Church of the Holy Cross, Middlezoy
Encyclopedia
The Church of the Holy Cross in Middlezoy
, Somerset
, England dates from the 13th century and has been designated as a grade I listed building.
William of Bitton II
was the rector by 20 April 1263. From the 13th to early 16th century, when it became a separate parish, Middlezoy was a chapelry
of Sowy parish. The church was originally dedicated to St. Lawrence and later to St. Mary before adopting the current dedication in 1754.
The church has a chancel
and a nave
with a south aisle and south porch, and a north chapel or vestry. The 3-stage west tower was built around 1483, similar to that at Lyng
. The tower contains six bells including one of 1608 probably by George Purdue of Closworth
. The upper part of the tower was restored by Sall Strachey Historic Conservation. The work included replacing the pinnacle
s and sections of the pierced parapet
.
The whole church has been renovated many times with a major restoration being undertaken in the 1860s to plans by Charles Knowles, with further repairs in 1908.
The parish is part of the benefice
of Middlezoy and Othery
and Moorlinch
with Stawell
and Sutton Mallet, within the Glastonbury
deanery.
Middlezoy
Middlezoy is a village and civil parish on the River Parrett as it crosses the Somerset Levels in the Sedgemoor district of Somerset, England.-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 13th century and has been designated as a grade I listed building.
William of Bitton II
William of Bitton II
William of Bitton, usually known as William of Bitton II was a medieval Bishop of Bath and Wells.-Life:...
was the rector by 20 April 1263. From the 13th to early 16th century, when it became a separate parish, Middlezoy was a chapelry
Chapelry
A chapelry was a subdivision of an ecclesiastical parish in England, and parts of Lowland Scotland up to the mid 19th century. It had a similar status to a township but was so named as it had a chapel which acted as a subsidiary place of worship to the main parish church...
of Sowy parish. The church was originally dedicated to St. Lawrence and later to St. Mary before adopting the current dedication in 1754.
The church has a 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 a 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...
with a south aisle and south porch, and a north chapel or vestry. The 3-stage west tower was built around 1483, similar to that at Lyng
Lyng, Somerset
Lyng is a civil parish in Somerset, England, comprising the villages of West Lyng and East Lyng and the hamlet of Bankland.-History:The name derives from the Old English hlenc, meaning hill....
. The tower contains six bells including one of 1608 probably by George Purdue of Closworth
Closworth
Closworth is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated five miles south of Yeovil in the South Somerset district, on the border with Dorset. The village has a population of 192....
. The upper part of the tower was restored by Sall Strachey Historic Conservation. The work included replacing the 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 sections of the pierced parapet
Parapet
A parapet is a wall-like barrier at the edge of a roof, terrace, balcony or other structure. Where extending above a roof, it may simply be the portion of an exterior wall that continues above the line of the roof surface, or may be a continuation of a vertical feature beneath the roof such as a...
.
The whole church has been renovated many times with a major restoration being undertaken in the 1860s to plans by Charles Knowles, with further repairs in 1908.
The parish is part of 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 Middlezoy and Othery
Othery
The parish and village of Othery, established in 1515, sits on a detached extension of Sowy island on the Somerset Levels. It is east of Bridgwater and north-west of Langport. It borders the hamlets and villages of Pathe, Burrowbridge, Middlezoy, Westonzoyland and Aller, which it meets at Beer Wall...
and Moorlinch
Moorlinch
Moorlinch is a village and civil parish where the Polden Hills meet the Somerset Levels in the Sedgemoor district of Somerset, England.-History:...
with Stawell
Stawell, Somerset
Stawell is a village and civil parish miles north east of Bridgwater, and north west of Moorlinch, in the Sedgemoor district of Somerset, England.The parish includes the village of Sutton Mallet.-Governance:...
and Sutton Mallet, within the 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...
deanery.