St Mary’s

The Bells of St Marys in 1973

General Histories of the Church

Exterior
1791-1930
Interior
1835-1937

Sydney Gardnor Jarman, A Handbook of St Mary’s Church, 1885

Arthur Herbert Powell, The Parish Church Part 1, 1907

Arthur Herbert Powell, The Parish Church Part 2, 1907

Thomas Bruce Dilks, The Church in the Fifteenth Century, 1920

Thomas Bruce Dilks, The Story of Bridgwater Parish Church, 1940

Jonathan Conibere & Frances Pearce, The Vicars of Bridgwater, 1980

Also see: Tony Woolrich 800 Years of Christianity, 2000

Links

Robert Dunning Victoria County History on St Mary’s, 1991

General Historical Sources

Tony Woolrich, St Marys in the Bridgwater Newspapers, Introduction (See below for dated indexes)

Documents in the Somerset Record Office

The Medieval Church 1200-1500

Historical Sources and Articles

Royal Manuscripts Commission, An Inventory of St Mary’s, October 1447, 1873

St Mary’s Church Bridgwater in Medieval Times. By Jonathan Conibere, Frances Pearce & Tony Woolrich, 2005

Fabric and Features

The North Door and Porch
Built 13th Century
Two Early English grave slabs
c. 13th century
Charnel House, Crypt and Nave Burials
Built 14th century at least
The Effigies
14th century
The Spire
Built 1366-1367
The Credence Table
late 14th century
Chancel Ceiling Bosses
c.1395-1420
The Rood Screen
Fourteenth Century or Early Fifteenth
History of the Organ
1448-1823
North Aisle Painted Angel Corbels
early 15th century

The Reformation Church c.1530s to 1850

Historical Sources

List of pew sittings in St. Mary’s Church, compiled by John Bowen, 1830

Tony Woolrich, St Marys in the Bridgwater Newspapers, 1831-1833

Fabric and Features

The Corporation Pews
c.1620
The Kingsmill Memorial
1620
The Altarpiece
1650s
The Oldmixon (Bawdon) Tomb
1643-1689
The Belfry Chimes
c.1765 onwards
History of the Organ
1823-Now
Monumental Inscriptions
1620-Now

The Victorian Church 1851-1937

Historical Sources

Index of the Papers of William Hayward Brakspear (1818-1898) Architect – mostly 1850s

Tony Woolrich, St Marys in the Bridgwater Newspapers, 1846-1856

Tony Woolrich, St Marys in the Bridgwater Newspapers, 1868-1879

Somerset Archaeological & Natural History Society, Description of St Mary’s Church, 1896

Fabric and Features

Changes 1835-1900
Changes 1900 to 1937 Overview
The Old Vestry
1854-1902
The New Vestry
1902
Pews
1850s
Stained Glass Windows
1851-1954
The Missing Masonic Memorial
Early 19th Century
The Last Burial
1866

Notes on the Churchyard
1907

Links

Ordnance Survey bench mark

The 20th Century Church – 1937 to 2016

The Great Simplification of 1937
Later 20th Century Changes
The Choir
1920

Links:

Visit by ANDREA ZUVICH in 2013

The Modern Church 2017 onwards

2016-2017 Reordering
‘…and 5 makes 13’: new bells at St Mary’s, 2020

Links

Refurbishment by Ellis and Co Ltd, 2017 (downloadable as a .pdf)

GENERAL LINKS

Church Website
Ordnance Survey bench mark

Church of England Church Heritage Record