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HISTORY OF THE PARISH CHURCH OF ST. NICHOLAS by David Lamb
development of the church
Combe has been described in Anglo-Saxon literature, although there has
not been any reference to a church. However, there is an early font near
the south porch which may be pre-Conquest and perhaps indicates that
there was a church on the site prior to the Norman developments. There
may have been a Norman church on the site prior to a
second Norman building
being founded by
Bishop Giso of Bath in 1170. This building survived for only some 60 years.
In 1239 the third church
was dedicated to St Nicholas by the Bishop of Waterford in the presence
of Bishop Jocelin of Bath. Evidence of the Norman churches remain with a
pillar near the north porch, the
lower part of the stonework of the chancel, the lower part of the
tower and the tower door arch. In the middle of the 15th century the church was enlarged and partly rebuilt. The north and south aisles were added; the nave arcade, the rood screen and the two external turrets were built; and the tower was probably raised to its present height. The rood and rood-loft above the screen may have been partly dismantled in the mid-16C and the piscinas and squints, associated with the mass, would have become disused. The chapels may well have been built as chantry chapels, but this function had evidently ceased before the 1548 Survey of Chantries. Bench seats were probably introduced in the 16C and some may have survived until the 19C as ‘free’ seats for poorer parishioners. By the 1780s, when Edmund Rack described the church, twenty pews, presumably private box pews, of ‘panneld wainscot and deal but
none painted’, had been introduced, but there were 26 other pews, perhaps early bench seats, which were ‘small and many of them
very ordinary’. A singers’ gallery, with a ‘very neat front of panneld wainscot’ and a central painting of David playing his harp, had been erected at the west end of the nave. The
pulpit and reading desk were of ‘very good panneld wainscot and
neat, with a pulpit cushion and cloth of crimson velvet, gold
fringd’; there was an oak communion table covered with a green
cloth with a yellow silk fringe, dated 1703; and to right and left
of the communion table were two black frames containing the
Commandments in gold letters.
The nave and chancel roofs were ‘covd, ceild and whitewashd, with
the ribs of the arches projecting’ (these were probably wagon
roofs) and the roofs of the aisles were ‘boarded above the cross
timbers’. The ‘very ancient gothic screen’, with its ‘very richly
carved but heavy cornice, supported by 14 small clusterd pillars’,
was painted blue. The church was ‘dry and well whitewashd’ and the
‘pavement in the middle passage, the chancel and up the ayles is
good, but in some of the pews and seats wretchedly bad and broken’. Enlargement took place in 1830-31 and are shown in drawings by the architect or ‘surveyor’ Simeon Symes of Chard. These include a plan and section of the gallery, with increased seating, in the west end of the nave, with a window in the north and south walls and an external doorway near the west end of the north wall . The churchwardens’ accounts in 1812 mention payments to, and to the provision of a Common Prayer Book for, the singers, and in 1830 it was resolved ‘that the singing gallery be enlarged’. Symes’ drawings also include a plan of a 'Font room' in the south porch, including a window in place of the outer entrance. This corresponds with a decision, recorded by the churchwardens in 1830, to undertake such a scheme; and in 1837 they recorded a payment for ‘repairing the Font Room’. The drawing also include a ‘Plan of the New Vestry adjoining Combe Church’ which must have occupied the angle between the sanctuary and the south chapel. The new structure was battlemented, with an external doorway in the east wall, a 3-light window in the south wall, and an internal recess in the east wall which may have been a fireplace.
This
structure does not appear in John Buckler’s
illustration of the church from the south-east in 1831, perhaps because the work had not yet been
carried out, but it is also absent from White’s
White also ignored the external stairway to the west gallery in this plan, although it is shown on an elevation, and the south porch is not shown as a baptistry. Possibly he ignored features which he intended to remove. He did, however, illustrate the gallery and box pews which were removed in 1862-3, but this may have been done to indicate the rearrangement of the seating which was necessary to obtain a grant.
