St Mary's Church, Mudford facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Church of St Mary
Location	Mudford, Somerset, England
Built	14th century
Listed Building – Grade I
Designated	19 April 1961
Reference no.	262693
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The Church of St Mary in Mudford, Somerset, England, is a very old and special building. It was built way back in the 14th century, which means it's over 600 years old! Because it's so important and historic, it's been given a special title: a Grade I listed building. This means it's one of the most important historic buildings in England.

History of the Church

The Church of St Mary has a long history. In 1339, a place called Montacute Priory gave the church to the Bishop of Bath and Wells. A bishop is a high-ranking leader in the Christian church. This gift helped the church continue its important work in the community.

Inside the Church

When you step inside the Church of St Mary, you'll see some interesting old features.

• There is a special Jacobean pulpit. A pulpit is a raised stand where a speaker, usually a priest, gives a sermon. Jacobean refers to a style of art and architecture from the time of King James I of England.
• You can also find a stone font from the 15th century. A font is a basin that holds water for baptisms, which are special ceremonies in the church.

The Tower and Bells

The church has a tall tower that stands about 66 feet (20 meters) high. This tower was built around 1498.

• It has three main sections, separated by stone lines called string courses.
• The corners have strong supports called buttresses.
• At the very top, there's a battlemented parapet, which looks like the top of a castle wall.
• You can also see small corner and middle pinnacles, which are decorative pointy structures.
• Look closely and you might spot corner gargoyles! These are carved stone figures, often shaped like animals or monsters, that help drain water from the roof.
• On the north-east corner, there's a stair turret, which is a small tower with a staircase inside. It has a weathervane on top.
• There's also a clock face on the east side of the tower.

The Church Bells

Inside the tower, there are five bells. These bells are very old, dating from 1582, 1621, 1623, 1664, and 1666. They were all made by the Purdue family, who were bell makers from a nearby village called Closworth. The tower itself has been rebuilt a couple of times. It was rebuilt in 1309 and again in the early 1900s after it was hit by lightning!

Church Community and Care

The Church of St Mary is part of a group of churches called a benefice. This group includes churches in Chilton Cantelo, Ashington, Marston Magna, Mudford, and Rimpton. They all work together within the Yeovil area of the church.

Because some of the high stone parts of the church needed attention, it was added to the Heritage at Risk Register. This register lists important historic buildings that need repairs to keep them safe and sound. Luckily, repairs were done in 2013 to fix these issues and protect the church for the future.

The church also has a graveyard where people are laid to rest. One notable person buried there is Bishop Bill Flagg. He was the first Bishop of Northern Argentina and Paraguay and grew up right here in Mudford.

See also

• Grade I listed buildings in South Somerset
• List of Somerset towers
• List of ecclesiastical parishes in the Diocese of Bath and Wells