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The Church of St Mary Magdalene is the
Church of England parish church A parish church in the Church of England is the church which acts as the religious centre for the people within each Church of England parish (the smallest and most basic Church of England administrative unit; since the 19th century sometimes ca ...
for the village of Ditcheat,
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 England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
. There has been a church on the site since 824, and the present building owes much of its grandeur to the
Abbots of Glastonbury Abbot is an ecclesiastical title given to the male head of a monastery in various Western religious traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not the head of a monastery. The fem ...
.
Historic England Historic England (officially the Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission for England) is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. It is tasked wit ...
have designated it 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


Pre-conquest

The first church at Ditcheat is believed to have been founded in 824, though all traces of this building have disappeared with centuries of rebuilding. This date comes from an ancient parish book, found by Rev. Henry Tripp in an old chest during the early 1930s. In 842, Æthelwulf, King of Wessex, granted an estate of 25 hides of land in Ditcheat to Eanulf, a Somerset
ealdorman Ealdorman (, ) was a term in Anglo-Saxon England which originally applied to a man of high status, including some of royal birth, whose authority was independent of the king. It evolved in meaning and in the eighth century was sometimes applied ...
, which included the villages of Ditcheat and Lottisham. In 867, Eanulf, dying, gave the estate to the Abbot of Glastonbury.
Glastonbury Abbey Glastonbury Abbey was a monastery in Glastonbury, Somerset, England. Its ruins, a grade I listed building and scheduled ancient monument, are open as a visitor attraction. The abbey was founded in the 8th century and enlarged in the 10th. It wa ...
continued to manage the estate until the abbey was dissolved in 1539, as part of the Dissolution of the Monasteries.


12th and 13th centuries

In the 12th century, the church was demolished and rebuilt, and as such, no trace of the Saxon church remains. The Norman church that replaced it was likely
cruciform Cruciform is a term for physical manifestations resembling a common cross or Christian cross. The label can be extended to architectural shapes, biology, art, and design. Cruciform architectural plan Christian churches are commonly described ...
in plan, as was common with many churches built at that time. The present church also incorporates 12th-century work in the tower and transepts, which gives further evidence that the Norman church likely comprised a simple
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 ...
, tower,
transept A transept (with two semitransepts) is a transverse part of any building, which lies across the main body of the building. In cruciform churches, a transept is an area set crosswise to the nave in a cruciform ("cross-shaped") building withi ...
s and
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. Ove ...
. In the 13th century, during the reign of Henry III, the dedication of the church was altered to its present form of St Mary Magdalene. The previous dedication of the church is unknown. The 13th century also saw the rebuilding of the chancel, at the time only one storey high, in the
Early English Gothic English Gothic is an architectural style that flourished from the late 12th until the mid-17th century. The style was most prominently used in the construction of cathedrals and churches. Gothic architecture's defining features are pointed ...
style.


14th and 15th centuries

In the 14th century, the chancel was raised by a further stage, unusually by adding a row of windows directly on top of the old, giving the appearance of a two-storey building. During the final decades of the 15th centuries, the church saw major rebuilding, which included demolishing the old Norman transepts and nave, and rebuilding them in the Gothic style. The tower, primarily dating from the 12th century, was also heightened by adding an additional storey, and massive corner
buttress 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 (s ...
es added to the eastern corners to support the added weight. A fan vault was added to the empty space inside the tower; it was most likely a
lantern tower In architecture, the lantern tower is a tall construction above the junction of the four arms of a cruciform (cross-shaped) church, with openings through which light from outside can shine down to the crossing (so it also called a crossing lante ...
before this. A
rood loft The rood screen (also choir screen, chancel screen, or jubé) is a common feature in late medieval church architecture. It is typically an ornate partition between the chancel and nave, of more or less open tracery constructed of wood, stone, o ...
was added across the nave arch, separating the nave from the tower and east end.


16th and 17th centuries

The church saw much change again during the 16th and 17th centuries, including the removal of the rood loft and staircase, and damage caused by the
English Civil War The English Civil War (1642–1651) was a series of civil wars and political machinations between Parliamentarians (" Roundheads") and Royalists led by Charles I ("Cavaliers"), mainly over the manner of England's governance and issues of re ...
. The church, like many others, was damaged by
Oliver Cromwell Oliver Cromwell (25 April 15993 September 1658) was an English politician and military officer who is widely regarded as one of the most important statesmen in English history. He came to prominence during the 1639 to 1651 Wars of the Three Ki ...
and his forces, including smashing many stained glass windows, destroying monuments and furnishings, and decapitating the head from the churchyard cross. As such, many of the windows in the church, especially in the nave, are now made from clear glass.


