When on a short break in Somerset I discovered that I had forgotten to bring with me that indispensable guide to what to see - Nikolaus Pevsner's The Buildings of England. Well, I hadn't quite forgotten, but in my haste I had selected the volume for the wrong part of Somerset. Imagine my consternation when, on arrival in Porlock, I discovered this error. I then had to try and remember some place names that had stuck with me in my 'reconnaissance'. Among the place names I thought I remembered was Stogursey, so off I went towards that village.
Arriving, I found that I had rightly remembered it as a place to be on my 'must-see' list. The former village of Stoke Courcy had a marvellous Romanesque Church
. The view here, looking west from the High Altar, shows the most wonderful liturgical space, as the floor slopes and falls away down towards the nave. The Norman arcades to the chancel merely serve to open this space out. As with many of these ancient churches it is difficult to be too exact as to the date, but I would consider it seems likely that this particular church was begun pretty soon after the Conquest, probably in the 11th century. What we see today dates from probably about a hundred years later than that.
. The view here, looking west from the High Altar, shows the most wonderful liturgical space, as the floor slopes and falls away down towards the nave. The Norman arcades to the chancel merely serve to open this space out. As with many of these ancient churches it is difficult to be too exact as to the date, but I would consider it seems likely that this particular church was begun pretty soon after the Conquest, probably in the 11th century. What we see today dates from probably about a hundred years later than that.The Church was not the only thing to see in this small village. It must have been a place of some importance, for it had a castle as well. Being directed by a local scholar towards Stogursey Castle, it was only after opening the front door and entering a small kitchen that I discovered the Castle was not in fact open to the public. It is owned by Landmark Trust, and is available for residential hire. Anyway the lady who looked after the place agreed that I
might look at what there was to see if in return I took a load of empty bottles to the bottle bank at the far end of the village. It seemed like a good deal!
might look at what there was to see if in return I took a load of empty bottles to the bottle bank at the far end of the village. It seemed like a good deal!Stogursey castle is even today surrounded by its moat, and one has to enter by way of the old drawbridge. Not a lot remains of the fortiications themselves, and the house which was formerly the keep is the part which is available as a place for a group to stay.
All-in-all a good place to visit.
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