The Church of St Mary in

Bruton Bruton ( ) is a market town, electoral ward, and civil parish in Somerset, England, on the River Brue and the A359 between Frome and Yeovil. It is 7 miles (11 km) south-east of Shepton Mallet, just south of Snakelake Hill and Coombe Hill, 10 ...

Somerset ( en, All The People of Somerset) , locator_map = , coordinates = , region = South West England , established_date = Ancient , established_by = , preceded_by = , origin = , lord_lieutenant_office =Lord Lieutenant of Somerset , lord_ ...

, England was largely built in the 14th century. Like many Somerset churches, it has a very fine tower; less usually it has a second one as well.Norwich, 546; Somerset Churches Trust Simon Jenkins has called Bruton's tower "Somerset architecture at its most powerful." It has been designated a Grade I

listed building In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Irel ...

History

The first church on the site was founded by

Ine of Wessex Ine, also rendered Ini or Ina, ( la, Inus; c. AD 670 – after 726) was King of Wessex from 689 to 726. At Ine's accession, his kingdom dominated much of southern England. However, he was unable to retain the territorial gains of his predecesso ...

in the 7th century, which grew into an Augustinian priory, becoming

Bruton Abbey Bruton Abbey in Bruton, Somerset was founded as a house of Augustinian canons in about 1127, and became an abbey in 1511, shortly before its dissolution in 1539. It was endowed with manors, churches and other properties in the area and also in ...

shortly before the Dissolution of the Monasteries. The church was within the grounds of the abbey so strictly a chapel of it, but always in effect the

parish church A parish church (or parochial church) in Christianity is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish. In many parts of the world, especially in rural areas, the parish church may play a significant role in community activities, ...

of the town, with an office and what was perhaps a schoolroom in the north tower above the porch.Somerset Churches Trust The earliest part of the present building is the north

aisle An aisle is, in general, a space for walking with rows of non-walking spaces on both sides. Aisles with seating on both sides can be seen in airplanes, certain types of buildings, such as churches, cathedrals, synagogues, meeting halls, par ...

and north tower, dating from circa 1350, and the crypt under the chancel from the same period. Together, these three parts formed the original church before it was greatly expanded in the 15th century. In 1445, the construction of the more massive west tower was begun, followed by a new south aisle and central

nave The nave () is the central part of a church, stretching from the (normally western) main entrance or rear wall, to the transepts, or in a church without transepts, to the chancel. When a church contains side aisles, as in a basilica-type ...

. The roof and clerestory were begun in 1506 and finished in 1523. Alterations in the 15th century were also made to the existing north aisle with new

tracery Tracery is an architectural device by which windows (or screens, panels, and vaults) are divided into sections of various proportions by stone ''bars'' or ''ribs'' of moulding. Most commonly, it refers to the stonework elements that support the ...

. The

chancel In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar, including the choir and the sanctuary (sometimes called the presbytery), at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building. It may terminate in an apse. Ov ...

was rebuilt in 1743 by

Nathaniel Ireson Nathaniel Ireson (1685– 18 April 1769) was a potter, architect and mason best known for his work around Wincanton in Somerset, England. He was probably born in Ansley, Warwickshire. He rebuilt much of the centre of Wincanton following a fire in ...

for Sir Charles Berkeley as a shallow tunnel

vault Vault may refer to: * Jumping, the act of propelling oneself upwards Architecture * Vault (architecture), an arched form above an enclosed space * Bank vault, a reinforced room or compartment where valuables are stored * Burial vault (enclosure ...

with

Rococo Rococo (, also ), less commonly Roccoco or Late Baroque, is an exceptionally ornamental and theatrical style of architecture, art and decoration which combines asymmetry, scrolling curves, gilding, white and pastel colours, sculpted moulding, ...

styling, another unexpected note, possibly on the site of an older chancel. In 1875, the now former rood screen stood under the main tower arch, supporting the organ. It now stands in the north tower, and dates back to 1620. It is Jacobean in design. The

Bruton branch of the Berkeley family Sir Maurice Berkeley (by 1514–1581) of Bruton in Somerset and of Berkeley House, Clerkenwell, Middlesex, served as Chief Banner Bearer of England to Kings Henry VIII and Edward VI and to Queen Elizabeth I, and rose rapidly in the Tudor cou ...

have a long association with the town and the church. William Berkeley left Bruton for America becoming colonial

governor of Virginia The governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia serves as the head of government of Virginia for a four-year term. The incumbent, Glenn Youngkin, was sworn in on January 15, 2022. Oath of office On inauguration day, the Governor-elect takes th ...

