The Somerset towers, church towers built in the 14th to 16th centuries, have been described as among England's finest contributions to medieval art.^[1] The paragraphs and descriptions below describe features of some of these towers. The organization follows Peter Poyntz-Wright's scheme for grouping the towers by what he understands to be roughly the date and group of mason-architects who built them.^[2] Poyntz-Wright's scheme came under criticism in the 1980s.^[3]

These churches have smaller towers with a single window in each face of the top stage; a pierced top parapet without merlons and four square-set corner pinnacles above.

More information Name of church, Photograph ...

Name of church	Photograph	Listed building grade	Year tower built	Height	Location	Description	Ref(s)
St John the Baptist		I	c. 1360[2] OR after 1420[4]		Churchill 51.3342°N 2.8001°W / 51.3342; -2.8001 (Church of St John the Baptist, Churchill)	The church was built around 1360. The tower has three stages with diagonal buttresses, moulded string courses, north-east polygonal higher corner stair turret with blind panelled embattled cap and pierced quatrefoil lozenge parapet with corner pinnacles and gargoyles.	[5]
Church of St Michael the Archangel		I	c. 1370[2] OR 1443[4]	70 feet (21 m)	Compton Martin 51.310281°N 2.654161°W / 51.310281; -2.654161 (Church of St Michael the Archangel, Compton Martin)	Built around 1370 in a Norman style. It is dedicated to St Michael the Archangel. Norman vaulting can be seen in the chancel and Jacobean work in choir stalls and organ screen. The tower is approached from the nave via a lofty Tudor paneled arch. It contains six 18th-century bells, five of which were cast by the Bilbies of Chew Stoke. In the north wall is a recess containing the effigy of Thomas de Moreton which was discovered in 1858. One of the columns in the South side of the nave has an unusual spiral fluted decoration known as an apprentices column. Above the ceiling of the Bickfield Chapel there is a void which contains a columbarium or dovecote. This housed 140 "squabs" or pigeons in 1606 for the rector's table.	[6][7][8]
Church of St Andrew		I	c. 1380[2]		Compton Bishop 51.2945°N 2.8676°W / 51.2945; -2.8676 (Church of St Andrew, Compton Bishop)	The church dates from the 12th century, being consecrated by Bishop Jocelin in 1236, with more recent restoration in 1370. It has a 15th-century pulpit with tracery panels, carved friezes and cresting. Above the pulpit is a large pedimented wall monument to John Prowse who died in 1688, as well as several of his children.	[9][10]
St Paul's		I	c. 1395[2]		Kewstoke 51.3655°N 2.957°W / 51.3655; -2.957 (Church of St Paul, Kewstoke)	The church dates from the 12th century. The tower is in two stages, with rendered, diagonal buttresses with setbacks which rise through the parapet as corner pinnacles. A polygonal stair turret at the south east corner rises to a pyramidal cap. The first stage has two, 2-light perpendicular west windows under a plain drip mould, and a similar but smaller window with carved stops to the south. The second stage has one 2-light perpendicular window under a drip mould with carved stops on each side; all are louvres except the west which is blank. A quatrefoil pierced parapet has gargoyles at the corner.	[11]

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These churches have three windows in each face of the top stage; diagonal buttressing; some with squareset corner pinnacles; some with buttress pinnacles. These range from simple to elaborate designs: (Bleadon, shortly before 1390; Brent Knoll, about 1397; Mark, about 1407; Weare, about 1407; Banwell, about 1417; Cheddar, about 1423; and Winscombe, around 1435.)

Continues with the triple windows, but with a heavier groundplan featuring heavier buttresses braced diagonally back onto their walls and across the corner; pinnacles diagonal to the tower plan: (Shepton Mallet, about 1423; Cranmore, about 1440; Mells, 1446; Bruton, about 1456; and Leigh-on-Mendip, about 1464)

These churches are contemporary with the Mendip Generation, but more akin to the Churchill group; conveying a sense of great height; single window per face in the top stage as well as lower stages; buttresses set back away from the corners and stepped at stage junctions and middles of stages; square-set pinnacles and most without merlons: (Portishead, about 1420; Backwell, possibly 1428; Winford and Chew Magna, about 1437; Kilmersdon, about 1443; Dundry, 1448 or earlier; Batheaston, about 1458; Publow, about 1467; Wellow, about 1475; and Yeovil St. John the Baptist, around 1480^[34])

This group (including Wrington, about 1449; Wells St. Cuthbert, about 1456; and Evercreech, about 1462) -- window or bell-opening panels rise through several stages, emphasizing the towers' verticality.

This group (including Langport, about 1455; Long Sutton, about 1462; Westonzoyland, about 1470; Muchelney, possibly 1468)

On these churches, each face of the top stage bears a window panel extending down into the stage below: (including Shepton Beauchamp, around 1477; Norton Sub Hamdon, around 1485; and Hinton St George, around 1492)

Lyng and Middlezoy (combining Langport, Cheddar and Mendip features with new features) and Taunton St. James and Bishops Lydeard (which initiate a West Somerset ground plan)

(Including Kingston St Mary, about 1507; Hatch Beauchamp, about 1509; Staple Fitzpaine, perhaps 1513; Isle Abbots, about 1517; Huish Episcopi, about 1524)

(Taunton St. Mary, about 1503, but rebuilt in 1862 as an accurate copy; North Petherton, about 1508; Wellington about 1510; and Kingsbury Episcopi, about 1515)

These are some of the less elaborate towers of South Somerset: Queen Camel, around 1491; Mudford, about 1498; Kingsdon, about 1505; Martock, about 1511; Chard 1520, but possibly earlier; and Charlton Horethorne, about 1523.

Perpendicular style, but built on the four arches at the intersection of the nave and chancel: Axbridge, about 1400; Wedmore base around 1400 and parapet about 1540; Yatton, around 1400; Dunster, 1442; Crewkerne, about 1480; Ilminster 1500 to 1525.

Poyntz Wright also uses his systematics to date some small towers: Nempnett Thrubwell at around 1468; Chew Stoke about 1475; West Pennard at about 1482; Charlton Musgrove at perhaps around 1490; Pylle at about 1497; Cloford after 1500. He also pegs three of the smaller towers in the western part of Somerset: Combe Florey about 1499; Fivehead, around 1505; and Langford Budville, 1509. The end of the Perpendicular period in architecture coincides with construction of Ruishton, 1533; Chedzoy, 1539; and Batcombe and Chewton Mendip, around 1540.

• English Gothic architecture
• Towers in Somerset