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St Mary

St Mary

Bruton

Somerset

3-light pointed arch window with mid C15 tracery

Architectural Features

South aisle and nave similar in character, all C15

in centre of South aisle low moulded pointed arch doorway having C16 door with central wicket gate.

no plinth, angled corner buttresses, string course, crenellated parapet, corner gargoyles

to West low C16 window, and above C19 plain windows to all three sides

to stage 3 are C15 traceried 2-light windows under pointed arch, without labels, all faces.

West Tower of 1445/46, in 4 stages

tall, with plinth, offset corner buttresses for most of height, ending in pinnacles, string courses, ornamented crenellated parapets with quatrefoils and decorated band below, gargoyle heads to sides

immediately above a 6-light C15 style traceried window whose pointed arch breaks into next stage

to North and South 2-light C15 traceried windows in recesses with labels and cill courses

Nave arcades have almost triangular 4-centre arches on slim 4-hollow piers, with wide but low clerestorey windows of between 1506 and 1523

Blind C15 windows at East end of aisles, and remains of stairways to North aisle and nave rood lofts

Among the fittings are a cinquefoil cusped piscina to South aisle wood pulpit of early C17 on stone base

C17 bench ends in Nave

a large possibly C13 chest with two lids, a Charles II hatchment board,

the 1620 chancel screen now fitted across the tower arch.

Monuments include one to Sir Maurice Berkeley, died 1581, with recumbent effigies of himself and two wives in an Easter sepulchre-type recess with double round arched front, Corinthian pilasters and strapwork panels

also black marble monument with segmental pediment and bronze bust and decoration, possibly by Le Sueur, to William Godolphin, died 1636.

In nave a much weathered chest tomb of early C15 with quatrefoil panels.