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spread of the
Somerset tower into the surrounding countryside. Ultimately, however, Harvey concludes that what is needed to do a proper dating and sorting of the rich collection of medieval towers in Somerset is a team of history, document, and architecture experts to probe widely and deeply, amassing all the clues possible before constructing the definitive dating and systematics of the towers.
157:
343:, writing in 1952, accepted much of the classification scheme set out in earlier works, based on age and the arrangement of the windows. He argued, however, that the North Somerset group had been wrongly classified. Based on an early attempt to bring computer analysis to the study of the towers, Poyntz Wright in 1981 published a
99:"Somerset's wealth of some 90 late medieval towers, 50 of which are great designs by any standard, gives the county a unique place in the history of English art. The prosperity of the wool trade in the 15th century paid for the design and craftsmanship, displayed often in small villages, which still astonish us today."
298:
How quickly the towers were built is controversial. Poyntz Wright estimates one or two years. John H. Harvey believes a construction rate of 10 feet (3 m) per year, allowing for gradual settlement, is more in accord with known medieval tower construction rates. The towers were commissioned by
422:
as "the source of the typical 'Somerset Tower'... and the later concept of the spireless tower throughout this country." Harvey presumes that
Wynford, who died in 1405, was directly involved in the design of St Cuthbert's parish church, a few blocks away from Wells cathedral, one sign of the
372:
Harvey pushes many of Poyntz Wright's tower construction dates later, and some earlier. He cites Yeovil's church as one of the earliest
Somerset towers, suggesting that its construction began well before 1400. He finds similarities in the Yeovil church's buttress scheme and parapet to the datable
363:
In a 1984 article, John H. Harvey thoroughly rejects Poyntz Wright's systematics, the assumptions upon which it was based, and the resulting tower dates. Harvey stresses the importance of tower arches as conservative architectural features, contrasting these with decorative features that could be
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The prolific construction of the towers – some started before 1360 – was typically accomplished by a master mason and a small team of itinerant masons, supplemented by local parish laborers, according to Poyntz Wright. But other authors reject this model, suggesting instead that leading
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notes that at the end of the 14th century, Somerset was producing a quarter of the wool products made in
England and this was one of the sources of wealth that produced the Somerset towers. The boom in wool led to a comparable, though architecturally rather different, wave of equally extravagant
347:
of the towers to tease out patterns reflecting the chronology and teams of builders behind their construction. Based on details such as the numbers and arrangement of windows; presence, arrangement and decoration of pinnacles and merlons; and arrangement, location, and styling of buttresses, he
147:"It is, indeed, a source of wonder that funds and skilled workmen were forthcoming in sufficient quantity to erect or rebuild so many churches within a comparatively short period. It was upon the Towers that the greatest skill of the Perpendicular builders was lavished."
135:, which is defined as encompassing those "of outstanding or national architectural or historic interest". Those that do not achieve grade I are listed as II*, which means "particularly significant buildings of more than local interest."
368:"Whereas there is a substantial possibility of alteration in the tracery of a west window ... or of a later insertion of a west door, it is almost impossible for the tower-arch to be other than an integral part of the original build."
360:. These churches were clustered based on traits such as having smaller towers with a single window in each face of the top stage; a pierced top parapet without merlons and four square-set corner pinnacles above.
327:
Because of the age of the
Somerset towers, there are few records showing exactly when and by whom they were built. But for more than a century, experts have studied and classified the Somerset towers.
688:. Vol. lxii. 60 collotypes prepared for a planned monograph are in the British Library, Add MS 37260-37263, and were published by the Society. Somersetshire Archeological Society at Gillingham.
266: – a limestone from the area – was a frequent choice, but because of the difficulty and expense of transporting stone, stone from the nearest quarries was generally used, including red
124:
143: – their most important commissions. Contract builders carried out the plans, adding a distinctive mix of innovative details and decorations as new designs emerged over the years.
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described and proposed rough dates for "generations" of
Somerset towers. For example, Poyntz Wright proposed "The Churchill Generation" as an early group including churches at
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towers typically positioned on the west side of the churches. The towers soar more than 100 feet (30 m) in some cases – 182 feet (55 m) in the case of
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of the era innovated and borrowed new designs from one another, adding additional storeys and elaborating decoration wherever there was money to support it. The
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94:"They stand apart by reason of their style, their intricate decoration, and their great height, from which they command the low flat plains of Somerset."
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became a tradition still practiced in some of these
English country churches. Most of the churches in this article have been designated, under the
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can be cut in any direction, making possible fancy curves and fine details. Unfortunately, the softness of the stone also makes it subject to
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In the absence of such a definitive tower taxonomy, Poyntz Wright's dates and scheme – used and italicized on the related page, "
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219:, for example. This icing of sculpted decoration, often made of beautifully colored stone, was hewn from soft sedimentary
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308:. An additional source of support for some of the Somerset churches would have been close ties to nearby monasteries in
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wealthy benefactors and parishes as a testament to their faith, as well as a highly visible sign of wealth and status.
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The distinctive quality of the
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has cited the towers as one of
England's finest contributions to medieval art. Other authors write:
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The Parish Church Towers of
Somerset, Their construction, craftsmanship and chronology 1350 - 1550
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in the 16th century largely brought to an end the era of Somerset tower construction.
