Denomination Church of England Parish Monkton Combe Province Province of Canterbury | Churchmanship Broad Church Diocese Diocese of Bath and Wells Dedication Michael | |
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St Michael's Church is the Church of England parish church of Monkton Combe, Somerset, England. It is a Grade II listed building.
Contents
Background
The structure is mostly mid-Victorian. Predominately an example of Early English Gothic Revival, the structure has a steep pitched polychrome Welsh Slate roof and other aspects that clearly mark it from a distance as being a mid 19th Century construction. The main tower is surmounted by a gilded weather cock.
Norman Church
The town was owned by the Bath Abbey monks, hence the name Monkton Combe, and the first structure was considered to be an “ancient Norman” one, and the parish minutes of 1757 give a glimpse of the small church structure having a chancel with at least two pews in it. “The church is a small structure, 50 feet in length and 16 feet in breadth, covered with tiles; at the west end in a little stone turret hangs two small bells. It is dedicated to St. Michael.”
Regency Church
“About the beginning of the 19th century, when this little old church, after long neglect, needed extensive repairs, the inhabitant instead of repairing it, pulled it down and out of its materials build a new church of about the same size, seating only 95 persons, but to their minds no doubt more comfortable. It was erected in 1814 and did not last long. The Rev. Francis Pocock, being appointed vicar of Monkton Combe in 1863, found this church in a dilapidated state, and … for the needs for the parish, and had the courage to undertake the entire rebuilding of the sacred edifice.”
Victorian Church
The tower contains an 8-bell carillon which was installed in the 1920s.
Organ
The church contains a two manual pipe organ by Henry Jones and Sons.
Churchyard
The churchyard contains the grave of Harry Patch, known as the "Last Fighting Tommy" and the last surviving soldier to have fought in the trenches of World War I. He was buried there following his death in July 2009 at the age of 111, alongside several members of his family.