Church of St Andrew, Congresbury
Encyclopedia
The Anglican Church of St Andrew in Congresbury
, Somerset
, England dates from the 13th century and has been designated as a Grade I listed building.
Congresbury is named after St Congar
, who is said to have performed three miracles in the area. The second part of the name is thought to come from burh meaning fortified place. The archaeologist Mick Aston
identified an Anglo-Saxon
sculpture of St Congar which is believed to have come from St Andrews Church, and which is now in the Somerset County Museum
in Taunton
.
The present church was consecrated by Bishop Jocelin of Wells
on 11 July 1215.
The church was remodelled in the 15th century, in a Perpendicular style; further restorations followed in 1825, 1856 and 1950-2. The nave
includes pillars with decorated stone corbel
s supporting the wooden roof timbers and carved bosses
. The organ, which was rebuilt in 1967 is in the chancel
. The Merle chapel was formerly known as the Chapel of St Congar. The font
is Norman
. The tower is surmounted by a spire which rises to 120 feet (36.6 m).
The parish is part of the benefice
of Congresbury with Puxton
and Hewish St Ann within the deanery of Locking.
Congresbury
Congresbury is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England. It is situated in the Unitary authority of North Somerset, and in 2001 had a population of 3,400. It lies on the A370, roughly equidistant between Junction 21 of the M5 and Bristol Airport, approximately south of Bristol city centre,...
, Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, England dates from the 13th century and has been designated as a Grade I listed building.
Congresbury is named after St Congar
Congar of Congresbury
Saint Congar , was a Welsh abbot and supposed bishop in Somerset, now in England....
, who is said to have performed three miracles in the area. The second part of the name is thought to come from burh meaning fortified place. The archaeologist Mick Aston
Mick Aston
Professor Michael Antony 'Mick' Aston is a prominent English archaeologist. As an academic, he has taught at a number of universities across the United Kingdom, and has helped popularise the discipline amongst the British public by appearing as the resident academic on the Channel 4 television...
identified an Anglo-Saxon
Anglo-Saxons
Anglo-Saxon is a term used by historians to designate the Germanic tribes who invaded and settled the south and east of Great Britain beginning in the early 5th century AD, and the period from their creation of the English nation to the Norman conquest. The Anglo-Saxon Era denotes the period of...
sculpture of St Congar which is believed to have come from St Andrews Church, and which is now in the Somerset County Museum
Somerset County Museum
The Museum of Somerset is located in the 12th century great hall of Taunton Castle, in Taunton in the county of Somerset, England. The museum is run by Somerset County Council and includes objects initially collected by the Somerset Archaeological and Natural History Society who own the...
in Taunton
Taunton
Taunton is the county town of Somerset, England. The town, including its suburbs, had an estimated population of 61,400 in 2001. It is the largest town in the shire county of Somerset....
.
The present church was consecrated by Bishop Jocelin of Wells
Jocelin of Wells
Jocelin of Wells, also known as Jocelinus Thoteman or Jocelin Troteman, was a medieval Bishop of Bath and Wells. He was the brother of Hugh de Wells, who became Bishop of Lincoln. Jocelin became a canon of Wells Cathedral before 1200, and was elected bishop in 1206...
on 11 July 1215.
The church was remodelled in the 15th century, in a Perpendicular style; further restorations followed in 1825, 1856 and 1950-2. The nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
includes pillars with decorated stone corbel
Corbel
In architecture a corbel is a piece of stone jutting out of a wall to carry any superincumbent weight. A piece of timber projecting in the same way was called a "tassel" or a "bragger". The technique of corbelling, where rows of corbels deeply keyed inside a wall support a projecting wall or...
s supporting the wooden roof timbers and carved bosses
Boss (architecture)
In architecture, a boss is a knob or protrusion of stone or wood.Bosses can often be found in the ceilings of buildings, particularly at the intersection of a vault. In Gothic architecture, such roof bosses are often intricately carved with foliage, heraldic devices or other decorations...
. The organ, which was rebuilt in 1967 is in the chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
. The Merle chapel was formerly known as the Chapel of St Congar. The font
Baptismal font
A baptismal font is an article of church furniture or a fixture used for the baptism of children and adults.-Aspersion and affusion fonts:...
is Norman
Norman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
. The tower is surmounted by a spire which rises to 120 feet (36.6 m).
The parish is part of the benefice
Benefice
A benefice is a reward received in exchange for services rendered and as a retainer for future services. The term is now almost obsolete.-Church of England:...
of Congresbury with Puxton
Puxton
Puxton is a village and civil parish, north west of Axbridge in the Unitary Authority of North Somerset within the ceremonial county of Somerset, England.The civil parish includes the isolated hamlets of East Hewish and West Hewish.-History:...
and Hewish St Ann within the deanery of Locking.