Listed Building record MDO10716 - St John's Church, Seaborough

A parish church mainly rebuilt in 1882 by Crickmay. The North Chapel is dated 1729 and medieval window has been incorporated. The church consists of dressed stone walls, a slate roof with tile crestings and stone gable copings.

A gift of land for the building of a new church in the village of Seaborough was made in 1415. The present church of Saint John was rebuilt in 1882 except for the north wall of the nave, the base of the south wall, the base of the south porch and the north chapel of 1729. <1>

The nave incorporates two 15th century windows. (2-4)

Church of St John. The North chapel was added in 1729. Grade II. (5-6)

<1> John Collinson, 1791, The History of Somerset, 174 (Monograph). SDO17928.

<2> DOE (HRR), 1950, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest: Beaminster Rural District 1950, 33 (Scheduling record). SDO17358.

<3> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments England, 1952, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume I (West), 199 (Monograph). SDO97.

‘(1) Parish Church Of St. John stands on the S. side of the parish. It was rebuilt in 1882 except for most of the N. wall of the Nave, the base of the S. wall of the Nave, the base of the South Porch and the North Chapel which was added in 1729. The nave incorporates two 15th-century windows, one, in the N. wall, of three trefoiled lights in a square head and the other, in the W. wall, of two trefoiled lights with tracery in a two-centred head. The N. chapel has a pseudo-Gothic window of three lights.
Fittings—Bells: two, inaccessible, but one presented by the rector, Fidelis Ashe, in 1710. Communion Table: In vestry—with turned legs and fluted top-rails, 17th-century, top modern. Monuments: In N. chapel— (1) tapering slab with small effigy (Plate 24) of man wearing mail armour, surcoat and flat-topped helm held by two hands, perhaps of destroyed figure of angel at head, long shield, legs crossed, mid 13th-century. In N.E. angle of same chapel—(2) a tablet (Plate 21) with a bust to Adam Martin, 1738–9. Piscina: In N. chapel—part of late 12th-century shaft with cheveron-ornament and moulded capital, later drain and channel cut on one side for piscina, now loose. Plate: includes an Elizabethan cup by Jons of Exeter and a paten of 1828. Seating: In vestry— coffin-stool with turned legs, 17th-century. Table: In vestry—with turned legs and fluted top-rail, 17th-century.‘

<4> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1962 (Map). SWX1540.

(ST 43000593) St. John's Church (NAT)

<5> Newman, J, and Pevsner, N, 1972, The Buildings of England: Dorset, 361 (Monograph). SWX1290.

<6> Department of the Environment, 1983, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest: District of West Dorset, 94 (Scheduling record). SDO16336.

<7> National Record of the Historic Environment, 192951 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Apr 17 2025 10:30AM