Church of St Mary Magdalene, Winsford
Encyclopedia
The Church of St Mary Magdalene in Winsford
, Somerset
, England dating back to the Norman
period before the 13th century and has been designated by English Heritage
as a Grade I listed building.
Winsford church is dedicated to St Mary Magdalene
and was partly restored in 1858. The tower, which is 90 feet (27.4 m) high, was constructed in three stages. There are six bell
s; the four heaviest were made by Thomas Bilbie
in Cullompton
in 1765.
Within the church is a fine painted panel
created in 1609 during the reign of King James I
. The ironwork
on the inner doors of the church is thought to date from the 13th century, originating from the priory of St Nichola in Barlynch
, and the font
is from the Norman
period. The organ
was installed c. 1900, being delivered by horse-drawn wagon
from nearby Dulverton
. The church register dates back to 1660.
Winsford, Somerset
Winsford is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, located about north-west of Dulverton.It is within the borders of the Exmoor National Park and around south-west of the coastal town of Minehead. The village has two hotels, Karslake House Hotel and the Royal Oak, both dating to before...
, 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 dating back to the 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...
period before the 13th century and has been designated by English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
as a Grade I listed building.
Winsford church is dedicated to St Mary Magdalene
Mary Magdalene
Mary Magdalene was one of Jesus' most celebrated disciples, and the most important woman disciple in the movement of Jesus. Jesus cleansed her of "seven demons", conventionally interpreted as referring to complex illnesses...
and was partly restored in 1858. The tower, which is 90 feet (27.4 m) high, was constructed in three stages. There are six bell
Church bell
A church bell is a bell which is rung in a church either to signify the hour or the time for worshippers to go to church, perhaps to attend a wedding, funeral, or other service...
s; the four heaviest were made by Thomas Bilbie
Bilbie family
The Bilbie family were bell founders and clockmakers based initially in Chew Stoke, Somerset and later at Cullompton, Devon in south-west England from the late 17th century to the early 19th century....
in Cullompton
Cullompton
Cullompton is a civil parish and town in Devon, England, locally known as Cully. It is miles north-north-east of Exeter and lies on the River Culm. In 2010 it had a population of 8,639 and is growing rapidly....
in 1765.
Within the church is a fine painted panel
Panel painting
A panel painting is a painting made on a flat panel made of wood, either a single piece, or a number of pieces joined together. Until canvas became the more popular support medium in the 16th century, it was the normal form of support for a painting not on a wall or vellum, which was used for...
created in 1609 during the reign of King James I
James I of England
James VI and I was King of Scots as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the English and Scottish crowns on 24 March 1603...
. The ironwork
Ironwork
Ironwork is any weapon, artwork, utensil or architectural feature made of iron especially used for decoration. There are two main types of ironwork wrought iron and cast iron. While the use of iron dates as far back as 4000BC, it was the Hittites who first knew how to extract it and develop weapons...
on the inner doors of the church is thought to date from the 13th century, originating from the priory of St Nichola in Barlynch
Barlynch Priory
Barlynch Priory in Brompton Regis, Somerset, England was Augustinian priory founded, by William de Say, between 1154 and 1189 and dissolved in 1537....
, and 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 from the Norman
Normans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
period. The organ
Organ (music)
The organ , is a keyboard instrument of one or more divisions, each played with its own keyboard operated either with the hands or with the feet. The organ is a relatively old musical instrument in the Western musical tradition, dating from the time of Ctesibius of Alexandria who is credited with...
was installed c. 1900, being delivered by horse-drawn wagon
Wagon
A wagon is a heavy four-wheeled vehicle pulled by draught animals; it was formerly often called a wain, and if low and sideless may be called a dray, trolley or float....
from nearby Dulverton
Dulverton
Dulverton is a town and civil parish in the heart of West Somerset, England, near the border with Devon. The town has a population of 1,630. The parish includes the hamlets of Battleton and Ashwick which is located approximately north west of Dulverton...
. The church register dates back to 1660.