History of St Mary the Virgin, Swainswick

St. Mary the Virgin, Swainswick (or Swanswick or Swayneswycke).

As with the majority of ancient English churches, each unfolding century’s congregation has left their legacy in the fabric and furnishings of St. Mary’s. Valued at 30 shillings in the Domesday Book, Swainswick was a wooded settlement so it is possible that a wooden building for worship existed here before the first simple stone church was built towards the end of the 12C.

Vestiges of this are still to be seen in the south wall, the door entrance with its distinctive Norman pillars supporting a Romanesque zig-zag decorated arch and the simple loophole window to the west of the doorway with its corresponding loophole in the north wall at the base of the tower, the deep inner splay indicating that this was the north wall of the original building.

A small lean-to structure was added, probably early 13C. at the west end on the outside of this north wall, consisting of two rooms, one above the other. Each room had a window in its north wall – the openings existing to this day and the upper room had an additional window in the west wall – the blocked outline visible from the outside. During restoration work in 1924, one wall of the upper room revealed the blackened traces of a domestic fireplace. The roof would have rested on the corbel still to be seen on the north wall of the tower.

It is possible that, in not having a resident priest until 1297, when it is recorded that Willelmus was appointed, services on Holy days and when required would be conducted by visiting clergy, (perhaps a monk from the abbey at Bath) riding out to the hamlet and accommodated in the rooms attached to the church, for as long as required.

The tower was added in the 14C. and because the western end of the church was close to the manor boundary. The structure had to be built inside using the existing west and north walls, together with a south and east wall supported by arches having a massive common footing. Carved headstops and an angel ornament these arches.

The porch was also built in the 14C with an innovative ogee arched entrance – the ogee design was a feature of the new Decorated style of architecture. It is possible that the dogtooth moulding and headstops, were added around the much earlier zig-zag ornament above the inner doorway, at this time.

The ogee window with its reticulated tracery, in the south wall to the east of the porch was also inserted, probably replacing a smaller simpler window, as was the addition of the holy water stoup inside on the south wall to the east of the door, at this time. The ornate gabling with complex ogee arches over capped by three elaborate finials around the recessed bowl (unfortunately broken-off flush with the wall) is a splendid example of the Decorated style.

Even greater alterations and additions were made in the 15C when Edmund Forde lived at the manor. As the church was in his patronage, he spent some of his wealth in rebuilding and enlarging the church on a grand scale in the modern Perpendicular style.

The north wall from the tower to the chancel was replaced by an arcade with two supporting shafted piers and a small round-headed arch at the east end (probably the original north doorway), all opening into a new north aisle.

To the east end of the north aisle a chantry chapel was added which in turn connected with the chancel by a panelled four-centred arch. The chapel was probably intended for the exclusive use of the family at the manor as there is a small north door into the chapel with an external holy water stoup set in the wall leading from a door in the manor boundary wall inside, set in an arched recess in the south wall of the chapel, is a piscina (a draining shell-shaped bowl in which the sacred vessels were washed) indicating that an altar was originally positioned at the east end.

Also in the north wall, there is an unusual recess with a four-centred head with a carved ‘finger-like’ motif over and unfinished columns and shields at either end. The purpose of this feature is a bit of a mystery because the ‘finger’ motive is copied from the ornament above the square-headed main east window. It was obviously intended to be of some importance, yet it was left in an unfinished condition.

The chancel was also renewed at this time but what it replaced, is unknown. During building work in 1906, a decorated stone with a ‘tooth ornament’ was discovered set in the wall above the chancel arch into the nave. It appeared to be part of an arch of larger span than a doorway which was probably, an earlier chancel arch.

Matching square-headed east windows were inserted in the east walls of chapel and chancel as shown in the early photograph of W E Lockey taken in 1855.

The church would have been full colour with a painted rood screen separating the chancel from the nave (the latter often used for secular parish activities) and wall-paintings depicting biblical figures and stories. There are recesses in the nave wall to the right of the chancel arch in which the supports of a screen would have fitted.

Stained glass in the windows and statues of the Virgin Mary on the stone brackets moulded into the arcade pillars on the nave side, together with lavish furnishings and vestments, would have provided the grandeur commensurate with the wealth and status of the Patron. Edmund Forde died in 1439 and his monumental brass effigy set in the original floor slab, lies in the centre of the present-day sanctuary (detailed in appendix).
After his death, the church suffered financially and was listed as one of the churches in Somerset too poor to pay the 15C equivalent of the Parish Share.

