Church

NORTON CHURCH COFFEE MORNINGS. As summer approaches, and before we all head off on holiday, a big Thank You is due to the kind souls who volunteered to host the eight coffee mornings held over the last year - Annie and Bob Taylor, Diana and David Robbins, Judy and Rodney Goodwin, Sarah and Kevin Mountain, Penny Cudmore, Claire and Ian Luck and Rowena Alsey. We have raised over £1,400 towards the upkeep of St. Mary’s church and have also helped raise funds for Fair Trade through Anne Thomas. Hosting a coffee morning does not entail a great deal of work, nor does it require huge amounts of space. If you think that you would like to host one of the 2010/2011 coffee mornings, please give me, Shelagh Wickstead, a call on 881385 in order to choose your slot (or just look to find out more about it)! I look forward to hearing from you. Meanwhile, enjoy the summer.

ADVANCE NOTICE! The 2010/2011 Coffee Morning ‘season’ kicks off in September at the Herb Garden (details later). It is worth mentioning now that it will be on Tuesday, 28^th, as there is a History Society outing on Wednesday, 29^th.

FRIENDS OF NORTON CHURCH - WINE CLUB. The July draws took place at The Lord Nelson on the 16^th. The first draw for the members had 6 prizes of 12 bottles of excellent wine with the 1^st prize of 4 bottles won by Geoff Byham, and further prizes of 3 bottles to Dawn Rendall, 2 bottles to John Ashton and 1 bottle to each of Roger Hardisty, Roger Webb and David Robins. In the 2^nd draw for the ‘on the nighters’ in the pub Eddie Simpson, Stuart Maunder and Tamsin Cooke each received a bottle. Wine Club Shares are still available at £1. per month. Call 881096 for a form.

CHURCH CARPET. You may notice that the carpet in the main body of the church has been removed. The advice of the architect was that the underlay should be taken up because it was preventing ‘breathing’. It was also realised that the main carpet wasn’t looking good and would probably not be much improved by cleaning. The PCC have talked for a while about re-carpeting but it is potentially very expensive. For the moment the floor will be left uncovered as we consider what to do next. Peter Thomas

QUIET GARDEN. Following the Craft Morning at the Rectory in June, and the quiet morning at Carpenters in July, there will be further quiet mornings, opportunities to pause and reflect in a beautiful setting. On August 18^th, at the home of Sam and Ann Lewis (Hopes, Little Street), and on September 8^th at the home of Margaret Cox (St. David’s, Little Norton); both will be from 10.00am - 12.00 noon. Drinks and topics for reflection will be provided and you are invited to bring sandwiches to stay for lunch together. (Details from Peter Thomas).

SCHOOL SERVICE. To mark the beginning of the school year, there will be a special Family Service in West Chinnock School on September 5^th at 11.15am. Pupils, parents, staff, governors and other friends from both the benefice schools will be very welcome.

HONEY POT will be closed on August 7^th and 21^st, but open 10.00am - 12.00 noon on August 14^th and 28^th.

STORY HUT. Story readings for children and their grown-ups: in the African Hut at the Rectory at 3.00pm on August 16^th, 17^th, 23^rd and 24^th. (Ring Anne 881202 for more details).

The Benefice Choir

Left to Right Chris Denman (organ/piano/ choirmaster), Liz Denman, Marie Wheatley, Diane Waters
Jenny Hillman, Margaret Hooper, Ruth Cannon
Anna Terrill, Cilla Caswell, Phyl Lawrence, Grace Dives
Dick O'Neill, Denis Cannon and Ken Dives

FRIENDS OF NORTON CHURCH REPORT FOR 2009. This year it has not been necessary for the Friends of Norton Church to undertake any big projects, but to prepare for the Quinquennial inspection of the church of St. Mary the Virgin this autumn and Roger Webb is thanked very much for his detailed survey and report on the church windows. There has been the usual run of relatively minor, nevertheless important, issues to deal with. These include oiling the West Doors to preserve the superb decoration, installing a safety rope up the tower staircase, securing heating system pipes and installing a new heating time switch. The largest project was the modification and renovation of the weathervane and there is an illustrated report on the Norton website: www.nortonsubhamdon.org.uk Special thanks to Peter Callaghan, Dennis Hawkins and Andy Holm. As well as considerable efforts on the part of everyone involved, all this does cost money and particularly to come are some major items listed in the report of the Quinquennial inspection. The most regular fund raising is by the successful FNC Wine Club, due to the dedication of Roger Webb, John Ashton and Peter Callaghan. At the Flower Show, Lorna Noble ran her stall of artistic and other goods and a visiting Cazzjazz band played in the church with a BBQ run by Liz and Stuart Maunder to celebrate Tower Day. The last event of the year was the village carol singing led by Cilla Caswell with superb playing on her flute (even with cold and wet fingers) - with participation by a large ‘choir’, despite some heavy rain. The singers were rewarded by Cilla and Bill with mulled cider and by Lynn Orchard with mince pies. Half of the proceeds went to ‘Hope and Homes’, a charity for war orphans. Very many thanks indeed to all who work so hard in many ways to support our beautiful church. Malcolm Reid, FNC Chairman

