The Church of St Bartholomew, Oake,
is contained within a relatively narrow churchyard on the eastern
side of the main lane, with Oake Manor Golf Club buildings on its
southern flank. The earliest parts of the building date to the
thirteenth century, with fourteenth century additions. The fifteenth
century two-story west porch became the base of the elegant small
tower when the upper stage was added, which contains a ring of three
bells.
In 1535 the monks from Taunton Priory ensured
the preservation of a beautiful arched window from their derelict
monastery by carrying it to St Bartholomew's (although a careful
check will reveal it was installed the wrong way around!). The
porch is said to be dated 1601. The red sandstone random rubble
building was reseated in 1840, and the chancel roof was rebuilt in
1850. Restoration was carried out in 1875 and 1911 when the base of
the tower became the vestry.
St Peter's Church, Langford Budville,
stands on the crest of a steep hill at the north-eastern end of the
main street in the village, within a large churchyard on its western
side and sweeping views across Somerset. The remains of a Saxon
cross in the churchyard suggests a place of worship of
long-standing, although not necessarily with a church building. That
seems to have existed by 1204, but in its present form it is a late
medieval building in the Perpendicular style.
The north aisle was added in 1866 for the
household of Bindon House. The stonework is chiefly local sandstone
or conglomerate, with Hamstone dressings. Internally there are
medieval wagon roofs in the nave and south aisle. A rood screen
formerly stood at the east end of the nave, and there was a side
chapel (probably a chantry chapel) at the east end of the south
aisle, and from at least 1742 a gallery at the west end of the nave
for the singers and a village band.
The site of Langford Budville Church House
is at the south-west corner of the churchyard (see above), alongside
the main lane through the village. Now a private garden, it was where
'church ales' (fund-raising parish parties) were held at the festival
of St Peter. Following the Reformation the church house accommodated
a school in the 1620s, and after 1650 it became the parish poor house
until 1834. Then it was a private residence until it burnt down in
1908.
Langford Budville Independent Chapel sits
about twenty metres west of the very north-western end of Butts
Lane, at the junction with Chorwell Lane. Independent (and later
Congregationalist) worshippers in the village had to travel to
Milverton from 1784, until a small chapel was opened here, but this
was not until the mid-1900s (OS 25-inch 1949-1968). It closed around
1980 to be converted into a private residence that is known as 'The
Old Chapel'.
All photos on this page by P L Kessler. Former
Taunton Deane area church names and locations kindly confirmed by
South West Heritage Trust. Additional information from The
National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland (1868).
