Church of St Martin, Elworthy
Encyclopedia
The Church of St Martin in Elworthy
, Somerset
, England is dedicated to St Martin of Tours
. It dates from the 13th century and has been designated by English Heritage
as a Grade II* listed building.
Whilst the unbuttressed 2-stage crenellated tower is from the 13th century the porch and nave
roof are from the late 15th century. The chancel
was rebuilt in 1695 and again in 1846. It is built of red sandstone
with Ham stone dressings and a slate
roof.
In 1969 the parish became a chapelry of Monksilver
, within the benefice
of Monksilver with Brompton Ralph
and Nettlecombe
.
It is now a redundant church
in the care of the Churches Conservation Trust
. It was declared redundant on 1 August 1975, and was vested
in the Trust on 19 December 1979.
Elworthy
Elworthy is a small village and civil parish in the Brendon Hills south-east of Watchet, and west of Taunton, in the West Somerset district of Somerset, England...
, 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 is dedicated to St Martin of Tours
Martin of Tours
Martin of Tours was a Bishop of Tours whose shrine became a famous stopping-point for pilgrims on the road to Santiago de Compostela. Around his name much legendary material accrued, and he has become one of the most familiar and recognizable Christian saints...
. It dates from 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 II* listed building.
Whilst the unbuttressed 2-stage crenellated tower is from the 13th century the porch and 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...
roof are from the late 15th century. 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...
was rebuilt in 1695 and again in 1846. It is built of red sandstone
Sandstone
Sandstone is a sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized minerals or rock grains.Most sandstone is composed of quartz and/or feldspar because these are the most common minerals in the Earth's crust. Like sand, sandstone may be any colour, but the most common colours are tan, brown, yellow,...
with Ham stone dressings and a slate
Slate
Slate is a fine-grained, foliated, homogeneous metamorphic rock derived from an original shale-type sedimentary rock composed of clay or volcanic ash through low-grade regional metamorphism. The result is a foliated rock in which the foliation may not correspond to the original sedimentary layering...
roof.
In 1969 the parish became a chapelry of Monksilver
Monksilver
Monksilver is a village west of the town of Williton in Somerset, England, on the eastern flank of the Brendon Hills and the border of the Exmoor National Park. It is on the Coleridge Way footpath....
, within 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 Monksilver with Brompton Ralph
Brompton Ralph
Brompton Ralph is a village and civil parish in the West Somerset district of Somerset, England, about west of Taunton, and north of Wiveliscombe. It is in a wooded district at the eastern extremity of the Brendon Hills...
and Nettlecombe
Nettlecombe, Somerset
Nettlecombe is a civil parish in the English county of Somerset. The parish covers a rural area below the Brendon Hills, comprising the small hamlets of Woodford, Yarde and Torre together with more isolated individual farms and homes...
.
It is now a redundant church
Redundant church
A redundant church is a church building that is no longer required for regular public worship. The phrase is particularly used to refer to former Anglican buildings in the United Kingdom, but may refer to any disused church building around the world...
in the care of the Churches Conservation Trust
Churches Conservation Trust
The Churches Conservation Trust, which was initially known as the Redundant Churches Fund, is a charity whose purpose is to protect historic churches at risk, those that have been made redundant by the Church of England. The Trust was established by the Pastoral Measure of 1968...
. It was declared redundant on 1 August 1975, and was vested
Vesting
In law, vesting is to give an immediately secured right of present or future enjoyment. One has a vested right to an asset that cannot be taken away by any third party, even though one may not yet possess the asset. When the right, interest or title to the present or future possession of a legal...
in the Trust on 19 December 1979.