"Peter Callaghan, who had a leading role in the previous weathervane refurbishment some years ago, took the initiative to do this work again. Of course, this is not a simple painting task and required the lowering of the complete assembly. The mast is in two parts, but they and the component joining them together were rusted solid, so the lowering had to be done in a single stage. Malcolm Reid assembled a team of FNC members and others to undertake this difficult task and the carrying down all the tower steps of all the component parts, some of which are very heavy. This team, with Peter and Malcolm, comprised Andy Holm, David Parkinson, Dennis Hawkins and Neil Chapillon. In parallel with Peter repainting the Weathervane and the NSWE letters, to a specification to withstand the weather (gold is especially difficult), Malcolm and Dennis designed and made a modification to the mast to make much easier the re-assembly and subsequent re-painting in years to come. This modification allows a swivelling action of the upper mast. The final phase was to carry the heavy components and necessary equipment up the tower staircase and then re-erecting the whole assembly. This was acheived by Andy Holm and two equally tall and strong friends, Phil and Tristan. They were assisted by Malcolm, Dennis and David Robins. On behalf of the PCC, congratulations and many thanks are expressed to all those who participated in this church fabric project. Rev. Peter Thomas."

Norton Church floodlighting Bearing in mind the need to reduce any unnecessary carbon footprint it has been decided by the Norton PCC to turn on the floodlighting between Advent Sunday and Epiphany (early December through to early January).

NORTON CHURCHYARD. The suggestion has been put to the Parochial Church Council that an area of the Churchyard should be set aside as a ‘Wild Garden’. This does not simply mean not mowing one section. Such a garden needs to be maintained, and advice is available on this. The PCC has identified an area where this might be done - to the north of the church where no burials are known over the past 100 years. If you would be interested in maintaining such an area could you please let Denis Cannon or Peter Thomas know. “More than 6,000 British churchyards run their small plots of land as sacred eco-systems - without pesticides, and mowing the grass only once a year, ensuring that birds, reptiles, insects and flowers can thrive. The scheme has been outstandingly successful for several reasons. Firstly because it immediately makes sense, secondly because it is simple to execute, thirdly because it is theologically sound, and fourthly because it enables people to be involved in a manageable environmental project” - Quote from the Living Churchyard Scheme.

BURIALS IN THE CHURCHYARD. During the summer I have prepared charts for the churchyards in Chiselborough and Norton based mainly on work done by Sir Melvyn Mendlycott around 2000. These charts, together with a book containing various documents including photographs of headstones, will be kept in the churches. However, I have discovered that there are a large number of unmarked burials in both churchyards. Some of these have small flower pots, some with flowers in, but no names. If anyone is aware of the location of any unmarked burials, including those of cremated remains, can they please let me know so that records can be updated . Church burial registers have not, until now, had any record of locations. Peter Thomas.

WEDDINGS IN CHURCH. You may know that the regulations about who can marry in a Church of England Church building are just about to change. In July 2007, the General Synod overwhelmingly passed the Church of England Marriage Measure and it received the Royal Assent on the 22^nd May. The Archbishops have now signed an instrument bringing all the provisions of the Measure into force from 1^st October 2008. The measure seeks to respond to changing social conditions and in particular to the increasing mobility of our society today. It does not affect the existing right of parishioners. A couple continue to have the right to be married in the parish church of a parish where one or both of them are resident or entered on the electoral roll (The present regulations). However, some people would like to marry in a church because it has special significance for them, even though it is not where they live. This measure enables a church to offer the same welcome to a couple who wish to marry there and who can demonstrate a straightforward connection with the parish as it does to those who live in the parish itself, without the couple having to apply for a special licence. A person has a Qualifying Connection with a parish if that person:

was baptised in the parish, or

had his or her confirmation entered in a church register book of a church or chapel in the parish, or

has at any time had his or her usual place of residence in the parish for at least six months, or

has at any time habitually attended public worship in the parish for at least six months, or

a Parent of that person has at any time during that person’s lifetime:

had his or her usual place of residence in the parish for at least six months, or

habitually attended public worship in the parish for at least six months, or

a Parent or Grandparent of that person was married in the parish.

