All-Saints-Monksilver-Church-Guide

INTRODUCTION

WELCOME TO this little gem of a church which is dedicated to the Glory of God and in honour of All Saints. Do have a good look around and say a prayer for those who built it and those who now try to maintain it for God's greater glory. We hope that you will find your visit to be a time of quiet, peaceful, reflection - unless, of course, you have come to take pan in a joyous celebration, such as a wedding or a baptism! As the Parish Church, it was built to serve people living in the Parish of Monksilver. That remains its primary function but now, as one of seven churches in the Quantock Towers Benefice, it also serves the wider community under the guidance of our Rector, the Rev'd Elfrida Savigear. In Monksilver, a village that has been continually occupied by humans for at least a thousand years, the church is both the oldest and, arguably, the most important building - for several different reasons. Each visitor will rank these according to their own experience and viewpoint. Not wishing to impose, we will treat them in alphabetical order:- Architectural: This is a successful building! T here is no reason to believe that it has not stood here for a very long time; the list of Rectors in the south aisle runs only from 1324 but it is probable that Priests were sent to minister here well before that. No building can survive for centuries without maintenance so there is a long history of modification lalteration Irestoration to be unravelled by the cognoscente. Historical: This is a building that has been in continual use for the same purpose for eight hundred or more years; families have worshiped their God, children have been brought here for baptism, couples have been wed and the dead have been buried. Records have been kept of all these events down the centuries and are the prime resource for local historians. [Only the the current books are kept here, but earlier ones may be examined, by appoinnnent, in the Somerset Records Office.] Local people have wanted their loved ones to be remembered after their death and the churchyard is rich with memorials of one kind or another. Religious: The primary purpose of the building has always been as a venue for services in praise of God. Details oflanguage, phraseology, ritual and ceremony have evolved over the years but the intentions have remained much the same. So, Before describing the many interesting architectural features, we wish to concentrate your attention on four very important items of 'furniture' which mark this building as a Christian Church; the Font, the Altar, the Lectern and the Pulpie.

The Font The Font was the immediate focus of our attention as we came in; otherwise, we might have walked into itl (Fig. I). This siting is intentional, for the font's only use is during the sacrament of Baptism, the 'Christening' ceremony that welcomes new members into the fellowship of the Church. Sight of the font reminds all Christians

2 FIG. I . Church interior, as seen from the pulpit. Note the font, under its monumental wooden cover, the poor box and modem equ ivalent just inside the door. the bell ropes hanging down into the (curtained off) ri nging chamber and, to the right, the organ. of their own baptism and of the promises they made (or were made for them) during that service. A sacrament is a ceremony that incorporates an appropriate sign to commemorate an important event. In the case of baptism, Christians remember that Jesus received the H oly Spiri t follO\ving baptism in the River Jordan by John the Baptist - the first event in his life that is recorded in all four of the Gospels. Our sacrament of baptism is a prayer that we, too, will receive the H oly Spirit after bein g splashed wi th consecrated water.

The A/tar Once inside the church, all eyes are drawn to the east window. Below it stands a symbolic altar - the focus for all servi ces other than Baptism. In ancient times, altars were the sites of sacrifices of one kind or another; but not in the Christian church. H ere they remind us of Christ's own "full , perfect and sufficient sacrifice" on the cross "for the sins of the whole world". T he altar, or Lord's Table, also serves as the

3 FIG. 2. From Font to Altar: Looking east up the nave to the chancel, and the altar standing beneath the east window .. The brass-topped poles, 'wands' , indicate pews occupied by the churchwardens.

'sideboard' when, in the sacrament of Holy Communion (Eucharist), we consume a symbolic meal of bread and wine in remembrance of the last supper shared by Christ and his disciples before the crucifixion.

TbeLectern An injll11ction published in the name of King Henry vm, on 3 September 1538, charged parish clergy "That ye shall provide ... one book of the whole Bible of the largest volume in English, and the same set up in some convenient place within the said church that ye have cure of, whereas your parishioners may most commodiously resort to the same and read it." (You will notice that Henry had no intention of providing the bibles himself). Our lectern, in the fonn of a wooden eagle with outspread wings, obeys that injunction.