The stonework of the windows in the aisles of the church were restored in 1854, and the present coloured glass was inserted in them in 1855 by Mr. Toms, of Wellington, at a cost of £43.
The south side of the churchyard was enlarged in 1856, when the labour of levelling it amounted to £22 10s.
In 1862-63 the roof and pews were renewed and the south and north aisles were extended westward. The singers or west gallery was removed and all that remains is a painting of King David in the south-west corner of the church. It is possible that the original proposal for this renovation proved too costly. A coloured sketch can be seen on the southwest wall. The box pews were replaced by bench seats, creating uniform seating for the congregation. It is understood that men and women were to be segregated on the north and south sides of the nave respectively, and children were to be seated in the south chapel. Seating was to be provided for the choir in the chancel, and an organ and a small partitioned-off vestry were to be accommodated in the north chapel. White's plan shows seating for children and an organ in the north chapel but a vestry is not shown. A sketch of the north side of the church and also a photograph prior to the 1862-63 alterations shows the stairs and entrance to the singers gallery.
A new organ, the gift of
Mrs. Hamilton, wife of the then vicar, was placed in the church in 1865,
and rebuilt in 1910 at a cost of £125. The
20thC and 21stC have seen little alteration, except the removal of some of
the pews from the aisles and from the front and the east and west ends of the nave.
the church Today The Nave The
nave is the central part of the church and consists of five bays. These
are made of Ham Hill stone in traditional design. It is interesting to
note that in the 15th century construction the Norman pillar was
retained, even though it was of a different stone and awkwardly placed
for the new structure. It may still be seen within the pillar next to
the north porch (photo ). The image carved on the pillar appears to be a
representation of the Green Man, a mediaeval image usually found in
churches. The arch at the west end of the nave dates
from the Early English building of 1239
(photo ). The
pitch pine pews and the roof were renewed during the Victorian
renovations of 1863. A sandstone font, probably pre-Conquest, may be
found near the south door (photo). It is a circular monolithic
hollowed stone bowl with a large circular drain. The top is badly worn,
apparently by knife sharpening.
North and South Aisles These
are on the sides of nave and were constructed during the 15th century
enlargement. The eastern end of each aisle was made into a chapel.
Squints (apertures in the masonry) were cut so that the chapel altars
could be seen from the nave. This is an unusual feature. It is a more
common arrangement to have the squints in the other direction, so that
people in the aisles can see the high altar. The
chapels were separated from the aisles by the depressed arches, and from
the choir by panelled arches. The southern chapel was dedicated to the
Blessed Virgin Mary. It contains a 15th century piscina (photo ). Piscinas
were used by the priest for the lavabo, the washing of fingers before
consecration, and for rinsing the chalice, the cup holding communion
wine. The chapel is
now used as a vestry. The northern chapel, dedication unknown, now
houses the organ. At
the east end of the north aisle is a 15th century carved stone font on a
20th century plain octagonal base (photo ). The form of glass
decoration in the aisle windows makes the church rather dark, but it is
an unusually complete example of a type of Victorian art. In the
southwest window of the south aisle can be seen a memorial to the late
Dr Neville Campbell (1919-1991) who was churchwarden and a great
benefactor of the church. He did a much work on the archives of this and
other Somerset churches, which may be seen at the County Records Office
in Taunton. In the north west window of the south aisle is a pane
commemorating St Nicholas executed, to mark the new millennium, by
Chester Read, a local member of the Guild of Glass Engravers. The design
shows a renaissance depiction of the Saint based upon Raphael's painting
of St Nicholas with the Blessed Virgin Mary, which hangs in the National
Gallery.
Rood Screen The
Rood Screen dates from about 1470
(photo). With
its delicate carving, it is a beautiful example of a West Country screen.
Pre-Reformation, it would have carried the three figures of the Holy
Rood (a cross or Christ crucified, supported by St John The Evangelist
and the Virgin Mary). There would also have been many candles. To attend
to these the Rood loft was reached by the stairways in the turrets and
the surprisingly small openings high up in the walls. Medieval screens
were often brightly painted. The screen was removed from its original
position during the restoration of 1863. This position can be seen on a
sketch on the southwest wall. Some unwanted portions were used under the
choir arches and on the 19thC pulpit (photo ). It is possible that the rest was burnt.
