Church of St John the Baptist, Keynsham

Church of St John the Baptist
Location Keynsham Somerset, England
Coordinates 51°25′03″N 2°29′55″W / 51.41750°N 2.49861°WCoordinates: 51°25′03″N 2°29′55″W / 51.41750°N 2.49861°W
Built c. 1250
Listed Building – Grade II*
Designated 27 February 1950[1]
Reference no. 1384628
Location of Church of St John the Baptist in Somerset

The Church of St John the Baptist, is an Anglican parish church in Keynsham Somerset, England. It was built around 1250 and has been designated as a Grade II* listed building.[1]

Begun in 1292, the Anglican parish church of St John the Baptist gradually evolved until taking its present general form during the reign of Charles II, after the tower collapsed into the building during a storm in 1632.[1][2] The tower, built over the north-east corner of the nave, now rises in three stages over the Western entrance and is surmounted by a pierced parapet and short croketted pinnacles and is said to have been built from the ruins of the abbey church. The south aisle and south porch date from 1390. The chancel, then the responsibility of Keynsham Abbey, was rebuilt in 1470 and further restoration was carried out in 1634–1655, following the collapse of the tower. There is a pulpit dating from 1634 and is also a screen of the same age which shuts off the choir vestry.[1]

A former organ is said to have stood in the church, but "had tones so mellow" that Handel bargained for it, offering a peal of bells in exchange.[3] The offer was accepted. The musician went off with the organ and the bells were delivered. There are eight bells in total, some made by the Bilbie family of Chew Stoke,[4] the smallest bears these lines:[4]

"I value not who doth me see
For Thomas Bilbie casted me;
Althow my sound it is but small
I can be heard amongst you all."

The benefice of Keynsham falls within the archdeaconry of Bath.[5]

References

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  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "Church of St John the Baptist". National heritage list for England. English Heritage. Retrieved 22 September 2013.
  2. ↑ "St John’s Church". Keynsham Parish. Retrieved 22 September 2013.
  3. ↑ Johnstone, H. Diack. "Claver Morris, an Early Eighteenth-Century English Physician and Amateur Musician Extraordinaire". Journal of the Royal Musical Association 133 (1).
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Moore, J. Rice, R. and Hucker, E. (1995). Bilbie and the Chew Valley clockmakers : the story of the renowned family of Somerset bellfounder-clockmakers /Clockmakers. The authors. ISBN 0-9526702-0-8.
  5. ↑ "St John the Baptist, Keynsham". A church near you. Church of England. Retrieved 22 September 2013.