St Aldhelm's Church, Doulting

The Church of St Aldhelm in Doulting, Somerset, England, dates from the 12th century. It is a Grade I listed building.[1]

Church of St Aldhelm
Stone building with arched doorway and windows. The hexagonal tower is topped by a short spire.
St Aldhelm's Church, Doulting is located in Somerset
St Aldhelm's Church, Doulting
Location within Somerset
General information
Town or cityDoulting
CountryEngland
Coordinates51.1859°N 2.5058°W / 51.1859; -2.5058
Completed12th century

The dedication to St Aldhelm is unusual and arises from the 8th century when King Ine of Wessex gave the local estate to Glastonbury Abbey after his nephew Aldhelm died in the village in 709.[2][3] In his honour the local spring which is the source of the River Sheppey is called St Aldhelm's Well.[4][5] The local primary school is also dedicated to St Aldhelm.[6]

At the time of St Aldhelm's death in 709 it was a small wooden church.[7] The church has a tall spire rather than the towers which are more usual in Somerset. It has a two-storey porch which incorporates a carving of the Green Man into its vaulting.[2]

Within the churchyard is a 15th-century stone churchyard cross, it has an octagonal stepped base with a square socket stone and square tapering cross, it is a grade II* listed building.[8] The churchyard also contains a war grave of a Somerset Light Infantry soldier of World War I.[9]

In August 2007 the churchyard was excavated using a mechanical digger in order to install a septic tank for a toilet in the church. The digger broke through ancient graves, destroying human remains, this caused local residents to stage a sit-in protest to stop the work.[10]

  • Stone churchyard cross in St Aldhelm's parish churchyard
    Stone churchyard cross in St Aldhelm's parish churchyard

See also

References
Wikimedia Commons has media related to St Aldhelm's Church, Doulting.
  1. "Church of St Aldhelm". historicengland.org.uk. Retrieved 25 November 2006.
  2. Scott, Shane (1995). The hidden places of Somerset. Aldermaston: Travel Publishing Ltd. p. 58. ISBN 1-902007-01-8.
  3. Powicke, Sir F. Maurice (editor) [1939] (1961). Handbook of British Chronology, p. 254. London: The Royal Historical Society.
  4. "Well head with pump at NGR ST 6468 4318". historicengland.org.uk. Retrieved 17 March 2008.
  5. "Doulting Conservation Area Appraisal" (PDF). Mendip Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 11 June 2011. Retrieved 20 November 2010.
  6. "St Aldhelm's Primary School". St Aldhelm's Primary School. Retrieved 17 March 2008.
  7. Armitage Robinson, J. (1918). The Saxon Bishops of Wells. Oxford University Press. p. 3.
  8. "Churchyard Cross in Churchyard, Church of St Aldhelm". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 6 November 2017.
  9. CWGC casualty record.
  10. "BBC – Somerset – So Somerset – Neighbours protest to stop workmen disturbing their ancestors' graves". BBC News Article. Retrieved 29 July 2009.
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