4 FIG. 3. FIG. 4. The Lectern, in its 'resting position'; in use it The Pulpit, from a photograph taken in 1933 is swung oul into the aisle TbePulpit Traditionally, this is where the preacher stands to deliver the sermon - nowad ays a short address designed to help a 21st century congregation to appreciate the meaning of the passage of scripture that has just been read from the Bible.

MONKSaVER The name is generally considered to mean 'Monkswood' [silva = Latin for 'an area of woodland '] but other derivations are possible. The earli est written account to mention th e manor (that we know of) is the Exeter Domesday Book, commonly ca ll ed the Gheld Inquest of 1084. lt is also mentioned in the Domesday Book itself (1086), and is there called Selvre and Selui. According to the Domesday Book, the manor of Selver was held by Alured d'Epaignes (the Spaniard) whose daughter, Isabella, married Robert de Chandos (d. 1120), the Norman who is said to have added the territory around Caerleon, in Monmouthshire, to Norman England. Perhaps as an act of penitence, Robert and Isabella founded a Priory at Goldcliff (modern spelling) on the Gwent Levels in 1 J 13 , and endowed it with great possessions of lands, churches, tithes, et cetera, sinlate or derived from various parts of Somerset and Devon. Included in this were the church and land of the parish of Monksilver. T he following words relate to this portion of the gift in the deed which they executed :-"Et maneruim mewn in Somerset quod vocatur Selver cum omnibus pertinenbus suis Ecdesiam de Selver." [And my manor in Somerset with everything relating to the church at Selver.]

5 Caerleon •

WALES

Bristol Channel

ENGLAND

• Monksilver FIG. 5. An approximate map of the Upper Bristol Channel (modem coastline) to show the relative positions of Monksilver and Goldcliff If you think in terms of land-communications, travel berween Monksilver and Goldcliff would appear inconvenient to say the least. Not so by water; if you leave Watchet on a rising tide with a southwesterly wind you would be there in rwo or three hours. de Chandos was persuaded, by King Henry 1, to give his Priory to the Abbey of Bec, in Normandy, from which mother church a prior and twelve monks were dispatched get the place up and running. It is tempting to speculate that the Bec Abbey stonemasons came on to Somerset and rebuilt Monksilver Church, once they had finished the priory, for the present building dates from about that time. In the 14405, GoldcLiff PriOty was annexed to the Abbey ofTewkesbury, but it does not appear to have thrived thereafter. Early in his reign, Edward N (1461 -83) transferred the income (including rents due from MonksiIver) to the provost and fellows of Eton College; in 1475, the Dean and Canons of St George's, Windsor presented to the living. Not until L803, when the whole village was bought by The Revd George Notley was there a 'Lord of the Manor'; Dean and Chapter retained the advowson. This historical note is included to explain the, otherwise surprising, difference berween this and other local churches, for example, Nettlecombe. There, the walls and windows are resplendent with memorials; all to churchmen, to members of the family living in the Court or to their staff. In Monksilver, even if the villagers could have afforded memorials, none would have had the right to erect one in the church.

ALL SAINTS CHURCH The church we see today comprises chancel and nave, with a south chapel and

