Church of St John the Baptist, Frome

Coordinates: 51°13′47″N 02°19′14″W / 51.22972°N 2.32056°W

Church of St John the Baptist, Frome

St John the Baptist, Frome
Denomination Church of England
Churchmanship Broad Church
Website www.sjfrome.co.uk
History
Dedication St John the Baptist
Administration
Parish Frome
Diocese Bath and Wells
Province Canterbury
Clergy
Vicar(s) Revd Colin Alsbury

The Church of St John the Baptist, Frome is a parish church in the Church of England located in Frome, Somerset.

Features

The parish church of St John the Baptist, with its tower and spire, was built between the late 12th century and early 15th century replacing a Saxon building that had stood since 685 AD. It was further restored around 1860, and contains a chancel, Lady chapel and baptistery. Fragments of Norman work are left; the interior is elaborately adorned with sculptures and stained glass. It is a grade II* listed building.[1] Outside the east end of the church is the tomb of Thomas Ken.[2]

The stone Via Crucis (Way of the Cross) is unique and stone-sculptured.[3]

In the southwestern corner of the churchyard a well rises.[3]

The screen and gates at the entrance to the forecourt of the church was built in 1814 by Jeffrey Wyatt.[4]

List of ministers

??? - c.1418 William Starke [5]

Organ

The church has a large three manual pipe organ. The earliest parts of the organ date from ca. 1680 by Harris, but there is later work by Young, Richard Seede and Vowles. In 1923 the organ was rebuilt by William Hill & Son & Norman & Beard. A specification of the organ can be found on the National Pipe Organ Register.

List of organists

  • William Black 1701 - 1703
  • James Clarke 1703 - 1704
  • William Clarke 1704 - 1710
  • Abraham Jordan 1710
  • Stephen Jefferies 1710 - 1717
  • Philipp Pembruge 1717 - 1726
  • Matthew Mattock 1727 - 1736
  • John Stevens 1736 - 1744
  • Hugh Wilkins 1744 - 1783
  • Peter Daniell 1783 - 1799
  • Thomas Daniell 1799 - 1862
  • Henry Daniell 1862 - 1873
  • Jabez Pratt 1873 - 1877
  • W.H. Drake 1877 - 1878
  • Mrs. F. Harrold 1878 - 1915
  • George Heath-Gracie 1915-1919
  • A.A. Gregory 1919 - 1920
  • H. Alline Fry 1920 - 1940
  • Robert Gillings 1961 - 1962
  • Michael Burton 1962 - 1965
  • David Finnamore 1965 - 1968
  • Peter H. Matthews 1968 - 1976
  • Stephen Carleston 1976 - 1979
  • David Rogers 1980
  • Steven Cowley 1981 - 1982
  • Revd Kenneth Denton 1982 - 1986
  • Bryan Hesford 1986
  • Colin J. Norvall 1987-

This list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it.

Gallery

References

  1. ↑ "Parish Church of St John the Baptist". Images of England. Retrieved 2006-12-31.
  2. ↑ "Tomb of Bishop Ken". Images of England. Retrieved 2008-11-16.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Frome St John the Baptist". Sacred Somerset. BBC. Retrieved 16 November 2008.
  4. ↑ "Screen and Gates". Images of England. Retrieved 2008-11-16.
  5. ↑ Plea Rolls of the Court of Common Pleas; National Archives; CP 40/629; http://aalt.law.uh.edu/H5/CP40no629/bCP40no629dorses/IMG_1341.htm; 4th entry. The executors of the will of William Starke, parson of St John the Baptist in Frome (Woodland,) are given as Robert Crass & John Perys

External links