18th - 20th centuries

In 1753, a gallery was erected across the western end, though this was removed just under a century later, in a restoration of 1850–1860. This restoration involved removing the galleries, re-roofing the chancel, and adding a new
reredos A reredos ( , , ) is a large altarpiece, a screen, or decoration placed behind the altar in a church. It often includes religious images. The term ''reredos'' may also be used for similar structures, if elaborate, in secular architecture, for ex ...
, north transept screen, and
choir stalls A choir, also sometimes called quire, is the area of a church or cathedral that provides seating for the clergy and church choir. It is in the western part of the chancel, between the nave and the sanctuary, which houses the altar and Church tab ...
. A new organ was added, also in the north transept, during 1888. In 1920, major restoration was required again and was carried out in three stages. The first stage, carried out from 1920 to 1924, involved recasting the church bells and restoring the tower and clock, at a cost of £1,731. The second stage, the largest and longest, involved the renewing of floors, seating, walls, heating apparatus, the restoration of the roofs of chancel, north transept and nave aisles, at a cost of £1,791. The third and final stage, lasting from 1931 to 1932, included the restoration of the nave and south transept roofs, and the pinnacles, parapets, and gables. This final stage was overseen by Mr W. D. Caroe, the Bath & Wells Diocesan Architect, and cost a further £793. During this work, a beautiful and rare 13th-century fresco painting of St Christopher was discovered in the north nave aisle. This was restored and opened up too, carried out by Mr P. L. Blevins of
Glasgow Glasgow ( ; sco, Glesca or ; gd, Glaschu ) is the most populous city in Scotland and the fourth-most populous city in the United Kingdom, as well as being the 27th largest city by population in Europe. In 2020, it had an estimated popul ...
, who bore the cost of restoring the fresco entirely. The total cost of the restoration project was £4,315, and the parish raised more than £2,600 of the total sum. Donations also arrived from further afield, including from
Gloucestershire Gloucestershire ( abbreviated Glos) is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn and the entire Forest of Dean. The county town is the city of Gl ...
,
London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
,
Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
, the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
, and
New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
.


21st century

As with all church buildings, constant maintenance is required to keep the building watertight and in good condition. Minor repair works have included new guttering and roof repairs. In January 2016, a significant patch of
dry rot Dry rot is wood decay caused by one of several species of fungi that digest parts of the wood which give the wood strength and stiffness. It was previously used to describe any decay of cured wood in ships and buildings by a fungus which resul ...
was discovered under the choir stalls in the chancel, and at the same time, the south transept roof required recovering. The total cost of these two works was more than £35,000.


Architecture


Plan

The church is built in a cruciform plan, with a four-bay aisled nave, transepts, three-bay chancel, and a low central tower. There is also a substantial south porch, almost transept-like in appearance. The church is built out of local
Blue Lias The Blue Lias is a geological formation in southern, eastern and western England and parts of South Wales, part of the Lias Group. The Blue Lias consists of a sequence of limestone and shale layers, laid down in latest Triassic and early Jurassi ...
stone. The church covers an area of , which according to the Church of England, makes it a "medium" sized building.