6 FIG. 6. Monksilver Church from the southeast in 1836. Note the absence of a clock and the current ridge tiles. The stump of the medieval cross is in the foreground. directly in Jine with the rood tower. It is not possible to stand in this position now in order to take an equivalent photograph. south aisle, and a west tower; essentially the same structure as was drawn in 1836 (Fig. 6). The earliest written record of its presence was in 1291 but there was a church on this site long before that. Unlike the adjacent parish of Stogumber, no church was recorded here in the Domesday Survey but, as Neville Swinburn, a fonner incumbent, speculated in t.he first edition of tills guide, t.here may have been a simple building or perhaps just a cross and meeting place. However, we may be certain that a church was well-established by 1113 - or how could Robert de Chandos have established his Goldcliff Priory with omnibus pertinenbus of the Ecdesiam de Selver? One is often recommended to begin the exploration of a church from the outside. Walking around, the visitor is immediately struck by the differences between the south (Fig. 5) and north (Fig. 6) aspects. According to Mary Siraut (1988), "the north wall of the chancel and, possibly, that of the nave are of the 12th century. The tower . .. . (is) of the 14th century." Swinburn (1975) wrote "The tower is fairly early; see how pla in it is, so much like the other Norman work in the area, but perhaps not as old as King Stephen (1135- 1154), when many say it was built. In looking for clues as to date. take no notice of the larger battlemented top, as this was added about 1842 when large works of restoration were done throughout the church." 7 FIG. 7. Monksilver Church from the northeast in 2006. A much plainer - and older - facade. The infilling, le ft arrow, bel ween chancel and nave, is the access slaircase for Ihe pulpi!. The black melal 'cross', righl arrow, is Ihe head of Ihe bolt supporting Ihe screen. In the absence of contemporary documentary evidence, it is impossible to date the tower with any precision but, examining the stonework at the base of the tower (Fig. 8), there is no obvious discontinuity between nave and tower which is indeed bui lt in the Norman style . A mid-twelfth century da te falls about forty years after the founding of the Goldcliff Priory when it is conceivable that their workforce of stonemasons might have become available for the task. Neville Swinburn must have been wrong, however, in dating the battlements to 1842 - as they are present in the 1836 drawing. The most obvious changes to the tower, since 1836, have been the addition of a clock and its subsequent replacement with a better one. The detail is more confusing as the church has had a clock since at least 1699 when the sum of £1.17. Id was "paid for making ye clock and for paper to make Wm. Apsey his bond". In 17l0, £6.0.0 was paid to George Slade for a new clock, along with 18/9d for "lead weights 105 lbs. and case; 117 for board and setting up ye clock; 210 for a plank to sett ye clock; 5/4 for a 45 foot board for ye clock house; 218 for a carpenter's wages (two days); 3/6 for a bond and duty to keep ye clock in order; 116 for nails and spirks fo r ye clockhouse and fourpence for oyle for ye clock, &c." It would seem, from Fig. 6, that wherever the clock house was, originally, the clock face was not on the east side of the tower. When placed there, some time berween 1836 and 1845 , it was probably difficult to decipher for, in 1863, the present much larger clock was 8 FIG. 8. The walled-up former North Door to the nave and. to the right. the base of the tower.

FIG. 9. A drawing dated 1845. showing an earlier clock in position.

9 1845, it was probably difficult to decipher for, in 1863, the present much larger clock was given by Miss Gatchell (a noted benefactor to the church and the local poor) in memory of her brother. It dates from 182 5, having originally been working elsewhere. By the early 1970's, the clock was in urgent need of restoration; the necessary £700 was raised and, by 1975, it was now going again with a new mechanism installed which enabled it to be electrically wound. Moving round the base of the tower, we realise that there is no West Door (Fig. 10). Any surprise occasioned by this fact gives way to immediate understanding on the ground; the land rises so steeply that it would never have been possible to effect easy access via a door in this position. On the south side of the tower, another tall structure has been added as a lean to. The door at the bottom gives access to a narrow spiral staircase leading to the clock chamber. Before the electrical winding mechanism was installed, some unfortunate person had to climb these stairs, once a week, to ,vind up the weights. That this was not the original means of access to the tOwer is seen in the space between the stairs and the porch where a walled-up doorway reveals that access to a former staircase was from inside the church. Access to the bells is up a vertical ladder from the clock chamber. They have had a long and eventful history. Regular use necessitated frequent repairs, as shown by the following extracts from church records:- In 1610, George Purdew was paid 20s for metal; £4.1 Os for casting the great bell. In 162 3, the same man was paid £4 for casting a bell (at Bagborough) and metal. In 1675 , Christopher Pennington was paid £8 lOs. In 1678, Wm. Apse, for casting the 4th bell, &c., £20. In 1684, Robert Purdue was paid £24 2s . for casting the big bell, but this was not satisfactory, and it was again re-cast. In 1730, Mr. Thomas Wroth was paid £14 14s. , for casting the bell, &c. At present there are five bells. The 1st bell has the following inscription: "The gift of George Notley, Esq."My treble voice Makes hearts rejoice." John Kingston, Bridgwater, 1815. The 2nd is a pre-Reformation bell made by Roger Semson. of Ash Priors, 1548-9. "SANCTO PETER - PAVLE ORATE P. NOBIS." The 3rd, "George Norman, churchwarden, 1675" - presumably the one that cost £8.10s. 4th, "J. Jenkins, churchwarden; John Kingston, Bridgwater, 1815 ." 5th, tenor, G. Mears, founder London, 1860. R. Kidner, W J. Dibble, churchwardens; Rev. G. P. Beaumont, curate."May all those whom I summon to the grave receive the blessing of a well-spent life, 1870." This is a passing bell and the inscription is very interesting since it is a prayer for the dead which even now the Church of England does not seem to be able to get itself to admit it does. In 1910, the West Somerset Free Press published the following: "During Advent of 1908, it was found that the wooden frames of the bells were in an unsafe condition and the necessary repairs would cost about £120. In spite of the difficulty of obtaining any large sum from a parish consisting almost entirely of working men, the greater part of the money was raised locally; the people having responded