. The church has links with

Bruton Parish Church Bruton Parish Church is located in the restored area of Colonial Williamsburg in Williamsburg, Virginia, United States. It was established in 1674 by the consolidation of two previous parishes in the Virginia Colony, and remains an active Epi ...

in the restored area of

Colonial Williamsburg Colonial Williamsburg is a living-history museum and private foundation presenting a part of the historic district in the city of Williamsburg, Virginia, United States. The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation has 7300 employees at this location a ...

Williamsburg, Virginia Williamsburg is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of the 2020 census, it had a population of 15,425. Located on the Virginia Peninsula, Williamsburg is in the northern part of the Hampton Roads metropolitan area. It is ...

, USA.

Architecture

It has two towers, the larger of which dates from 1445-1446, and is the furthest south of a type called the " Mendip towers". It is high. This is the west tower; the older north tower is unusually placed over the

church porch A church porch is a room-like structure at a church's main entrance. A porch protects from the weather to some extent. Some porches have an outer door, others a simple gate, and in some cases the outer opening is not closed in any way. The porch ...

.Norwich, 546 The west tower is the town's chief landmark, and it can be seen from many places around the town and beyond. The north tower is simpler in design, built of three stages with angled corner

buttresses A buttress is an architectural structure built against or projecting from a wall which serves to support or reinforce the wall. Buttresses are fairly common on more ancient buildings, as a means of providing support to act against the lateral (si ...

and a stair turret. The west tower, being built and designed in the Perpendicular Gothic style, is more decorative. It is built of four stages, and features a large six-light 15th century window, a clock face and canopied statue niches. The belfry stage has sets of three 2-light

mullioned A mullion is a vertical element that forms a division between units of a window or screen, or is used decoratively. It is also often used as a division between double doors. When dividing adjacent window units its primary purpose is a rigid supp ...

and transomed windows as arcading, with dividing pinnacled pilasters, crowned with 4 large pinnacles. The west tower was repaired in 1910, which included renewing external stonework and

parapets A parapet is a barrier that is an extension of the wall at the edge of a roof, terrace, balcony, walkway or other structure. The word comes ultimately from the Italian ''parapetto'' (''parare'' 'to cover/defend' and ''petto'' 'chest/breast'). Wher ...

. The central aisle of the nave is late 15th century, and is classic late Perpendicular Gothic in style, as is the close proximity of the west window to the tower arch. The moulding on the tower arch, described as "triple wave moulding", is said to be unique. The nave roof is of

tie beam A tie, strap, tie rod, eyebar, guy-wire, suspension cables, or wire ropes, are examples of linear structural components designed to resist tension. It is the opposite of a strut or column, which is designed to resist compression. Ties may be ...

and king-post construction, and consists of alternating traceried and tie beams. The chancel is a striking change to the Gothic architecture of the nave, built in the

or Late Baroque style. It has a plaster

groin vault A groin vault or groined vault (also sometimes known as a double barrel vault or cross vault) is produced by the intersection at right angles of two barrel vaults. Honour, H. and J. Fleming, (2009) ''A World History of Art''. 7th edn. London: Lau ...

, with gold foliage as

ribs The rib cage, as an enclosure that comprises the ribs, vertebral column and sternum in the thorax of most vertebrates, protects vital organs such as the heart, lungs and great vessels. The sternum, together known as the thoracic cage, is a semi- ...

. The reredos is carved with symbols of the Passion, the Sacraments and

the Trinity The Christian doctrine of the Trinity (, from 'threefold') is the central dogma concerning the nature of God in most Christian churches, which defines one God existing in three coequal, coeternal, consubstantial divine persons: God the F ...