Exterior

The church has a grand west facade, with the aisles finishing in three-light windows, and the nave, a larger four-light windows, each one separated by buttresses. The aisles and nave are
embattled A battlement in defensive architecture, such as that of city walls or castles, comprises a parapet (i.e., a defensive low wall between chest-height and head-height), in which gaps or indentations, which are often rectangular, occur at interva ...
and feature three-light windows along their length, separated by buttresses. The nave
clerestory In architecture, a clerestory ( ; , also clearstory, clearstorey, or overstorey) is a high section of wall that contains windows above eye level. Its purpose is to admit light, fresh air, or both. Historically, ''clerestory'' denoted an upper l ...
buttresses finish in
pinnacle A pinnacle is an architectural element originally forming the cap or crown of a buttress or small turret, but afterwards used on parapets at the corners of towers and in many other situations. The pinnacle looks like a small spire. It was mainly ...
s that rise above the battlements. The 2nd bay of the south aisle is punctured by the large south
porch A porch (from Old French ''porche'', from Latin ''porticus'' "colonnade", from ''porta'' "passage") is a room or gallery located in front of an entrance of a building. A porch is placed in front of the facade of a building it commands, and form ...
, which are also
embattled A battlement in defensive architecture, such as that of city walls or castles, comprises a parapet (i.e., a defensive low wall between chest-height and head-height), in which gaps or indentations, which are often rectangular, occur at interva ...
, featuring pinnacles and
gargoyle In architecture, and specifically Gothic architecture, a gargoyle () is a carved or formed grotesque with a spout designed to convey water from a roof and away from the side of a building, thereby preventing it from running down masonry walls ...
s. There is a very small window in the upper level of the porch, but there is no evidence there was ever a floor giving access to the upper storey. The battlements above the nave clerestory are more substantial than their corresponding aisle battlements, appearing both thicker and longer. The north and south transepts are lower than the nave and chancel, the walls are only slightly higher than the nave aisles. They too are embattled, featuring pinnacles. There are three-light windows in the east and west faces of the transepts, with larger four-light windows in the north and south faces. The transepts have larger corner buttresses on their north and south
gable A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of intersecting roof pitches. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system used, which reflects climate, material availability, and aesth ...
s. The chancel is of three bays, features two rows of windows, the lower stage from the 13th century, and the upper from the 14th, giving the impression of a two-storey structure. The chancel also has an embattled parapet but features shields in
relief Relief is a sculptural method in which the sculpted pieces are bonded to a solid background of the same material. The term ''relief'' is from the Latin verb ''relevo'', to raise. To create a sculpture in relief is to give the impression that the ...
rather than pinnacles. The shields depict
Robert Stillington Robert Stillington (about 1405 – May 1491) was an English cleric and administrator who was Bishop of Bath and Wells from 1465 and twice served as Lord Chancellor under King Edward IV. In 1483 he was instrumental in the accession of King Richa ...
,
Bishop of Bath and Wells The Bishop of Bath and Wells heads the Church of England Diocese of Bath and Wells in the Province of Canterbury in England. The present diocese covers the overwhelmingly greater part of the (ceremonial) county of Somerset and a small area of Do ...
(1466–91), John Selwood,
Abbot of Glastonbury __NOTOC__ The Abbot of Glastonbury was the head (or abbot) of Anglo-Saxon and eventually Benedictine house of Glastonbury Abbey at Glastonbury in Somerset, England. The following is a list of abbots of Glastonbury: Abbots See also * Abbot's Ki ...
(1457–93), and John Gunthorp,
Dean of Wells The Dean of Wells is the head of the Chapter of Wells Cathedral in the Mendip district of Somerset, England. The dean's residence is The Dean's Lodging, 25 The Liberty, Wells. List of deans High Medieval *1140–1164: Ivo *1164–1189: Ric ...
. (1465–98). The lower windows of the chancel are two-light, the upper windows are three-light, and they differ in design. The eastern gable has a large three-light window, featuring unusual geometrical
tracery Tracery is an architecture, architectural device by which windows (or screens, panels, and vaults) are divided into sections of various proportions by stone ''bars'' or ''ribs'' of Molding (decorative), moulding. Most commonly, it refers to the s ...
. The central tower rises two stories above the present roof ridge and is supported by two massive corner buttresses on the south-east and north-east faces of the tower, added when the tower was heightened in the 15th century. The lower stories of the tower are 12th century in origin, and the old level of the Norman roof ridge can be seen on the western face. The tower must have been almost invisible before its heightening, as the roof ridge came right up to the top of the Norman work. It was heightened in the 15th century and features two-light boarded belfry windows, an embattled parapet,
weathervane A wind vane, weather vane, or weathercock is an instrument used for showing the direction of the wind. It is typically used as an architectural ornament to the highest point of a building. The word ''vane'' comes from the Old English word , m ...
and flagpole. The entrance to the tower is in the north nave aisle, where a short spiral staircase leads to the transept roof, and a further staircase ascends the north face of the tower, culminating in a weathervane.