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architects designed the parish church towers based on early examples of Perpendicular
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532:. Tower Restoration Fund, St. Mary Magdalene, Taunton and Impact Design +PR, Taunton.
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changed in later stages of construction – or even after the tower was complete:
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180:(begun 1184) and their renovations into the 14th century. Beyond these, however, the
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offering new classifications in 1904. Wickham, who spent time as the vicar of
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proposed a classification of the towers in 1851–1852, with Dr. F.J. Allen and
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Key architectural references in the development of the Somerset towers were
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Somerset Perpendicular – The Church Towers and the Dating Evidence
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Stone conservation article relating to Hamstone Somerset tower
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A History of the County of Somerset: Volume 3 (1974), pp. 1-13
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Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990
119:'s north tower (1440). Most of the towers house bells, and
554:. London: The Ancient Monuments Society. pp. 158–173.
164:, was featured on the 9-pence postage stamp in 1972.
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49:"The grandest of all English parish church towers."
684:Brereton, R. P. (1904). "Somerset Church Towers".
671:The buildings of England, South and West Somerset
141:design and ornamentation developed for cathedrals
176:(begun around 1180 and consecrated 1239), and
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262:For the foundations and walls of the towers,
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418:Harvey cites Wynford's southwest tower of
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103:Often built on the foundations of older
57:are a collection of distinctive, mostly
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616:Somerset County Council — History
566:"Somerset by G.W. Wade and J.H. Wade"
223:quarried around Somerset, including
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1135:Towers completed in the 16th century
1130:Towers completed in the 15th century
699:Wickham, Archdale Kenneth (1965).
160:The Somerset tower of St. Mary's,
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1115:Bell towers in the United Kingdom
430:" – should be held lightly.
413:St. Cuthbert parish church, Wells
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473:England's Thousand Best Churches
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304:parish churches in 15th century
86:Newspaper columnist and editor
1125:Gothic architecture in England
703:. London: David & Charles.
507:. Avebury Publishing Company.
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503:Poyntz Wright, Peter (1981).
530:Poster: The Somerset Towers
450:English Gothic architecture
401:St. John's church in Yeovil
199:windows and bell openings,
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686:The Archaeological Journal
587:"Parishes: Huish Episcopi"
215:, and tall external stair
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27:Gothic-style church towers
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936:National Trust properties
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643:Portrait of the Quantocks
294:Classification and dating
1070:English landscape garden
550:Harvey, John H. (1984).
528:Murrow, Tom and Jackie.
67:towers in the county of
753:Architecture of England
645:. London: Robert Hale.
641:Waite, Vincent (1964).
471:Jenkins, Simon (2000).
440:List of Somerset towers
428:List of Somerset towers
329:Edward Augustus Freeman
32:List of Somerset towers
822:Strawberry Hill Gothic
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701:Churches of Somerset
170:Gloucester Cathedral
109:Perpendicular Gothic
1120:Church architecture
886:Medieval cathedrals
881:Abbeys and priories
1110:Towers in Somerset
1045:Dartmoor longhouse
1040:Wealden hall house
445:Towers in Somerset
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43:St. Mary Magdalene
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1002:Brighton and Hove
891:Former cathedrals
842:Bristol Byzantine
667:Pevsner, Nikolaus
622:on 5 October 2013
612:"Parish Churches"
475:. Penguin Books.
274:from quarries at
270:, and the softer
178:Glastonbury Abbey
16:(Redirected from
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767:Anglo-Saxon
318:Glastonbury
288:North Curry
239:stone, and
186:Reformation
131:as grade I
82:Description
1099:Categories
1055:Bath stone
1032:Oast house
987:Manchester
977:Birmingham
868:structures
832:Jacobethan
812:Queen Anne
456:References
379:Winchester
341:East Brent
257:weathering
225:Bath stone
209:buttresses
113:buttressed
73:south west
30:See also:
1065:Flushwork
1017:Almshouse
1012:Fan vault
982:Liverpool
941:Windmills
847:Brutalist
837:Edwardian
827:Victorian
669:(2003) .
350:Churchill
310:Muchelney
272:freestone
268:sandstone
264:blue lias
253:freestone
221:limestone
201:gargoyles
193:pinnacles
59:spireless
1086:Category
951:Stadiums
817:Georgian
802:Carolean
797:Jacobean
434:See also
373:work of
345:taxonomy
314:Athelney
284:Doulting
276:Ham Hill
245:Ham Hill
241:Hamstone
229:Doulting
205:parapets
152:Features
69:Somerset
997:Bristol
926:Museums
876:Castles
626:7 March
571:3 March
337:Martock
306:Suffolk
217:turrets
213:merlons
197:tracery
195:, lacy
76:England
47:Taunton
1035:(cowl)
972:London
777:Norman
760:Styles
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596:2 June
511:
479:
387:Oxford
356:, and
286:, and
247:since
243:(from
237:Dundry
105:Norman
65:church
62:Gothic
965:Other
787:Tudor
249:Roman
127:, by
992:Bath
647:ISBN
628:2008
598:2008
573:2008
509:ISBN
477:ISBN
381:and
322:Bath
320:and
280:Bath
53:The
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