10 Flo. 10. The Tower from the southwest. FIo. II . Between the stair tower and the porch TI,e later addition gives access to the bell is another walled-up old doorway chamber and the clock .

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FlO. 12. The Bellringers FlO. 13 . A statuette of the stand on the noor at the base of the tower . madonna and child over the porch door (Leonard Colston ShepJzerd)

11 splendidly to the appeal. The bells have now been rehung (by John Sully of Stogumber) and the re-opening service was fixed for \Vednesday June 151910. All afternoon the long-silent bells rang their peal of joy and thanksgiving and, in the evening, summoned all who heard them to worship and rejoice in the House of God. The church was practically full when the rector of the parish, Rev. O. F. Chorley, with several of the neighbouring clergy, entered the church, having vested in the school. The service was Evensong, with special hymns and collects. The hearty singing of the hymns and the attentive silence of the people during the address (by Rev. E. Sterrey) showed that the lesson of the bells had gone home and that these hardworking villagers had learnt, in the words of the text, to 'Rejoice in the Lord alway.'" The yew (Taxus baccata) that overshadows the entrance to the church is probably that planted by the blacksmith, Robert Goody, in 1770. The porch and south aisle are obviously one structure, added on to the chancel! navel tower some time after the latter had been built: they are of a very different architectural style. Sit·aut (\ 985) ascribes this work to the 15th century. The little statue of a mother and child (Mary and Jesus) over the entrance door was placed in the niche where one always should have been (Fig. 13) by the family of George MacTaggart who was responsible for much good work during his incumbency (1915 -192 7). The other stone carvings along the side of the south aisle are worth close examination - even though they could be considered to be in serious need of conservation. Other authors have described them as 'gargoyles' but that word is usually defined as a "water spout projecting from the parapet of a wall or tower; carved into a human or animal shape" e.g. Betjeman, J., (\ 958). Collins Guide to Ellglisl1 Paljsh Churches. With one exception, these carvings do not have, and never have had, water spouts running through them. A former Bishop of Bath and Wells (Bishop Button, 13 th Century) was supposed to be patron saint of toothache sufferers (and everyone who takes the tour around Wells Cathedral will be shown the relevant carvings). It is interesting to see a similar piece of carving (Fig. 15) here at Monksilver, amongst representations of various imaginary animals. Most people, who have written about this church in the past, have commented on the flat-topped window in the south aisle (Fig. 14), flanked by two arched ones on either side. There is no reason to suppose that this is a subsequent alteration. The tower near the southeastern corner of the south aisle (Fig. 14) was built to accommodate another spiral staircase, this time to gain access to the rood on top of a screen, inside the church, which, in medieval times, protected the (often Norman) priests and sacred items in the chancel from the profane (Anglo-Saxon) villagers who milled around in the nave. Rather obviously, the priest required access to his chancel without having to go through the nave - and it would seem likely that the doorway in the south wall was In the churchyard, close to the rood tower, stands an ornate cross (Fig. 16). Its 12 FIG. 14. Odd man out in the South Aisle The ri ghl hand window, beside the rood lower, ha a fl at top instead of an arch .

