Church of St Peter and St Paul, Muchelney

The Church of St Peter and St Paul in Muchelney, Somerset, England has Saxon origins, however the current building largely dates from the 15th century. It has been designated as a Grade I listed building.[1]

Church of St Peter and St Paul
LocationMuchelney, Somerset, England
Coordinates51°01′14″N 2°48′54″W
Built15th century
Listed Building – Grade I
Official nameChurch of SS Peter and Paul
Designated17 April 1959[1]
Reference no.263267
Location of Church of St Peter and St Paul in Somerset

The church, which is adjacent to the site of Muchelney Abbey and close to the River Parrett, has a ceiling enlivened with Jacobean paintings of bare-breasted angels, their nudity thought to symbolize innocent purity.[1] They were painted in the early 17th century.[2]

The church also contains a barrel organ built by Gray and Davison and installed around 1835 to 1840. It is the last one known to be still in the church where it was first installed and still in working order.[3]

There is a three-bay aisled nave and a chancel with a short chapel on either side.[4]

It has a three-stage Somerset tower, dating from around 1468,[5] supported by pairs of full-height corner buttresses. The south-east octagonal stair turret leads to an outer door.[1]

The parish is part of the Langport Area Team Ministry benefice within the Ilchester deanery.[6]

See also

References
  1. "Church of SS Peter and Paul". historicengland.org.uk. English Heritage. Retrieved 15 June 2009.
  2. Warren, Derrick (2005). Curious Somerset. Stroud: Sutton Publishing. p. 93. ISBN 978-0-7509-4057-3.
  3. Byford, Enid (1987). Somerset Curiosities. Dovecote Press. p. 74. ISBN 0946159483.
  4. "MUCHELNEY, St. Peter & St. Paul". English Church Architecture. Retrieved 30 October 2011.
  5. Poyntz Wright, Peter (1981). The Parish Church Towers of Somerset, Their construction, craftsmanship and chronology 1350 - 1550. Avebury Publishing Company. ISBN 0-86127-502-0.
  6. "St Peter & St Paul, Muchelney". Church of England. Retrieved 30 October 2011.
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