Taken from Squibbs’ History of Bridgwater:Phillimore, 1982.
An observation by the British Archaeological Association in 1854 described the Old Vestry by saying that “a peculiarly ugly vestry-room has been appended to the building [of St Mary’s].” This is perhaps a little unfair, Brakespear seems to have been trying to make something in the form of a miniature Cathedral Chapter House. Interestingly he would also build an Octagonal Chapel for St Mary’s Church in the Wembdon Road Cemetery. The charming little spire on this vestry was presumably meant to evoke the great spire on the church tower.
From surviving pictures of the Old Vestry, it seems to have been built of rubble red Wembdon sandstone (presumably salvaged from elsewhere in the restoration programme) with the detailing and spire made in a yellow stone. The medieval church had used yellow Ham Stone, although in parts of the restoration Brakespear had used pale Bath Stone. The tiling of the dormers is possibly of slate.
The adjoining robing room seems to have been a discreet join to the old building. Overall, although a delightful little building, it was little loved and demolished in 1902.