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FIG. 15. Stone carviog FIG. 16. A third walled-up doorway, over the fl at-topped wiodow, depicting a on the south wall of the chancel. The two sufferer of toothache wiodows match those on the left of Fig. 14 provided for that purpose (Fig. 16). With the Reformation, came a desire to si mplify services and make them more relevant to English men and women. Rood screens were removed and there was no longer any need for a draughty door in the chancel wall. 13 In the churchyard, close to the rood tower, stands an ornate cross (Fig. 16). Its weathered appearance may suggest antiquity but, as it does not appear in Fig. 9, it must have been put up since 1845. It is, however, seen to be on the site of a medieval cross that probably had its top mocked off in d,e festivities associated with the Civil War. The remains of the old Cross were a fine Fourteenth century socket and part of a shaft (Fig. 9). What we see now is not a restoration of the original Cross but simply a handsome memorial monument (Fig. 16), built in 1864 by J. Seymour of Taunton, to the Revd W F. Chilcott and his wife; he was Rector from 1826- 1863 . Inside the Church In days of yore and long ago, the church porch was an important meeting place for vi llagers; just about the only neutral venue available for settling squabbles and closing bargains of one kind or anomer. T hat is one reason for its considerable size and for the provision of benches. It was the common practice for Norman halls to have two doors, facing one another, and the tradition was carried over to include churches. Some local churches, e.g., Stogumber, still have both doors in use, although one is only used occasionally. In both Monksilver and Nettlecombe, only one door remains and, very sensibly, Monksilver chose to retain the south-facing one for, the porch must have been a warm and sheltered spot in which to sit - until Robert Goody's yew tree plunged it into perpetual shade. In all probability, the original twelfth century church also had a porch on this site, and Siraut (1985) was certain that one was present in the fourteenth century, but it would seem that all now visible dates from me fifteenm century addition. In her opinion, the roof (Fig. 17) is mainly sixteenth century. However, to the right of old church door, may be seen a recess; the remains of a stoup. It would have held holy water and was used by worshippers about to enter the church, who would have dipped in meir fingers in preparation for making a sign of the cross upon their foreheads to remind themselves of their baptism and meir need to be cleansed from sin. The outer doors, probably those fitted in 1715 to exclude livestock and pets, had a wire mesh added in the 20m century to keep out swallows and reduce the number of dead leaves mat would otherwise have drifted in. The old, heavy inner door, still carries its medieval ironwork, complete with a sanctuary ring; if you managed to grab that before you were caught, you could claim sanctuary in me church! The door opens inward and you are immediately confronted with two steps down into the nave . We are not aware that anybody has fallen, in recent years, but the risk is there. The 12th century builders required a level floor and, on this sloping site, had to dig me west end into the bank. The alternative, building up the eastern end of the site with material excavated from elsewhere would have proved disastrous in the years before foundations had been thought of; it would not have

14 FIG. 17. The Victorian Memorial Cross

FIG. 18. The Porch ceiling 15 FIG. 19. The inner arch FIG. 20. The tower arch, and the west window marks the outline of the former north door. are aligned with the chancel roof, rather than the aisle down the middle of the nave. been possible to compress the loose material homogeneously to take the weight of the walls evenly. The tower stands on Upper D evonian bedrock - Sticklepath Slate, a division of the Morte Slate series. Some of this material appears to have been used in the walls but mostly they used Devonian Limestone, which outcrops nearby and was quarried until 184 1. As you enter the church, you see, in front of you, the location of the former north door (Fig. 19 cf Figs 7 and 8). Seali ng it up obviously increased the area in the nave available for seating and undoubtedly reduced the draughts. It must have been a very inconvenient opening; on the outside, the apex of the arch is less than six feet from the ground gutter so, assuming tllat the inner arch of Fig. 19 is the other side of the same stonework, we realise that there must have been steps rising some three feet inside the church and more up to the ground level outside. Perhaps it was so impractical that the steps were removed and it became a window. If so, it was walled up in 1674. (A north window WaS closed off in that year and it is ha rd to see where else it might have been.) Looking east, along the length of the church, the most striking feature is the asymmetry of chancel and chancel arch - which is symmetrical to the nave (Fig. 21). If you walk up the nave to the doorway in the screen, and turn back to look west, you will see (Fig. 20) tllat the tower arch is right-of-centre in the nave's west wall; there is more buttress visible on the left side.