In all cases involving church services, i.e. coming to/going to/attending normal church services, baptism, confirmation or marriage - this applies only to Church of England services.

More information can be gained from the church website www.nortonchurch .org.uk

The Church of St. Mary The Virgin

The Perpendicular church of St Mary the Virgin is sometimes described as a miniature cathedral. It is mainly early 16th century, built on the site of an earlier Norman church of which the porch remains. In the southwest corner of the churchyard is the round dovecote typical of the 15th and 16th centuries.

The Nave and Isles

Being 36 feet wide but 50 feet high gives the nave a very lofty feel, reinforced by the graceful and equally lofty Perpendicular arcades to the north and south aisles and the beautiful perpendicular west window. The chancel arch and paneled perpendicular tower arch both rise so close to the roof as to almost pass unnoticed. The wagon roof has delightful carved corbels of figures holding shields and the main timbers of the aisle roofs spring from corbels on pilasters reaching all the way to the floor and effectively separating the large windows.

There is a modern decorative ironwork rood screen and matching pulpit on a stone base. Modern stone screens at the eastern end of both aisles forms small chapels; the north chapel dedicated to St Saviour now houses the organ while the simple chapel or 'Our Lady of Pity' remains in the south.

The chancel

The beautiful Perpendicular east window dominates the chancel but the reredos, built into the wall above the altar, is flanked by large, ornately canopied niches with double pilasters. A trefoil-headed piscina is in the east wall.

The tower

This tower, 96 feet high, is associated with those at Shepton Beauchamp and Hinton St George and was probably built by the same team of artisans. The chief feature in common is the single two-light bell opening of the top stage projecting down into the third stage and containing West Somerset tracery. The setback buttresses step at each stage and terminate at the top of the third stage. Pilasters continue to the top of the canopy becoming a pair of short crocketed pinnacles in each corner. A similar short pinnacle arises from each centre merion and each of these has a subsidiary outrigger pinnacle. Unlike Shepton Beauchamp, the transom of the bell openings does not align with the string-course course.

The tower still bears the marks of being struck by lightning on 29th July 1894 when many memorials and the 16th century bells were destroyed. The repairs took exactly one year to complete and Tower Day is commemorated each year with a service of thanksgiving partly held on the top of the tower. The west doors were damaged at the same time and a local craftsman, Arthur Parkin, made new ones. They are carved with small animals and a row of armorials - Cardinal Wolsey, Bishop Kennion, Henry VII (the church was built during his reign) and Edward VII (the doors were made during his reign). The author of the inscription on a blue ribbon "The door of life is death, and life a long returning" is unknown.

As it was As it is now!

West Door having been refurbished

A SIGNWRITER’S TALE. Cecil Gillman, the President of the Norton sub Hamdon Local History Society rang me and asked if I could pay a visit to St. Mary’s Church, Norton sub Hamdon to look at the West door with a view to refurbishment. On turning the corner of the bell tower I was confronted with a work of art in carved oak, with various animals, flowers and Coats of Arms. The paint was badly faded, the timber dry and cracked, but I could see the potential. “Can I do it justice?” With my observations and costs accepted, it was time to make a start on cleaning the old faded paint work. I realised there were more colours originally involved than I had imagined. The door opens in two parts so I was able to work on one side, using the other as a pattern, which was useful. Undercoating and applying two gloss coats over several days, the colouring started to lift the carvings and a slow transformation began. The background colours were finished and the next process was to paint in the details on the crests etc. which when done really brought things to life. The final decoration was applying the gold leaf to the crests and the text “The Door of Life is Death and Life a Long Returning”. Gold leaf is applied by painting the area with gold size (similar to varnish), then 22 carat gold, which is in three inch squares on tissue paper, is pressed on to the gold size and it sticks only on that area. The final process was to apply three coats of wood oil to the bare oak panels which darkened the timbers slightly and emphasised the paintwork. I hope I did it justice and I did enjoy spending a week of my working life at Norton sub Hamdon leaving behind something that will be seen for many years. “Better lock the door and go home”.

Robert Maddick - Yeovil.