In 1866 it was described as 'a very richly craved and handsome rood
screen' but by 1889 the screen, now described a 'once a fine work', had
been repositioned behind the choir stalls. White's plans do not indicate
that this change was intended in 1862-3. In 1919 a faculty was granted
to change the screen and In 1921 it
was restored and moved to its present position and dedicated to the memory of those from the village who
fell in the Great War. A
brass plate on the screen states that the architect and craftsmen for
the restoration were W.D. Caroe and V.H. Owsley.
Chancel This is the area containing the choir stalls and the altar. Here can be seen more of the building of 1239, the priest's doorway (photo ), some of the stonework and the fine Early English piscina on the south wall (photo ). This has a plain pointed arch and two lines of roll-moulding with visible tool marks. On the north wall is a 15th century limestone credence table (designed to hold the bread and wine before consecration) (photo ). In 1853 the Elizabethan panelling was removed when the churchwardens recorded a decision to replace wood panelling with stucco within the communion rails.. Some of it found its way into a private house. In 1972 the owner donated one piece to the church as a reredos (an ornamental screen covering the wall at the back of the altar) in memory of his wife (photo ).
In 1971 the collapse of the floor of the sanctuary to the left of the altar led to the discovery of three vaults underneath. One vault contained the lead coffins of the son and daughter of the Rev. Frederick Spragge (Vicar 1833-1837). The second held a stone inscribed, "Here lieth the body of Mr Samuel Domet, Vicar of Combe St Nicholas, who died on 25th July 1699". The third vault was the most interesting. It contained the remains of a number of wooden coffins and a stone stating that here rested the remains of Thomas Greenfield who died in 1671. He was appointed Vicar in 1643 but was removed by Oliver Cromwell and imprisoned in London. Formerly it was believed that he died in captivity. It is now known that he returned to Combe in 1660 and died in 1671. For further details go to Discoveries at Combe Church.
Features of the Victorian
restoration are the choir stalls, the tiled floor and the stained glass
of the east window, which depicts scenes from the life of our Lord
surmounted by Christ in Glory with St Nicholas and St George on either
side. The altar dates from 1924.
The Tower The lower stage with its diagonal buttresses and lancet windows was built in 1239. It was during the 15th century building extensions that it was probably raised to its present height of 60 feet. The tower clock was made in 1845. Its chimes were restored in 1983. In 2010 the winding mechanism of the clock was automated and the clock face repainted and gilded. Click for details of the history and renovation of the clock.
There are six bells. They were re-hung in 1954 to commemorate the
coronation of Queen Elizabeth 11, and were refurbished and re-hung again
in 1993. The oldest bell dates from the early 16th century.
Monuments and Registers On
the wall of the south aisle there is a good marble cartouche of Sir John
Bond who died in 1714 (photo ). On the north wall is a memorial to the
owners of Weston Manor, the only people apart from the church to hold
land in the parish in medieval times. The first name on this monument is
Henry Bonner who died in 1680. The north wall contains a number of war
memorials. There is a fine carved memorial to Maurice and Edward Bethell,
sons of the owner of Wadeford House, Admiral Bethell (for more
information go to Bethell family).
The brothers were killed in the 1st World War (photo ), a memorial
to the men of Combe who served in the 1st World War and just
inside the door is a memorial to the men of Combe who were killed in
both World Wars and a photographic memorial to those killed in the 1st
World War (photo ) The
Registers of Baptisms, Marriages and Burials are complete from 1687.
Only
those in current use are now kept in church. All the others may be seen at the
County Records Office in Taunton.
