St Michael and All Angels' Church, East Coker
| St Michael and All Angels’ Church, East Coker | |
|---|---|
 St Michael and All Angels’ Church, East Coker | |
 | |
| 50°54′26.38″N 2°39′26.33″W / 50.9073278°N 2.6573139°W | |
| Location | East Coker |
| Country | England |
| Denomination | Church of England |
| Churchmanship | Broad Church |
| Website | eastcokerchurch.org.uk |
| History | |
| Dedication | St Michael and All Angels |
| Architecture | |
| Heritage designation | Grade II* listed[1] |
| Administration | |
| Province | Province of Canterbury |
| Diocese | Diocese of Bath and Wells |
| Archdeaconry | Wells |
| Deanery | Yeovil |
| Parish | East Coker |
St Michael and All Angels’ Church is a Grade II* listed[1] parish church in the Church of England in East Coker, Somerset.
History
The church dates from the late 12th century, but much of the surviving fabric is 15th century. In the 14th century the rector was appointed by the Lord of the Manor at the adjoining Coker Court. The window of the asouth transept includes the coat of arms of the Helyar family who were the local lords, including William Helyar who became archdeacon of Barnstaple and built the Helyar Almshouses.[2]
The central tower was replaced in 1791 by a north east tower designed by Joseph Radford.[2]
The brass eagle lectern was dedicated on Christmas Eve in 1898 in commemoration of the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Victoria’s reign. [3]
The church is noted as the resting place of the poet T. S. Eliot whose ashes were interred in 1965.[2]
Incumbents
Rectors up to Peter Falewell, after that, Vicars[4]
Organ
The pipe organ is by E. Lifford and Co of Yeovil. A specification of the organ can be found on the National Pipe Organ Register.[5]
Bells
The tower contains a ring of 8 bells, all dating from 1770 or 1771 and cast by Thomas II Bilbie of the Bilbie family.[6]
Parish status
The church is in a joint parish with
- St Mary’s Church, East Chinnock
- St Mary’s Church, Hardington Mandeville
- St Roch’s Church, Pendomer
- All Saints’ Church, Closworth
- St Martin of Tours' Church, West Coker
- All Saints’ Church, Sutton Bingham
References
- ^ a b Historic England. "Church of St Michael (Grade II*) (1345781)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 14 September 2015.
- ^ a b c Dunning, Robert (1996). Fifty Somerset Churches. Somerset Books. pp. 139–142. ISBN 978-0861833092.
- ^ "East Coker". Taunton Courier, and Western Advertiser. Taunton. 28 December 1898. Retrieved 14 September 2015 – via British Newspaper Archive.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|subscription=ignored (|url-access=suggested) (help) - ^ "History". The Church of St Michael and All Angels, East Coker. The Parish Church. Retrieved 15 September 2015.
- ^ "NPOR [N05545]". National Pipe Organ Register. British Institute of Organ Studies. Retrieved 14 September 2015.
- ^ "East Coker, S Michael and All Angels". Dove's Guide for Church Bell Ringers. Dove's Guide. 26 June 2012. Retrieved 14 September 2014.