Interior

The nave arcade is tall, the aisles narrow, and the nave light. There is little remaining stained glass in the nave, much of it was destroyed in the English Civil War. The nave clerestory has
corbel In architecture, a corbel is a structural piece of stone, wood or metal jutting from a wall to carry a superincumbent weight, a type of bracket. A corbel is a solid piece of material in the wall, whereas a console is a piece applied to the s ...
s that support the fine tie-beam roof, dating from the late 15th century. The aisle roofs are of simple
lean-to A lean-to is a type of simple structure originally added to an existing building with the rafters "leaning" against another wall. Free-standing lean-to structures are generally used as shelters. One traditional type of lean-to is known by its Finn ...
construction, featuring moulded ribs, bosses and angel corbels. The door to the former rood screen in the nave is still visible above the tower arches, and the corbels supporting the rood screen are visible underneath it. There is an intricately carved Jacobean pulpit in the nave, which stands on a stone base. There is also a 17th-century clerk's desk, and like the pulpit, this is intricately designed. The tower arches at the crossing are slightly bent in their central sections, indicating potential problems with the tower in the past, and the need for the massive supporting buttresses. Underneath the tower is a highly decorative stone fan vault, a hallmark of the Perpendicular Gothic style. The south transept, much like the nave, has little stained glass but does have several monuments, including an excellent 18th-century marble monument with a pediment and a bust. The north transept is mostly occupied by the organ but does have a 19th-century screen, incorporating some 17th century work. The transepts have
hagioscope A hagioscope (from Gr. ''άγιος'', holy, and ''σκοπεῖν'', to see) or squint is an architectural term denoting a small splayed opening or tunnel at seated eye-level, through an internal masonry dividing wall of a church in an obliq ...
s, to allow those seated in the transepts to see the altar. The chancel is the most richly decorated part of the building, featuring most of the surviving medieval stained glass in the church. The windows have beautiful geometric tracery, with similarities to the now ruinous
Tintern Abbey Tintern Abbey ( cy, Abaty Tyndyrn ) was founded on 9 May 1131 by Walter de Clare, Lord of Chepstow. It is situated adjacent to the village of Tintern in Monmouthshire, on the Welsh bank of the River Wye, which at this location forms the bo ...
in
Monmouthshire Monmouthshire ( cy, Sir Fynwy) is a county in the south-east of Wales. The name derives from the historic county of the same name; the modern county covers the eastern three-fifths of the historic county. The largest town is Abergavenny, with ...
, Wales, and decorative arches with carved foliage. The chancel roof is a simple 19th-century construction. It has
High Victorian Gothic High Victorian Gothic was an eclectic architectural style and movement during the mid-late 19th century. It is seen by architectural historians as either a sub-style of the broader Gothic Revival style, or a separate style in its own right. Promo ...
fittings, including choir stalls,
reredos A reredos ( , , ) is a large altarpiece, a screen, or decoration placed behind the altar in a church. It often includes religious images. The term ''reredos'' may also be used for similar structures, if elaborate, in secular architecture, for ex ...
and
altar An altar is a table or platform for the presentation of religious offerings, for sacrifices, or for other ritualistic purposes. Altars are found at shrines, temples, churches, and other places of worship. They are used particularly in paga ...
. The interior is mostly whitewashed
flagstone Flagstone (flag) is a generic flat stone, sometimes cut in regular rectangular or square shape and usually used for paving slabs or walkways, patios, flooring, fences and roofing. It may be used for memorials, headstones, facades and other con ...
, that of the north transept is left bare. The organ, situated in the north transept, is a moderately sized instrument, manufactured by W.G. Vowles of Bristol in 1888. The organ has a pitch-pine case and decorative pipes. It features two manuals, three
couplers Coupler may refer to: Engineering Mechanical * Railway coupler, a mechanism for connecting rolling stock in a train device ** Janney coupler ** SA3 coupler ** Scharfenberg coupler for multiple unit passenger cars * Quick coupler, used in constru ...
and a 16 ft swell.


