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Chew Magna, or Bishop’s Chew, was one of the administrative
centres of the Bishop of Bath and Wells in mediaeval times.
His palace was the building adjacent to the church, still
known as the Court, but now a private house. The bishop also
held the Manor of Chew, which was administered by his steward,
and the church and parish, which was cared for by his vicar.
The church building is still essentially mediaeval, although
through change and destruction, it has lost much of interest.
It is still guarded by grotesque gargoyles round the tower
and nave roof, to repel evil spirits.
On the right hand side of the porch entrance, and on the
nave wall to the right of the porch, are scratch dials, most
likely used to indicate the time of mass.
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The porch is late 14th century and had
a singing gallery, entered through the door in the west
wall. The stone work of the doorway to the main entrance
is Norman, one of the few remaining parts of the original
building. |
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©John
Sewart 2002
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| The dominant feature of the interior of
the church is the rood screen, part of the mediaeval screen,
restored in the 19th century. The development of the church
can be seen by comparing the arcade dividing the nave
from the south aisle (early English) with that dividing
the nave from the north aisle (Perpendicular). There is
evidence that the north isle was being built in the early
part of the 15th century and the tower must have been
completed before then. |
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©John
Sewart 2002
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The chapel at the eastern end of the north aisle has an altar
tomb of the St. Lo family, desended from the St. Lo’s and
living at Sutton Court. The chapel opposite is to the Baber
family, owners of the court in the 17th century, who rebuilt
the chapel., originally that of the Bishop, to house the memorial.
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The wooden effigy of the knight in the
south aisle is by tradition that of Sir John Hautville
brought here when he chapel at Norton Hauteville was destroyed
at the reformation. The inscription is Victorian and is
inconsistent with the type of armour the knight is wearing.
This memorial presents problems of dating an style which
have not been solved. In the meantime the knight gently
smiles in his inscrutable way. |
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©John
Sewart 2002
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Based on a free leaflet available in St. Andrew's from information
collected by Ian Durham. Prepared for the web by Mary-Clare
Hallsworth. With photographs by John Sewart and Carole Moule.
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