16 FIG. 21. Asymmetry of the chancel arch and chancel roof It is now generally accepted that the chancel (the area beyond the screen in Fig. 21) and the north wall of the nave (the left-hand wall on this side of the screen) are the oldest parts of the church (Siraut 1985), followed by the tower - or, at least, its base. It would seem the the original south wall of the nave, which, presumably, was some feet further south than the present arcade - symmetrical with the north wall - was demolished and the new structure built, narrowing the nave to its present proportions. It is not known why this was done, but it may have been in order to reduce the width of the roof span or to make room for the south aisle without interfering with whatever ceremonies were associated with the medieval cross in the churchyard.

17 Just inside the door (Fig. 1) is the Poor Box (Fig. 22) where those parishioners who were able to contributed to the expense of supporting poor people living locally. It is a sad refl ection on the times, but it is now deemed necessary to collect money in a locked metal wallsafe! In the first edition of this guide (Swinburn, 1975), the roof of the nave (Fig. 23) was considered to be the best feature of this church. "It is a wagon roof and one of the oldest and best in the locality .. and probably dates from the thirteenth century." If true, that suggests a date for a south wa ll in its present position. It is interesting to conjecture the purpose of the small stops, projecting from the walls immediately below the roof (Fig. 24). Could FIG. 22. they have supported small hammer beams A drawing of the Poor Box by associated with an earlier roof? Leonard Colston Shepherd

FIG. 23. The Nave roof

18 FIG . 24. The south wall plate of the Nave roof to show the 'supports ' (one arrowed), anchored in the wall. but not supponing anything

At the from of the nave, our attention is focused on the pulpit, the screen and the lectern. The pulpit (Fig. 4), thought by Swinburn (1975) to be Jacobean, is evidently made up of fragments of ca rved oak, possibly (probably?) from of the old screen that was removed at the time of the Reformation. Its position allows the preacher to see the whole congregation (apart from the benches behind pillars) so it was probably established after the south aisle had been built. But it was in place by 1672 for there is an entry in the churchwardens' accounts for a seat to be provided therein, although there is no sign of one now; nor ofthe door; added in 1679. Extra comforts for the Rector, delivering his address whilst seated, protected from draughts by his door? Does this suggest long sermons? an hour glass had been purchased in 1642 1 Perhaps, but we note a rapid turnover of Priests at this time with fi ve different Rectors holding the living between 1672 and 1679; perhaps the first fo ur of them were old men, retired from Windsor. Although not the original rood screen, the strucrure seen today - added in the Victorian restoration of 1842 - is probably in the original place. We do not suggest that this woodwork dates from that year, but that it was brought here around that time. It is held in place with a long bolt, the head of which is in the centre of a black cross on the north wall of the nave (Fig. 7) whilst the nut is on the north wall of the chapel at the east end of the south aisle. The original purpose of a screen, as mentioned before, was to protect the priest(s) and sacred items from defilement by the hoi polloi. It may not have had a

19 FIG. 25. In the chancel, FIG. 26. There is no opening in the present the pillar at the south end of the screen was roof of the nave through which access to the cut away to support something heavy. rood might have been ga ined. doorway in it but it would have been possibl e for the congregation to have seen and heard what was going on at the altar. The original would, however, have been thicker with the rood (top or roof) bearing substantia l statues of saints (this is All Saints chu rch) and wide enough for people (boys ?) to walk along it, decorating variolls figu res fo r appropriate saints' days. If you stand in the chancel, and look at the pillar aga inst which the south end of the screen abu ts; notable amounts of stone have been cut away in order to support some heavy structure (Fig. 25); we suggest tha t the south end of the rood rested on that. Swinburn (1975) stated that the stair tower giving access to the south aisle roof from the fro nt of that aisle was also the route by which people (boys?) reached the rood through an opening in the chancel roof. If that was the case, there is little evidence for it now. (Fig. 26). Any aperture in the slate roof has been covered long since. There is an irregularity in the plaster at the extreme SE top corner of the nave but . . .. . Somerset has two of the rwentyone wooden-eagle lecterns in England, the other being at East Brent (Wickham 1965). According to Pevsner (1958), only the body is original. There has long been a tradition, in the Church of England, that the read ing from a gospel, during a communion service, shall be delivered from

