According
to the Domesday Book, Wincanton, together with Staverdale and Stourton
formed part of the Baronry of Castle Carey. The Lords of Castle
Carey founded an Augustinian Priory at Staverdale early in the twelfth
century. In 1291 the Rectory of Wincanton became the property of
the Priory. Bishop Harewell in 1374 relieved the Prior of the
duty of supporting the vicar of Wincanton. The town was served
therefater by a rota of eight canons who conducted the services (and
for their discomfort received an extra 6/8d and an allowance for
leather!!) The spiritual care of the town transferred to Taunton
priory in 1532. After the passing of all church lands to the
crown in 1544 the
tithes were granted to William, Lord Stourton.
The patronage remained in private
hands till 1885 when Miss
Chafyn-Grove of Zeals House gave the tithes back to
the parish and in
1918 the patronage passed to the Dean and Chapter of Wells
Cathedral
with whom it resides today.
The dedication of the church to St Peter and St Paul - a favourite of
Ina, King of
Wessex - suggests a Saxon church in origin although no
traces remain today.
There is evidence that the first stone
church was built in 1313 with a tower,
nave of 4 bays, 3 narrow side
aisles and a small chancel.
Under the guiding hand of Nathaniel
Ireson (whose monument to himself can
be seen in the churchyard) from
1748 the church was modified in accordance
with the taste of the times:
the south aisle was widened, the nave heightened
and clerestory windows
added. The old high pitched roof was replaced by a
flat plaster
ceiling from which a winged angel was suspended to support the
brass
candelabra. The chancel was described as 'plain but very handsome
within'.
However, tastes changed, and in 1887 it was described by
the Diocesan
architect as 'one of the ugliest in the county' with all
traces of window tracery
and all medieval architecture having been
destroyed.
Nathaniel Ireson
In the meantime a new organ had been installed in 1825; in 1828 the
south gallery was enlarged, the pulpit removed and a north gallery
constructed. These efforts were to little avail and the attempts
to increase the rates to pay for the necessary repairs and
modifications caused a great stir among the parishioners and
churchwardens alike.
Font
In 1887, with the enthusiastic support of Rev Colin Grant Dalton, the
church was rebuilt in the latest 'Gothic'
style to the design of the
Diocesan Architect, J D Seddon. The rebuilding retained the
tower, 4 piers on the south side, and the south porch, which was taken
down and rebuilt; it also made Wincanton's church the largest built in
Somerset since the Reformation.
Among older work still surviving, note should be
taken of the
carved
stone now built into the
north porch, which shows
St Eligius or Loy, patron saint of the
blacksworkers and
farriers. According
to legend, a badly-behaved horse was
proving so difficult to shoe that
the saint took over the job,
removing the horse's leg and re-shoeing it
in peace before
returning
the leg to its place!
The carving shows
the saint standing by the
forge fire with
the detached leg in his hand.
Wincanton Church History