St Dunstan's Church, Baltonsborough
Church in Somerset, England / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Church of St Dunstan in Baltonsborough, Somerset, England, was built in the 15th century. It has been designated as a Grade I listed building.[1]
Church of St Dunstan | |
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General information | |
Town or city | Baltonsborough |
Country | England |
Coordinates | 51.1105°N 2.6562°W / 51.1105; -2.6562 |
Completed | 15th century |
The dedication honours St Dunstan who was born in Baltonsborough in 909, and eventually became Archbishop of Canterbury and an important monastic reformer of the Anglo-Saxon period.[2] Legends attached to Dunstan portray him nailing a horseshoe onto the devil, earning him a place as a patron saint of blacksmiths.
There is a four bay nave and two bay chancel.[1] The nave is particularly wide and has caused stress in the roof and an outward lean in the north wall.[3] The church's simple Somerset tower is topped by an elaborate ironwork weather vane crafted by the local blacksmith in the 19th century.[4] The interior includes a 15th-century font.[1] The screen was designed by Frederick Bligh Bond.[3]
The churchyard contains war graves of a Somerset Light Infantry soldier of World War I and a Royal Navy sailor of World War II.[5]
The parish is part of the benefice of Baltonsborough with Butleigh, West Bradley and West Pennard, which is known as the Brue Benefice.[6][7]
One former vicar of the church was Edward Mellish who was awarded the Victoria Cross in World War I.[8]