863 and 1864. An architect named James Mountford Allen from Crewkerne was in charge of the project. A company called Robert Bartlett and Son, from West Coker, did the actual building work.
During this time, many parts of the church were rebuilt. This included the north and south arcades, which are rows of arches. They even added an extra section on the north side. The arch leading into the chancel (the area near the altar) was also rebuilt.
New Decorations and Features
The plaster between the wooden beams in the chancel was decorated with cool patterns by Mr Stansell of Taunton. The chancel also got new oak stalls, which are special seats. The floor was covered with beautiful patterned tiles from a company called Maw & Co. A decorative screen behind the altar, called a reredos, was made by A.W. Blacker. The church was ready and reopened on October 14, 1864.
The Church Organ
A brand new organ was put into the church in 1885. It was a gift from Miss Wood, who was related to the Rector (the main priest) of the church. The organ cost £500 back then, which would be worth a lot more money today! It was built by a company called Nicholson and Lord.
The Church Bells
The church tower holds a set of 8 bells. Four of these bells are very old, made in 1770. Another bell was made in 1779. These five old bells were cast by Thomas II Bilbie, who was part of the famous Bilbie family of bell makers. The other three bells are newer, made in 1911 by a company called Llewellins and James.
Local Church Connections
St Martin of Tours' Church is part of a group of churches in the area. This means it works together with other local churches. These include:
- St Mary's Church, East Chinnock
- St Mary's Church, Hardington Mandeville
- St Roch's Church, Pendomer
- All Saints’ Church, Closworth
- St Michael and All Angels' Church, East Coker
- All Saints’ Church, Sutton Bingham
