Hewish: St Anne
Overview
Grid reference: ST 397 642
The church was designed by John Norton (1823 1904), a pupil of Pugin's biographer Benjamin Ferrey and designer of numerous churches in Bristol and elsewhere, usually in competent First Pointed style.
Visiting and facilities
Building is closed for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
Cruciform, with aisleless nave, shallow transepts, a bell-turret in the angle of the nave and north transept, and an apsidal chancel with apsidal north chapel now used as an organ chamber.
Description of Archaeology and History
The church was designed by John Norton (1823 1904), a pupil of Pugin's biographer Benjamin Ferrey and designer of numerous churches in Bristol and elsewhere, usually in competent First Pointed style. One of his less characteristic works was to convert the Georgian Elveden Hall in Suffolk into an oriental extravaganza for Maharajah Duleep Singh in 1863-70. Norton also designed several mansions in the Gothic style. The church at Hewish was built in 1864 (and is dated such on the rainwater heads). The building cost £2,500 and was consecrated on 27th September 1864 by Lord Auckland, Bishop of Bath and Wells. A parish was assigned in June 1865.
Exterior Description
The south side of the church faces the road, and the most prominent feature is the gable of the south transept, which has low buttresses at each corner with steeply sloping shoulders decorated with scale pattern and a doorway in the centre with a trefoiled head carried by a pair of nook- shafts. Within this, the door itself has a Caernarvon head and the tympanum above has a carved stone cross in relief. At a higher level are two lancet windows and between them a statue representing St. Anne teaching the Virgin Mary to read, a sympathetic but not sentimental interpretation of a traditional subject. This stands under a projecting stone canopy with a trefoiled arch above the figures which for a moment suggests the French style espoused by S.S. Teulon. The two little pinnacles and a central finial also recall that architect. Above the two windows and statue is a large roundel recessed within a circular frame and containing a central sexfoil surrounded by six quatrefoils. and an equal number of circles which all look as though they have been punched through the wall with a pastry-cutter. The gable is surmounted by a partly damaged stone cross within a circle. To the left the south side of the nave has two windows each of a paired lancet with a plain uncusped circle above and the smaller gable of the porch echoes that of the transept. The porch has an outer arch with some chevron ornament and is closed by two wooden gates with pierced quatrefoils which recall the window tracery. To the east of the transept the chancel has no south window and, there being no east window in the transept either, this forms a very dead corner almost as though it was at one time intended to erect a vestry or heating chamber here.
The chancel apse is most unusual in having thirteen identical lancet lights set within a continuous arcading carried on small colonettes, and the north apsidal chapel has a two- light east window which follows the curve of the wall. There was originally intended to be a crossing tower but when seventy feet had been built this fell and instead a small circular stone turret was built in the angle of the nave and north transept. The circular turret rises to an open stage consisting of a continuous arcade of stone shafts and arches carrying a stone candle- snuffer-like cap incised with scale pattern which relates it to the alternating rows of scale pattern tiles on the body of the church. The north transept gable is similar to the south but with three lancets in place of the pair flanking a statue and without a doorway at the foot.
The rest of the nave also continues with the features observed on the south side, with some paired lancet lights with a circle above and some single lights. The west wall has two pairs of lancets and a circle above containing a sexfoil. The gables are surmounted by iron crosses save for the south transept, and all the windows have strong iron stanchions and saddlears with ironwork in the circular lights.
The south porch has a tiled floor and stone benches along the side walls. The inner doorway has a stone cross within a foliate circle in the tympanum and a moulded arch carried on a single pair of nook-shafts. The arch is decorated with the same scale pattern as may be found on the chancel arch.
Building Fabric and Features
Stained Glass
c.1865
The thirteen lancets in the apse depict Christ and the Twelve Disciples, executed by O'Connor.
Stained Glass
1864
The north transept has three lancets depicting Faith, Hope and Charity.
