Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Huish Episcopi
Encyclopedia
The Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Huish Episcopi
, Somerset
, England has 12th century origins, but was largely rebuilt in 14th, 15th and 16th centuries. It has been designated as a Grade I listed building.
St Mary's Church also serves nearby Langport. Built in blue lias
with golden hamstone
decoration, the church is most noted for its classic 100 feet (30 m) Somerset tower
, deemed to be an architectural companion piece to St Martin's Church in Kingsbury Episcopi
. St Mary's tower dates from around 1500 and was built in four stages. It is extensively embellished with pinnacle
s and quatrefoil
panel bands. In the north-east corner is an octagonal stair turret
which reaches the full height of the tower. A stained glass window by Edward Burne-Jones
is also noteworthy.
Huish Episcopi
Huish Episcopi is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated on the outskirts of Langport, south west of Somerton in the South Somerset district...
, 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 has 12th century origins, but was largely rebuilt in 14th, 15th and 16th centuries. It has been designated as a Grade I listed building.
Blue Lias
The Blue Lias is a geologic formation in southern, eastern and western England and parts of South Wales, part of the Lias Group. The Blue Lias consists of a sequence of limestone and shale layers, laid down in latest Triassic and early Jurassic times, between 195 and 200 million years ago...
with golden hamstone
Hamstone
Hamstone is the colloquial name given to stone from Ham Hill, Somerset, England. Hamstone is a Jurassic limestone from the Toarcian, or Upper Lias, stage. It is a well cemented medium to coarse grained limestone characterised by its honey-gold colour and marked bedding planes. The stone contains...
decoration, the church is most noted for its classic 100 feet (30 m) Somerset tower
Somerset towers
The Somerset towers are a collection of distinctive, mostly spireless Gothic church towers in the county of Somerset in south west England.Where beautiful castles and church spires rise above other parts of England, the crowning glory of many Somerset towns and villages is these medieval church...
, deemed to be an architectural companion piece to St Martin's Church in Kingsbury Episcopi
Kingsbury Episcopi
Kingsbury Episcopi is a village and civil parish on the River Parrett in Somerset, England, situated north west of Yeovil in the South Somerset district. The village has a population of 1,277. The parish includes the villages of West Lambrook, East Lambrook and Thorney.-History:The "Episcopi"...
. St Mary's tower dates from around 1500 and was built in four stages. It is extensively embellished with pinnacle
Pinnacle
A pinnacle is an architectural ornament originally forming the cap or crown of a buttress or small turret, but afterwards used on parapets at the corners of towers and in many other situations. The pinnacle looks like a small spire...
s and quatrefoil
Quatrefoil
The word quatrefoil etymologically means "four leaves", and applies to general four-lobed shapes in various contexts.-In heraldry:In heraldic terminology, a quatrefoil is a representation of a flower with four petals, or a leaf with four leaflets . It is sometimes shown "slipped", i.e. with an...
panel bands. In the north-east corner is an octagonal stair turret
Turret
In architecture, a turret is a small tower that projects vertically from the wall of a building such as a medieval castle. Turrets were used to provide a projecting defensive position allowing covering fire to the adjacent wall in the days of military fortification...
which reaches the full height of the tower. A stained glass window by Edward Burne-Jones
Edward Burne-Jones
Sir Edward Coley Burne-Jones, 1st Baronet was a British artist and designer closely associated with the later phase of the Pre-Raphaelite movement, who worked closely with William Morris on a wide range of decorative arts as a founding partner in Morris, Marshall, Faulkner, and Company...
is also noteworthy.