20 FiG. 27. The Chancel roof; nave to the left Depicting the vault of heaven, with the stars representing holes through which heavenly beings could keep watch over all the earth beneath the centre of the chancel arch. Most churches have a fixed lectern, set to one side so as to be clear of processions up to the altar. Equally, most lectern bibles are too heavy to hold in one hand whilst reading. Varions ingenious solutions were found in the centuries before photocopying, but none simpler or more functional than this swivel-mounted lectern which can be swung out under the chancel arch when the gospel is to be read and swung back when people want to move past.. The screen, restored by the Victorians, may look very fine but it separates the Priest, or Reader, reading the service from the chancel from the congregation, in a rather disconcerting manner. The present incumbent, Revd Elfrida Savigear, tells us of one advantage to be derived from tillS comparative obscurity. When somebody else is preaching, she is able to lean back and gaze at the chancel roof, reflecting on the belief, current at one time, that the stars were windows in the vault of heaven through which heavenly beings could keep watch over the Earth - and through which we nlight, just possibly, gain a glimpse of heaven (Fig. 27).

21 FIG. 28. The altar Set into an alcove in the north wall is an Easter Sepulchre; into the south wa ll a piscina. The altar (Fig. 28) is of wooden construction and is, at present, set away from the east wa ll so that the celebrant may stand behind it, facing the congregation, during communion services. The communion rail, in front of the altar in Fig. 28, is probably that purchased in 17 17. The centre section was removable and is now hinged on its so uth end so that it may be opened to allow people to walk into the sancrualy. This section bears a plaque in memory of Brian-Preston Littlewood but refers to its restoration rather than its construction. Set into the wall to the south of the altar (its traditional position) is a piscina (Fig. 29); a place, complete with a drain, for the washing of communion vessels. Many are bowl-shaped; in this case a bowl is placed on the flat area when required. FIG. 29. To the north of the altar is a much more unusual The Pisci na construction, dating from before the Refo rmation; an

22 FIG. 30. The Easter sepulchre

Easter sepulchre or Altar of Repose (Fig. 30) - a tomb-like srructure on which a figure of Christ was placed during Good Friday celebrations. This is a fine example and very rare, for the Reformation despoilers loved to knock them down. When Neville Swinburn first came to the church, he thought it was a tomb and perhaps they thought the same and so spared it for us to admire. The small curtain hanging on the wall, between the Easter sepulchre and altar (Fig. 30) conceals a small recess, called a pyx or aumbry, where a small quantity of the blessed scaraments are kept (reserved), to be taken to the sick or dying of the parish. A small suspended light indicates this facility (Fig. 28) Finally we reach the south aisle, and notice the rather striking partition that closes off the nave pews from the south aisle (Fig. 31). One wonders why it is there; surely it would be more convenient if the congregation could file into those pews from both sides. We know, [Tom Church records, that the Victorian restorers removed a gallery from the nave - presumably, considering the position of the pulpit, from the south wall. Swinburn (1975) deduced that this long 'bench end' was the front of that former gallery. It makes sense. The aisle is said to have been built by a local blacksmith who came into some money; there are various versions of the legend. One says that he sent to Bristol for some iron and, when it was delivered, he found he had been sent a sack of gold instead. Another version says he walked to Taunton on business (then, as now, there was no bus service) and became tired by the walk. He, therefore, rested in a leafy original work was done and are of course instruments of the Passion. 23 FIG. 31. The south end 10 the nave benches glade and discovered a robbers' hoard. Whatever the truth, The Aisle was built as a thank-offering for tlus providence. In the glass, there are blacksmitlls tools which seem to point to the truth of the tales but they were put tllere 300 years after the original work was done and represent the instruments of the Passion. It is likely that there originally was a chapel at the east end of the aisle, but the present arrangement (Fig. 32) dates only from 1960, after it was realised that a block of stone stored in the chancel was the original top of the high aitar, removed around 1842. At the sa me time (1960), the pipe organ, purchased from a private house in late Victorian times and set up in this aisle, was moved to its present position. Thanks to the care of Messrs Osmonds of Taunton, it plays well and gives a fine sound which continues to astonish many who would otherwise despise it for its size.