Bells

The bells for the church are housed in the large west tower, and the current peal of six bells is the 9th heaviest peal of six bells hung for change ringing in the world. The present ring of six have a long history, the oldest surviving bell being the present fourth of the ring, dating from 1528 by an unidentified founder. The fifth bell is the next oldest, cast by John Wallis of

Salisbury Salisbury ( ) is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England with a population of 41,820, at the confluence of the rivers Avon, Nadder and Bourne. The city is approximately from Southampton and from Bath. Salisbury is in the southeast of ...

in 1618. By 1752, there were six bells, as Thomas Bilbie I cast the present treble and third bells. The tenor bell, originally dating from 1528 like the fourth, was recast in 1846 by Charles and George Mears of Whitechapel. Restoration of the tower occurred in 1910, when all six bells were rehung by Llewellins & James of Bristol in a new metal frame, which still holds the bells to this day. In 1930, the tenor bell was recast again by

John Taylor & Co John Taylor Bell Foundry (Loughborough) Limited, trading as John Taylor & Co and commonly known as Taylor's Bell Foundry, Taylor's of Loughborough, or simply Taylor's, is the world's largest working bell foundry. It is located in Loughborough, ...

Loughborough Loughborough ( ) is a market town in the Charnwood borough of Leicestershire, England, the seat of Charnwood Borough Council and Loughborough University. At the 2011 census the town's built-up area had a population of 59,932 , the second large ...

and it is this bell that crowns the ring today. It is 52 inches (132 cm) in diameter and weighs 25 and three quarter long hundredweight (1309 kg). It strikes the note D. The entire ring was again overhauled, this time by Eayre & Smith, in 1997. This included new cast iron headstocks, gudgeons and bearings for the lightest five bells, new clappers and the frame was repainted. There is also a sanctus bell, weighing approximately 1 and a half hundredweight (75 kg), cast by Thomas Bilbie I in 1749, that hangs above the six ringing bells.

Burials

* Maurice Berkeley (died 1581) *

Charles Berkeley, 2nd Viscount Fitzhardinge Charles Berkeley, 2nd Viscount Fitzhardinge (14 December 1599 – 12 June 1668) was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1621 and 1668. He supported the Royalist cause in the English Civil War. He succeed ...

John Berkeley, 5th Baron Berkeley of Stratton John Berkeley, 5th Baron Berkeley of Stratton (16 May 1697 – 18 April 1773), styled The Honourable John Berkeley until 1741, was a British politician, the last of the Bruton branch of the Berkeley family. Background and education Berkeley ...

Maurice Berkeley (Somerset MP) Maurice Berkeley (c. 15761617) was an English landowner and gentleman who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1597 and 1614. Family Maurice Berkeley was the eldest son of Sir Henry Berkeley (d.1601) of Bruton Abbey, Somerset, a ...

Maurice Berkeley, 3rd Viscount Fitzhardinge Maurice Berkeley, 3rd Viscount Fitzhardinge (1628 – 13 June 1690), known as Sir Maurice Berkeley, Bt from 1660 to 1668, was an English politician, of the Bruton branch of the Berkeley family. Maurice was the eldest son of Sir Charles Berkel ...

William Berkeley, 4th Baron Berkeley of Stratton William Berkeley, 4th Baron Berkeley of Stratton PC, PC (I) (d. 24 March 1741), was a British politician and judge, of the Bruton branch of the Berkeley family. He was Master of the Rolls in Ireland between 1696 and 1731 and also held politica ...

Parish

The Bruton and District benefice, of which the parish of Bruton with Wyke Champflower and Redlynch is a part, also includes: Batcombe, Brewham, Lamyatt, Pitcombe,

Shepton Montague Shepton Montague is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, United Kingdom. It is situated on the River Pitt in the South Somerset district midway between Wincanton, Bruton and Castle Cary. It is known for its dairy farming and one of ...

and Upton Noble. File:Rood Screen, St Mary's Church, Bruton - geograph.org.uk - 666098.jpg, Screen and chancel File:Sir Maurice Berkeley and his two wives - Bruton - geograph.org.uk - 1165475.jpg, Monument to Sir Maurice Berkeley and his two wives File:Bruton Church nave and chancel.jpg, Nave and chancel File:St Mary's Church, Bruton - geograph.org.uk - 666069.jpg, View from the east

References

External links

Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bruton, Saint Mary 14th-century church buildings in England Church of England church buildings in South Somerset Grade I listed churches in Somerset Grade I listed buildings in South Somerset Saint Mary