The Anglican Church of St Mary Magdalene in Withiel Florey,

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 built in the 12th century. It is a Grade II*

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

Parts of the church date back to the 12th century. In 1110 it was the property of

Taunton Priory Taunton Priory, or the Priory of St Peter and St Paul, was an Augustinian house of canons founded c. 1115 by William Gyffarde (also called William Giffard), Bishop of Winchester and Chancellor of England near Taunton, Somerset, England. Histo ...

. In the 15th century the

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 ...

was extended and the tower and porch added. In 1848 a

Victorian restoration The Victorian restoration was the widespread and extensive refurbishment and rebuilding of Church of England churches and cathedrals that took place in England and Wales during the 19th-century reign of Queen Victoria. It was not the same proc ...

was carried out and the

vestry A vestry was a committee for the local secular and ecclesiastical government for a parish in England, Wales and some English colonies which originally met in the vestry or sacristy of the parish church, and consequently became known colloquiall ...

added. In 1959 proposals were made to demolish the church. These were defeated and further restoration undertaken. The parish is part of the

Dulverton Dulverton is a small town and civil parish in west Somerset, England, near the border with Devon. The town had a population of 1,408 at the 2011 Census. The parish includes the hamlets of Battleton and Ashwick which is located approximately ...

with Brushford,

Brompton Regis Brompton Regis (formerly known as Kingsbrompton) is a village and civil parish in the Somerset West and Taunton district of Somerset, England about north-east of Dulverton. It is situated on the River Pulham in the Brendon Hills within the Exmoo ...

, Upton, Skilgate and Withiel Florey benefice within the Diocese of Bath and Wells.

Architecture

The stone building has red sandstone dressings and a slate roof. It consists of a two-Bay (architecture), bay

, two-bay chancel with two-storey

and a south porch. The aisle is long and wide. The two-stage tower is supported by diagonal buttresses. Inside the church is a Norman architecture, Norman Baptismal font, font. Most of the other fitting including the pulpit, harmonium and wrought iron altar rails are from the Victorian era.

References

{{reflist Grade II* listed buildings in West Somerset Grade II* listed churches in Somerset