24 FIG. 32. The East End of the South Aisle arranged as a chapel in 1960. The door on the righl gives (a Ihin person) access to slairs onlo the roof and, alone lime, Ihe rood. This guide was compiled and written by Gordon Yeo, edited and pa ge-set by Jolm Crothers with assistance from a large number of other people. Special thanks are due to Mrs Josie Shapter and Mrs Tina Notley, for general research, to Mr R.]. Bowden for information regarding the bells and to Mr Leonard Colston Shepherd for permission to use his line drawings.

POSTSCRIPT We hope that you have enjoyed your visit to All Saints Church, and have appreciated the peace and tranquility of an historic building that has served its community for such a long time. But do not be misled into thinking that everything has always been peaceful here. Immediately outside the church, is a headstone bearing the following inscription - now almost invisible under its covering of lichen: 25 Fio. 32. The Conibcer headstone.

In memory of Mrs ELIZABETH CONlBEER aged Eighty Eight years. And her two daughters ANN Forty five and SARAH Forty three who was all inhumanly murdered in the Day of the fifth of June 1773 in their House at Woodford in this Parish Inhuman wretch who e'er thou art That didh commit this hainous crime Repent before tho'u doth depart To meet thine Awfull judge Divine

26 THE RECTORS OF MONKSILVER

1324 Thomas de Combe 1757 John Holmes 1381 John Frye 1776 James Beaver 1385 Will Baker 1777 John Prior 1405 Robert Bot 1789 Unwin Clarke 1421 Will Sampford 1803 Will Walker 1424 Thea Taillouer 1825 Edward Coleridge 1426 Robert Booland 1843 Will Francis Chilcott 1427 John Pres cote 1863 Thomas Cox Thea Weston 1869 Will Thomas Pearce 1438 John Belham Meade-J(jng 1447 John Lasham 1896 Norman J(jng 1449 Will Parrys 1899 Henry Robinson 1454 Hugo David 1906 Chas. Faulkner Chorley 1475 Walt Benavis 1915 Robert Augustus 1479 Henry Salter Warbarton Gardiner 1518 John Strong MacTaggart 1546 Nick Foster 1927 Oswald de Blogue 1572 Will Maskell 1929 Bernard Hancock 1574 Edward Mylbourne 1935 Frank S. Strother 1580 John Pope 1942 Jolm B. Langton 1589 John Dicken Edwards 1592 Timothens May 1950 Raymond Wickens 1619 John Kemp 1959 Oscar Hardman 1621 Will Wilmot 1964 Gordon Tucker 1642 John Moore 1966 Charles Edward Thomas 1660 Will Glemson 1974 Roderick Neville 1675 Edward Burgh Swinburn 1676 Sam Thompson 1985 Roger Colin Spurr 1677 John Burford 1996 Bruce Twyford Lyons 1711 John Upton 1999 Elfrida Beatrice Savigear 1739 Will Miller Bedford

27 BICKNOLLER I SAMPFORD BRETT I STOGUMBER CROWCOMBE

From 1921, the Rectors of Monksilver became Priests in Charge of Elworthy as well, when the two ecclesiastical parishes were merged. In due course, Elworthy became a redundant church with just three or four services held a year. The Rev'd Ted Thomas (inducted 1966) was the last Rector to have had no other responsibilities, until he became Priest-in-Charge of Nettlecombe as well , in 1968. Under the Rev'd Neville Swinburn, Brompton Ralph was added but later, in a revision of Deanery boundaries, exchanged for Stogumber. The next change coincided with the arrival of Rev'd Elfrida Savigear, in 1999, who was inducted into two Benefices with the task of fusing them into one - The Quantock MONKSILVER Towers Benefice

QTB Office, 'Ibe Rectory, Vellow Road, Stogumber, TM lTL

I NETIU COMBE I