Bells

During the 17th century, there were 4 bells at Ditcheat, comprising at least one 15th century bell. In 1685, these bells were augmented to five by Thomas Purdue of
Closworth Closworth is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, south of Yeovil in the South Somerset district, on the border with Dorset. The village has a population of 220. The parish includes the villages of Pendomer and Sutton Bingham, the lo ...
, who recast the tenor, and added a treble bell. In 1750, these were augmented to six with a treble cast by William Cockey, and all six bells rehung in a new anticlockwise wooden frame by George Nott. The tenor bell weighed 17 long hundredweight (860 kg). By 1902, restoration was required. The wooden frame from 1750 was in good condition and was strengthened with iron corner plates. The bells were all quarter-turned to reduce the wear on their soundbows, and they received new
gudgeon A gudgeon is a socket-like, cylindrical (i.e., ''female'') fitting attached to one component to enable a pivoting or hinging connection to a second component. The second component carries a pintle fitting, the male counterpart to the gudgeon, ...
s, bearings and clapper joints from
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, ...
of
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 larg ...
,
Leicestershire Leicestershire ( ; postal abbreviation Leics.) is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East Midlands, England. The county borders Nottinghamshire to the north, Lincolnshire to the north-east, Rutland to the east, Northamptonshire t ...
. The clock room floor was also removed to give ringers more headroom and the clock mechanism re-sited to the edge of the ringing chamber so that the bell ropes no longer pass through it. The bells were rededicated and reopened on 23 November 1902. In 1918, the 3rd bell cracked, and an estimate was obtained from John Taylor & Co for recasting the 3rd and augmenting the bells to eight with two new trebles. The estimate came to £772. However, only a year later, the 4th bell also cracked, so the estimate was revised to recasting all six bells, and augmenting them to eight. This new estimate came to £1,462. There was some caution to spending this money, money the village did not have, so a compromise was reached between the parish and John Taylor & Co. The terms of the contract, signed on 19 July 1920, says that the parish will pay any money they have upfront, and then pay any outstanding money as it comes in. No interest was to be charged on the outstanding balance in the first twelve months. The project began almost straight away, for Taylor's bell hanger was at Ditcheat in August to remove the old bells and frame. A problem occurred when it was discovered that in the 1902 restoration, the ringing chamber ceiling had been re-boarded, and no trapdoor had been included, for there was no expectation the bells would be lowered again so soon. Whilst this was well within the skill set of Taylor's bell hanger, it was not in the terms of the contract, so an additional charge of £53 was incurred for cutting a trapdoor. The bells were then lowered through the circular hatch in the fan vaulting into the church, and out into the churchyard. The bells were then sent by cart to nearby Evercreech Junction, and onto
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 larg ...
by train. In November, Taylor's invited the parish up to the foundry to witness the casting of the new bells. The new bells were cast on 14 December 1920 at 2 pm. The bells arrived back at Ditcheat via Evercreech Junction on 26 February 1921. The load involved the bells themselves, all new fittings for the bells, including ball bearings, a new cast iron frame, and two lengths of railway line. The lengths of railway line, purchased from the Somerset and Dorset Railway Company, were to be installed on the roof beams, to allow the hoist and tackle to be attached from which the bells would be lifted into the belfry. The frame was a very tight fit in the tower, for some of the stonework needed to be dressed to accommodate it. The new bells were dedicated on 11 April 1921 by Basil Willson, Bishop of Bath & Wells. The first peal on the new bells was on 14 May 1921, comprising 5040 changes of Grandsire Triples. Since recasting in 1920, the bells have received no major work on them. They are a ring of eight bells, the tenor weighing 24 long hundredweight and 4 pounds (1,221 kg), and are regarded as one of the finest rings of eight bells in the world. The bells all named after the Nine Fruits of the Spirit, and in order from smallest to largest, these are: 'Love', 'Joy', 'Peace', 'Longsuffering & Gentleness', 'Goodness', 'Faith', 'Meekness', and 'Temperance'. The bells are very popular with visiting ringers, with almost 200 full peals recorded on the present peal of bells. The bells are hung with traditional Taylor fittings, including cast iron headstocks,
ball bearing A ball bearing is a type of rolling-element bearing that uses balls to maintain the separation between the bearing races. The purpose of a ball bearing is to reduce rotational friction and support radial and axial loads. It achieves this ...
s, gudgeons, wrought iron clappers, and Hasting stays. They recently celebrated their 100th anniversary.


See also

*
List of Grade I listed buildings in Mendip Mendip is a local government district in the English county of Somerset. The Mendip district covers a largely rural area of ranging from the Mendip Hills through on to the Somerset Levels. It has a population of approximately 11,000. The admini ...
*
List of towers in Somerset The Somerset towers, church towers built in the 14th to 16th centuries, have been described as among England's finest contributions to medieval art. The paragraphs and descriptions below describe features of some of these towers. The organization ...
*
List of ecclesiastical parishes in the Diocese of Bath and Wells The ecclesiastical parishes within the Diocese of Bath and Wells cover the majority of the English county of Somerset and small areas of Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire. The episcopal seat of the Bishop of Bath and Wells is in the ...


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ditcheat, Saint Mary Magdalene Grade I listed churches in Somerset Church of England church buildings in Mendip District 12th-century church buildings in England Grade I listed buildings in Mendip District