Interiors of St. Petrock's: 1905-1910 and with (almost) the same view, 2020
Title
Interiors of St. Petrock's: 1905-1910 and with (almost) the same view, 2020
Subject
Description
Two vastly different photographs depicting roughly the same view of the interior of St. Petrock's Church in Timberscombe, but separated by at least 110 years. The upper photograph has been identified as being taken between 1905 and 1910 (1). It was reproduced as an early postcard, labelled "TIMBERSCOMBE CHURCH." on the lower left. The lower photograph was created on the 9th of January 2020 by Roger Shattock, a Taunton based photographer who has shared his image with the St. Petrock's History Group.
With the obvious difference that the top photograph is dark and the lower photograph is incredibly clear and in colour, both have in their right foreground the church's Jacobean pulpit, likely from the later 16th or early 17th century (2) . In their 1955 booklet, "THE VILLAGE OF TIMBERSCOMBE AND ITS CHURCH", James Henderson (who farmed at Allercott and served as Churchwarden at St. Petrock's) and his brother, Edward Henderson (the Bishop of Bath and Wells from 1960 to 1975), are somewhat harsh about this pulpit, describing it as having "a square-off pattern that any carpenter could have produced". Perhaps and indeed earlier pulpits were often more ornate and other sources describe post-Elizabethan pulpits as becoming plainer, so as to make the speaker in the pulpit less important and therefore putting emphasis on the words being spoken (3). The Henderson brothers do grant that the ageing of the pulpit may have mellowed its "crudity" and certainly Roger Shattock's photograph presents the pulpit with dignity. (Historic England describes it as a "fine Jacobean pulpit".)
And the poor pulpit has to compete with the very beautiful wood rood screen, seen to its left (or sort of seen in the darker photograph). Reputedly created in the 1500s by a family of craftsmen from Dunster (4), it comes from that earlier and more ornate period. It was built and designed with a top cornice of four panels running atop five fan vaultings and six panels, intensely carved with foliage dominated by the presence of Tudor roses--which possibly may have saved this screen from the Protestant Reformation when so many pre-Tudor rood screens were destroyed.
The top photograph does depict some of the front pews in St. Petrock's nave, as it meets the chancel, separated by the rood screen. The bench-ends that are visible are plain, as they are through-out the church. St. Petrock's is known to have been built by the early 12th century, followed over the decades by various renovations and additions. The nave, as it is now, was rebuilt in the 15th century (5) and would have likely been an open space where the congregation not only stood but would hold meetings, perform plays, perhaps dance and certainly eat and drink. Canon law stipulated the purpose of the rood screen was to separate the priest from these people (6). The pews may not have been added until the 17th century, when post-Elizabethan services became longer. And the addition of pews would not have been only for comfort, as the villagers of some means increased church revenues by renting the more desirable seats (7).
The waggon (or barrel) interior roof of the church is also apparent in the upper photograph, seen over the rood screen on the northern wall of the mid-15th century chancel. In 1862 the chancel had an extensive Victorian restoration by Ewan Christian (1814-1895), a British architect who renovated scores of churches across the UK but is perhaps best remembered as the designer of London's National Portrait Gallery (8). Further restorations occurred in the 1880's, overseen by the notable architect, John Dando Sedding (1838-1881), at which time the waggon roof was renewed but with original timbers retained whenever possible. Also added during Sedding's renovations and glimpsed through the rood screen on the lower photograph, is a stained glass window on the northern chancel wall, dedicated to Robert James Crosswell, the Vicar at St. Petrock's from 1876 to 1901 (9).
On the upper right corner of the earlier photograph, one of the four arches can be seen that are atop three marble pillars (or piers), separating the nave and chancel from St. Petrock's south aisle, added in the early 1500's (10).
Roger Shattock's photograph includes two items not around during the time of the 1905 to 1910 photograph. In front of the left side of the rood screen, is one of three wrought iron flower pedestals created by Master Blacksmith James (Jim) Horrobin (11). Closer to the camera is an oak lectern, masterfully carved in 1955 by William Schofield of Steart Farm from a design by James Henderson, no doubt inspired by the fan vaulting of the screen (12). It likely replaced a somewhat Art Deco styled lectern with scrolling metalwork circles that can be seen at SP-055 and SP-056. Much in the style of John Dando Sedding, this earlier lectern probably was created during the 1880's renovations and hopefully survives, present location is unknown.
With the obvious difference that the top photograph is dark and the lower photograph is incredibly clear and in colour, both have in their right foreground the church's Jacobean pulpit, likely from the later 16th or early 17th century (2) . In their 1955 booklet, "THE VILLAGE OF TIMBERSCOMBE AND ITS CHURCH", James Henderson (who farmed at Allercott and served as Churchwarden at St. Petrock's) and his brother, Edward Henderson (the Bishop of Bath and Wells from 1960 to 1975), are somewhat harsh about this pulpit, describing it as having "a square-off pattern that any carpenter could have produced". Perhaps and indeed earlier pulpits were often more ornate and other sources describe post-Elizabethan pulpits as becoming plainer, so as to make the speaker in the pulpit less important and therefore putting emphasis on the words being spoken (3). The Henderson brothers do grant that the ageing of the pulpit may have mellowed its "crudity" and certainly Roger Shattock's photograph presents the pulpit with dignity. (Historic England describes it as a "fine Jacobean pulpit".)