The Tudor 16C saw the title of Swainswick Manor, its lands and the patronage of the church, come into the ownership of Oriel College at Oxford in 1530. There were also great changes nationally, starting with the separation from the Roman Catholic rule of the Pope by Henry 8th in 1534 and his assumption of religious leadership, although the Latin liturgy was retained in the churches. Changes at local level in parish churches began slowly and despite the great upheaval of the dissolution of the monasteries including Bath Abbey in 1539, it was with the accession of Edward 6th in 1547 that the removal of all symbols of ‘Popery’ was vigorously enforced. This coincided with the appointment at Swainswick of a new Minister, Thomas Ireland.

All services were now in the vernacular and the Prayer Book and Bible in English had to be the only books in use. Rood screens had to be torn down opening up the whole church to the people, painted imagery on the walls was obliterated with lime-wash (traces of colour have frequently appeared when the wash has thinned or flaked-off in the past), statues disappeared and any stained glass in the windows were replaced with plain.

Perhaps the bowl of the 13C font was considered too ornate resulting in its present simple octagonal replacement sitting on the original stem (still showing remains of colour).

Queen Mary 1st, a staunch Roman Catholic, acceded to the throne in 1553 and immediately ordered the restoration of the old religious practices. Some furnishings etc. were recovered but much had been destroyed or disappeared for ever. During her reign, “ the Register book of the parish of Swainswick, faithfullie collected according to the cannons” was begun in “the Yere of our Lord 1557”. This is currently retained in the diocesan records at the Somerset Records Office, Taunton, with many historical documents belonging to Swainswick church.

With the last of the Tudors, Queen Elizabeth I, enthroned in 1558, there came a return to Protestantism but without the strict exclusion of the traditional church administration, although with a strong emphasis on teaching prevalent during the last half of the century, it is quite likely that the first wooden pulpit was installed, for preaching the gospel (biblical and political) to rural Swainswickers.

The 17C saw the return of the Stewart kings. After James I there came a strong move once again towards Catholicism, both by Charles 1st and a large proportion of the church hierarchy, resulting in the turmoil leading to the Civil War and Commonwealth. There is no hard evidence of change at Swainswick Church during this period.

The first Churchwardens' Accounts volume dates from 1631 and the expenditure recorded shows a remarkable proportion of payments for secular items without the slightest church connection, eg. :- bounty payments for predators …..foxes 1s – od, greys (badgers) 1s – od, ravens 1d.

The account for 1632 has been audited and signed by William Prynne, the renowned Puritan, Parliamentarian and pamphleteer, who was Swainswick born.

An item recorded in the accounts in July 1643, coinciding with the Civil War battle of Lansdown, is shown as…. “for kepping of a trope of hors.. 5s – od”. (Cavalier or Roundhead unknown). There are also numerous payments to crippled and maimed soldiers during the war years.

Payments for celebratory bell-ringing and repairs to bells and ringing equipment are often recorded in the accounts. R E M Peach, in his remarkable and valuable book of 1890. ‘Annals of Swainswick’ , records the inscriptions on the five original bells, which included the dates – 1636 (on one bell) and 1664 on the others when they were recast and reinstalled but there must have been even earlier bells for the repair payments to be recorded before 1664.

The accounts for that year state…… “for Casting of 15 st- 20ob of bell metal at 15s. per st.” and payments for the necessary installation work and equipment. Components in the 17C. wooden bell frame removed during the 1973 restoration, were expertly identified as having been reworked from an earlier period.

A new oak inner door was made and fitted in 1634 as detailed in the accounts, now the present day outer porch door. It is not known when the door was refitted – graffiti carved WB 1749.

The legs and frame of the altar / table are early 17C with a raised incised table-top replacement fitted in 1921. There is an oak rectangular box-basket divided centrally by a carved raised handle. The sides are carved with swirling patterns, the ends carved with a chalice design, initials EAM and the date 1645. Its purpose is not known but it may have been to hold dole-bread given out to the poor of the parish.

A painted square-diamond shaped Royal Arms of Charles I , C R and dated 1647, now hangs above the door on the south wall. Originally its place was above the chancel arch and it is an enigma since at that date, the Civil War had ceased with the King confined and eventually executed. The majority of C R royal arms were ultimately modified for Charles 2nd and even to the much later Georgian G R.

In the late 17C the setting of memorial floor slabs in the church continued into the 18C and this was augmented by wall memorials, some quite elaborate and effusive.

A monumental slab to the distinguished architect and builder of Georgian Bath, John Wood the Elder, lies in the floor of the chapel, having been buried at Swainswick as the register states ‘by special request’ in 1754. His son, the equally renowned John Wood the Younger was also buried at Swainswick in 1782 and although his daughter Anna is commemorated on a floor slab alongside her grandfather, the burial of her father, John the Younger is recorded only in the register.

With music and singing now playing an important role in worship, there was a gallery for the musicians and singers across the north aisle at the west end, used later for children and eventually removed in 1924.