Churchyard The north side of the churchyard, with the main entrance from the road, now reveals the church beautifully. This was not the case before 1875. Prior to this date there was a church house, refitted and termed a workhouse in 1769. There was a school in the church house chamber from 1748 until at least 1763. The buildings were demolished and the ground consecrated in 1875. The 1838 Tythe map shows the location of the buildings and the two entrances to the churchyard. The former entrance from the northwest corner is next to a yew tree dating from the early 19thC .There is a course of a path from the north-west corner to the church door (photo). At the front or north side of the church are a number of chest tombs that date from the 18th and 19thC. These are listed (photo). Work to partially restore the tombs through the removal of ivy and weeds was completed in 2010. By clicking on the links a plan of the location of the tombs and a listing can be seen. To the south of the church the land was levelled and consecrated as a burial ground in 1856. Interesting features of this part are the iron grave markers (photo). They were made at two foundries in Chard between 1880 and 1939. Combe has the largest collection of these in the district. To the east of the south porch is the grave of Admiral Bethell and his wife (photo). Admiral Bethell was involved in the formation of the Secret Intelligence Service, MI6, in 1909.(for more information go to Bethell family) As far can be discovered there was no record of where individuals were buried in the churchyard until a plan was made by D.R.Nicholls, a chartered surveyor of Chard, in or about 1948. It is probable that this was made in support of a reordering of the churchyard (including the levelling of mounds) by the then vicar, Preb. William Taylor. The plan only records the rough location of plots that had a headstone. Then about 1971 a local resident Dr Neville Campbell, who has a pane of glass dedicated to him in the south west window, made a manuscript record of burial plots. A parishioner is transcribing this into MS Excel and bringing it more up to date. The original intention was to identify vacant plots as at that time the churchyard was almost full. With burials dating back to the early 1600s it is clear that many plots, that had no headstone, may have been in filled or used twice. Since many monuments contain
details of other family members, who may not be buried here, efforts
are being made to add them to the transcript. This has been helped by
work done by Sir Mervyn Medlycott in 2001 for the Somerset & Dorset
Family History Society, and by cross checking with the parish
registers. Efforts are being made to cross check data with the parish
registers 1678 to 1965, and these will be brought up to date, time
permitting.
Vicarage The first reference to the creation of a vicarage (i.e., the post of vicar) was 1234. It does appear that there may have been at that time a vicarage house on the north side of the road to Whitestaunton, now known at Stantway. The 1838 Tythe map shows a building at that site on land described as glebe (an area of land that was part of the living or benefice of a priest) and this may have been the vicarage house. In 1840 a new vicarage was built on the site (photo). Now a listed building, it has been described as an Italian style villa. A 1888 map shows buildings either side of the road running alongside the vicarage from Stant Way to Combe Wood. This road was closed in 1865 when a new public road, named New Road, was built on glebe land. This runs alongside the school to Combe Wood. A watercolour (photo), dated 1890, shows the area between the churchyard and the Vicarage road. This area has not changed very much. The 1903 map shows buildings occupying the sites alongside the old road and the 1931 map shows only a small building occupying the site on the east side of the road. A building was shown at the site in the 1963 map. It is understood that area of land was used to plant potatoes and also at one time to keep pigs, particularly during the 2nd World War. In 1964 a new vicarage (photo) was built on land off New Road that was described in the 1888 map as a tennis ground. The old vicarage and land was sold in the 1960s. A new road, Rectory Gardens, was built into the gardens where houses and bungalows were erected and the vicarage was converted into eight apartments, possibly in the early 1970s. This building work cut off the road or lane running alongside the old Vicarage between Stant Way and Combe Wood, but this land, now referred to as Green Lane, is still partly open giving access to the area known as the Sunday School Wood. The new Vicarage was sold in 2009 and a new property purchased on the north side of the village. See also list of Parish Vicars since 1291.
Acknowledgments
The basis for this history is an account of the History
of Combe St. Nicholas -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Author's note: One of the benefits of writing a web based history is the ability to amend or provide additional material after publication. As a consequence if any reader wishes to provide suggestions as to how the content can be improved or provide additional material then I would be pleased if they would contact me.
David Lamb Combe St. Nicholas 29th September 2010
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