And the poor pulpit has to compete with the very beautiful wood rood screen, seen to its left (or sort of seen in the darker photograph). Reputedly created in the 1500s by a family of craftsmen from Dunster (4), it comes from that earlier and more ornate period. It was built and designed with a top cornice of four panels running atop five fan vaultings and six panels, intensely carved with foliage dominated by the presence of Tudor roses--which possibly may have saved this screen from the Protestant Reformation when so many pre-Tudor rood screens were destroyed.
The top photograph does depict some of the front pews in St. Petrock's nave, as it meets the chancel, separated by the rood screen. The bench-ends that are visible are plain, as they are through-out the church. St. Petrock's is known to have been built by the early 12th century, followed over the decades by various renovations and additions. The nave, as it is now, was rebuilt in the 15th century (5) and would have likely been an open space where the congregation not only stood but would hold meetings, perform plays, perhaps dance and certainly eat and drink. Canon law stipulated the purpose of the rood screen was to separate the priest from these people (6). The pews may not have been added until the 17th century, when post-Elizabethan services became longer. And the addition of pews would not have been only for comfort, as the villagers of some means increased church revenues by renting the more desirable seats (7).
The waggon (or barrel) interior roof of the church is also apparent in the upper photograph, seen over the rood screen on the northern wall of the mid-15th century chancel. In 1862 the chancel had an extensive Victorian restoration by Ewan Christian (1814-1895), a British architect who renovated scores of churches across the UK but is perhaps best remembered as the designer of London's National Portrait Gallery (8). Further restorations occurred in the 1880's, overseen by the notable architect, John Dando Sedding (1838-1881), at which time the waggon roof was renewed but with original timbers retained whenever possible. Also added during Sedding's renovations and glimpsed through the rood screen on the lower photograph, is a stained glass window on the northern chancel wall, dedicated to Robert James Crosswell, the Vicar at St. Petrock's from 1876 to 1901 (9).
On the upper right corner of the earlier photograph, one of the four arches can be seen that are atop three marble pillars (or piers), separating the nave and chancel from St. Petrock's south aisle, added in the early 1500's (10).
Roger Shattock's photograph includes two items not around during the time of the 1905 to 1910 photograph. In front of the left side of the rood screen, is one of three wrought iron flower pedestals created by Master Blacksmith James (Jim) Horrobin (11). Closer to the camera is an oak lectern, masterfully carved in 1955 by William Schofield of Steart Farm from a design by James Henderson, no doubt inspired by the fan vaulting of the screen (12). It likely replaced a somewhat Art Deco styled lectern with scrolling metalwork circles that can be seen at SP-055 and SP-056. Much in the style of John Dando Sedding, this earlier lectern probably was created during the 1880's renovations and hopefully survives, present location is unknown.
Creator
Anonymous /
Roger Shattock
Roger Shattock
Date
1905 to 1910
9 January 2020
9 January 2020
Contributor
Language
English
Identifier
two views of the southeastern corner of the meeting of St. Petrock's nave and chancel, a black and white version from 1905 to 1910 and a coloured version photographed c. 2020 / Timberscombe / village centre
Acquisition Date
2019
2021
2021
Acquisition Method
Gift
Category
PLACES: Churches and Chapels / Timberscombe
Condition
Good
Condition Notes
entered by Tom Sperling
Condition Date
2022
Dimension Type
W X L
Dimension Units
cm
Dimension Value
15.5 X 11
19 X 12
19 X 12
Institution Name
St. Petrock's History Group
Notes
(1) a version of this photograph is at the Rural Life Museum, Allerford, Somerset, which is labelled as dated from 1905 to 1910 (2) "St Petrock's Church Timberscombe", church pamphlet written by Marion Jeffrey, 2017, "THE VILLAGE OF TIMBERSCOMBE AND ITS CHURCH", by B.L.K. Henderson and G.O.E. Henderson, printed by E. Goodman and Son, Ltd., The Phoenix Press, Taunton, 1955 and wikipedia (3) burnagainpews.com (4) "THE VILLAGE OF TIMBERSCOMBE AND ITS CHURCH" (5) British Listed Buildings (6) "St Petrock's Church. Timberscombe (7) Aleteia.org and Kivetts.com (8) e. wikipedia.org >Ewan_Christian (9) victorianweb.org>art>architecture>sedding (10) "St Petrock's Church Timberscombe"
Storage Location
St, Petrock's History Group Archive
Storage Date
2022
Storage Notes
St. Petrock's History Group PHOTOGRAPHS
Item Reference
SP-210
Technique
Copies
Citation
Anonymous /
Roger Shattock, “Interiors of St. Petrock's: 1905-1910 and with (almost) the same view, 2020,” St. Petrock's History Group, accessed May 17, 2024, https://stpetrockshistorygroup.omeka.net/items/show/3482.
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