Baptist Church
BAPTIST CHURCH, ST MARY STREET
Listed on the National Heritage List for England. Search over 400,000 listed places
Overview
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II*
- List Entry Number:
- 1298798
- Date first listed:
- 24-Mar-1950
- List Entry Name:
- Baptist Church
- Statutory Address:
- BAPTIST CHURCH, ST MARY STREET
Location
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Images of England Project
- Date:
- 2002-09-24
- Reference:
- IOE01/05956/14
- Rights:
- © Michael Bass. Source: Historic England Archive
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Discover moreOfficial list entry
- Heritage Category:
- Listed Building
- Grade:
- II*
- List Entry Number:
- 1298798
- Date first listed:
- 24-Mar-1950
- List Entry Name:
- Baptist Church
- Statutory Address 1:
- BAPTIST CHURCH, ST MARY STREET
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
The scope of legal protection for listed buildings
This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.
Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.
For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.
Location
- Statutory Address:
- BAPTIST CHURCH, ST MARY STREET
The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.
- District:
- Somerset (Unitary Authority)
- Parish:
- Bridgwater
- National Grid Reference:
- ST 29799 36912
Details
BRIDGWATER
ST2936NE ST MARY STREET 736-1/11/183 (South side) 24/03/50 Baptist Church
GV II*
Baptist church. 1837. By Edwin Down; galleries added 1870s; partly refitted and extended to the rear c1902. Bath stone ashlar with stucco recess and slate roof. Rectangular plan with schoolrooms to rear. Classical style. Single-storey; symmetrical 2-window range. A pediment over a dentilled cornice spans the facade; it is supported by full-height Ionic columns flanking the deeply recessed centre which has Egyptian-style tapered 2-panel double doors with 2 panels above, set in a moulded architrave with cornice; dated plaque above and smaller doors to sides of recess. The outer bays are each flanked by Tuscan antae and have a semicircular arched window with small panes, moulded architrave and panelled apron above banded rustication. A moulded string-course below the apron continues round central recess. The moulding to base of columns continues round the building as a plinth. Steps up to central range are flanked by c1837 cast-iron lamp standards with rope-pattern moulding on octagonal bases and with C20 lamps. INTERIOR: the church room is virtually complete, rear rooms are being remodelled (1991). A richly moulded cornice to the coved and panelled ceiling continues round a recess to the north end which is curved at the inner corners. Organ, at gallery level, is flanked by paired Corinthian pilasters. Pulpit below is Classical style. The base has 3 semicircular arches with moulded archivolts and fluted keystones over shallow fluted recesses; the central, larger recess has 3 brackets to support projecting panel above; this upper part has 4 moulded semicircular arches, the central 2 project, resting on vase columns. To each side the pulpit stairs curve backward, with square fluted newels and thick vertical moulding to stick balusters. Gallery to sides and south end has a moulded wooden rail over cast-iron trellised panels of leaves, coved beneath to rest on cast-iron capitals with acanthus capitals. Gallery is steeply raked with original numbered wooden pews; clock on south wall reads "Rossiter Bridgwater". Ground floor has wooden pews and c1902 tongued-and-grooved panelling below dado-rail, pairs of double doors to north and south ends may also be c1902; these are 2-panel, leaded panes to top with narrow coloured margins and brass pull handles. The 3 windows to each side reach from just above dado to cornice, they have thin wooden glazing bars and circular opening panels at gallery level. Entrance hall is C20. (Stell C: Non-conformist Chapels and Meeting-Houses in SW England: London: 1991-: 167-9; VCH: Somerset: London: 1992-).
Listing NGR: ST2979436922
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
- Legacy System number:
- 373990
- Legacy System:
- LBS
Sources
Books and journals
Dunning, R W, The Victoria History of the County of Somerset, (1992)
Stell, C, An Inventory of Nonconformist Chapels and Meeting Houses in South West England, (1991), 167-9
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
Map
This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 22-Jun-2026 at 02:36:34.
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