Stained Glass
c.1864
Circular window above north transept lancets contains glass depicting Christ surrounded by angels bearing scrolls inscribed with the Gloria Patri.
Stained Glass
1864
The south transept has two lancets.
Stained Glass
1864
The circular window in the south transept shows St. Ann surrounded by St. Mary St. Anna, St. Simeon, St. Elizabeth, St. Zacharias and St. Joseph.
Stained Glass
1892
The west window of the south transept is a single light showing Christ the Good Shepherd, given in 1892 in memory of the first Vicar of Hewish.
Stained Glass
c.1865
The west nave windows depict Isaiah, Jeremiah, Daniel and Ezekiel, by O'Connor
Stained Glass
c.1865
A north nave window opposite the door has a shield of arms in the circle above the main lights, presumably the arms of Phippen.
Interior
Interior Description
Throughout the church the walls are plastered and whitewashed, the stonework round windows and doorways being left exposed, and the design is improved by a moulded stringcourse running at the level of the window sills. The nave is pave with tiles in the alley and with wooden boards under the pews. The ceiling is boarded to form a timber barrel vault relieved with bands of quatrefoils at each bay which define the position of the principals, especially when taken together with small foliated stone capitals which form the corbels upon which the concealed principals presumably rest. The three arches of the timber-vaulted crossing (with the exception of the chancel arch) are of two plain chamfered orders, the inner dying into the wall and the outer returning vertically to the floor. The chancel arch is two-centred, with an inner moulded order carried on three black colonettes of polished marble against the responds and an outer order also moulded but with an overlapping scale pattern which is carried on nook shafts, also of polished black Devon marble, which reach to bases near the floor. The symbols of the Evangelists are carved at each corner of the crossing vault.
The floor is three steps above that of the nave and the chancel is also marked by a low stone wall pierced by trefoil-headed arches. The pulpit belongs to this scheme also, being a built-in fixture of stone at the north end, but the lectern is a brass eagle of later date. The chancel, unlike the nave and transepts, is faced entirely with ashlar masonry internally, with dogtooth on the wall plate and an arch on the north opening into the organ chamber. The series of thirteen windows with stained glass depicting Christ and the Twelve Disciples stand within continuous arcading like that which frames them externally but with the differace that here the detached shafts are of black polished marble. Above a cornice of dogtooth, the rafters of the apse converge on a central point with powerful effect, and the roof is further enhanced by decorative painting in the form of three different types of scroll and foliage executed in green, blue and dull red.
Fixtures and fittings
Altar
The altar is a simple table of deal.
Pulpit
1864
The pulpit is of stone, three sides of an octagon in plan, with pointed quatrefoils in each face enclosing the Star of David, the cross and sacred monogram. The upper edge is moulded and the body stands on a moulded projection from the base.
Lectern
1918
The lectern is a small brass eagle presented in 1918.
Font (object)
1864
The font is circular, on a drum with a foliated capital and surrounded by a circular step.
Organ (object)
The organ is a small one-manual instrument restored by Osmond of Taunton.
Churchyard
Grid reference: ST 397 642
Burial and War Grave Information
It is unknown whether the building is consecrated.
It is unknown whether the churchyard has been used for burial.
It is unknown whether the churchyard is used for burial.
It is unknown whether the churchyard has war graves.
National Heritage record for England designations
There are no records of National Heritage assets within the curtilage of this site.
Environment
Ancient, Veteran & Notable Trees
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
There are no records of Ancient, Veteran or Notable Trees within the curtilage of this site.
Renewables
| Renewable | Installed |
|---|---|
| Solar PV Panels | N/A |
| Solar Thermal Panels | N/A |
| Biomass | N/A |
| Wind Turbine | N/A |
| Air Source Heat Pump | N/A |
| Ground Source Heat Pump | N/A |
| Ev Charging | N/A |
Species summary
There are no records of species within the curtilage of this site.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
'Seek advice' Species
More information on species and action to be taken upon discovery.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
Further information
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