LUCCOMBE CHURCHES
Church of England (Diocese of Bath and Wells)
Luccombe: St Mary's
St Mary's parish church
This is one of Exmoor's finest parish churches and one that is relatively large for the size of the village. The tower is similar to the one at Dunster, which is the largest in the National Park. Both were built by John Maris of Stogursey, that at Dunster in 1443 and that at Luccombe a few years later. The nave dates from a similar period but the chancel, of about 1300, is the earliest part of the church. The lancet windows in the chancel are of Early English design whereas the nave, aisle, font and tower are good examples of Perpendicular architecture. The high waggon roof is similar to those at Selworthy and Wootton Courtenay. The Perpendicular windows are amongst the church's most noteworthy features. The glass in them is mainly 19th century but there are some fragments of old glass in the east aisle window that were recovered after a drastic restoration of the church in 1840. A more sympathetic restoration took place in 1895, when some of the previous work was modified, including the removal of a large gallery in the nave.
Perpendicular windows in the Fragments of old glass in the east east aisle window of the aisle |
On the north wall is a monument of 1669 to Henry Byam. He was son of a recor of Luccombe and succeeded his father in that position. He married a daughter of William Fleete, rector of Selworthy, and also succeeded him. Byam was a royalist during the Civil War and raised a company for the king in which four of his five sons were officers. He was arrested at Luccombe by Cromwellian soldiers under Blake but escaped to join the king at Oxford. His wife and daughter were lost in the Bristol Channel whilst fleeing to Wales. At the end of the war he joined the Prince of Wales in exile but returned to Luccombe at the Restoration. He died there aged 89.
Stoke Pero (no dedication)
This church appears to have no dedication, although one of the bells, cast in 1500, is dedicated to St Barbara. A notice, once on the churchyard gate, now in the porch, declares that this is the highest, most isolated church on Exmoor and was mentioned in the Domesday Book. None of this is true. The highest church is St Luke’s at Simonsbath. This is just under 350 metres above sea level whilst Stoke Pero is just over 305 metres. In terms of distance from habitation and from its village, Brendon must have the most remote parish church and the church at Culbone must be the most difficult for public access. The Domesday Book related to properties that could be taxed and rarely mentioned churches, that at Carhampton being the only one mentioned in the Exmoor area. Stoke Pero church was not mentioned. The place name ‘Stoke’ often refers to a place with a church and the name ‘Pero’ was added in the 14th century, after the surname of the landowners at that time. The place name may have led some to believe that a church was here in Domesday times. However, the Domesday Book calls the place ‘Stoche’, which may refer to tree stumps or an area cleared of trees. The word ‘stockade’, being an enclosure made of tree trunks, has the same origin.
The list of rectors of the church begins in 1242 with ‘John, parson of Stoke.’ There were no rectors between 1675 and 1804, leading to the doggerel: “Culbone, Oare and Stoke Pero, parishes three no parson’ll go to.” It was always a poor parish with a tiny population and, presumably, the living did not bring in enough income to support a parson until the 19th century, when the population grew. In the mid 19th century there was a row of a dozen cottages near the church and another at Wilmersham. There was a parsonage and what is now Church Farm next to the church was a church house selling ales. Church life revived when Parson Gould came in 1857. Today the only habitation in the parish is nine scattered farmhouses. The parish has long since been amalgamated with that of Luccombe and is served by the Porlock team ministry.
The church was substantially rebuilt in 1897 at the bequest of Sir Thomas Acland (11th Baronet), the landowner. The tower and north porch are all that remain of the previous church, although some medieval window frames have been incorporated and old stones re-used. The porch has a medieval door with door posts cut from two enormous blocks of oak. The tower has a saddleback roof like those at Wootton Courtenay and Luxborough. The roof was, presumably, a later addition to help keep the damp out of the tower. The nave and chancel are now one, with a barrel roof. The oak beams for this were carried up from Parsons Street in Porlock by a donkey named Zulu. The donkey made two journeys a day for many months and is commemorated by a framed drawing by local author and artist Hope Bourne. During rebuilding the medieval building was found to have no foundations but below the church the remains of a smaller, earlier building were uncovered. Thus, it is likely that there was a church on the site in Domesday times.
Services: 3.00pm Evensong (3rd Sunday in month)