The Church of St Nicholas in West Pennard

West Pennard

West Pennard is a village and civil parish east of Glastonbury in the Mendip district of Somerset, England. The parish includes the hamlets of Coxbridge and Woodlands.-History:...

, 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 15th century and is a Grade I listed building.

From the 13th to 15th century West Pennard was a chapelry of the Church of St John the Baptist

Church of St John the Baptist, Glastonbury

The Church of St John the Baptist in Glastonbury, Somerset, England dates from the 15th century and has been designated as a Grade I listed building....

 in Glastonbury

Glastonbury

Glastonbury is a small town in Somerset, England, situated at a dry point on the low lying Somerset Levels, south of Bristol. The town, which is in the Mendip district, had a population of 8,784 in the 2001 census...

. The chapel was dedicated to Saint Nicholas

Saint Nicholas

Saint Nicholas , also called Nikolaos of Myra, was a historic 4th-century saint and Greek Bishop of Myra . Because of the many miracles attributed to his intercession, he is also known as Nikolaos the Wonderworker...

 in 1210.

The tower dates from around 1482, following 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...

 and south aisle which had been built earlier in the 15th century. The north aisle

Aisle

An aisle is, in general, a space for walking with rows of seats on both sides or with rows of seats on one side and a wall on the other...

 was added in the 16th century. The tower holds six bells four of which were cast in the early 17th century.

The interior includes a screen with Tudor carvings 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 churchyard cross, which was built between 1493 and 1524 by Abbot Richard Beere

Richard Beere

Richard Beere was an English Benedictine abbot of Glastonbury, known as a builder for his abbey, as a diplomat and scholar, and a friend of Erasmus.-Life:...

 of Glastonbury, is also Grade I listed.

The parish is part of the Brue 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:...

 which includes Baltonsborough

Baltonsborough

Baltonsborough is a village and civil parish in the Mendip district of Somerset, England. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 873. Apart from Baltonsborough village, the parish also contains the hamlets of Ham Street, Catsham and Southwood....

 with Butleigh

Butleigh

Butleigh is a small village and civil parish, located in Somerset. The nearest village to it is Barton St David, and it is located a short distance from Glastonbury and Street...

, West Bradley

West Bradley

West Bradley is a village and civil parish 4 miles south-east of Glastonbury in the Mendip district of Somerset, England. The parish includes the hamlets of Hornblotton and Lottisham....

and West Pennard within the Glastonbury deanery.