Off the Beaten Track in Somerset: St Michael's Church, Raddington

St Michael's Church at Raddington is an unspoiled gem of a church. There is no road access to it: it is only accessible by footpaths from the lanes to the north and the south. The only lanes nearby are all very narrow and there is nowhere to park a car. The church is situated a mile north of the B3227 road at Petton. The grid reference of the church is ST020 260.

The church may date back as far as the 9th century, as it has the remains of a Holy Water stoup in the porch and these were very common in early churches but were not popular in medieval times. The church was definitely there at the beginning of the 13th century. The style of the church is early English and the site of the church was probably formerly a pagan sacred site.

The interior of the church contains the following features of particular interest:

some medieval floor tiles
oak box pews and panelling, which date from the second half of the 19th century
a 13th century octagonal Purbeck type font with a later cover
an early 15th century rood screen with carvings of foliage and bunches of grapes. This was made by the same carver who worked at Uffculme church in Devon
19th century roof bosses, including one of a green man, in the chancel
wall paintings of the Ten Commandments, Lord's Prayer and part of Psalm 150, which date from the second half of the 17th century. These were discovered in 1982 and uncovered in 2012.
impressive porch door with strap hinges dating from 1350-1370
14th century barrel wagon roof in the nave.
the altar, which dates from 1921, is a memorial to the men of the parish who died in the First World War
3 bells, two dating from the 14th or early 15th century and one from 1657

The ruins of the parish poor house can be seen in the north east corner of the churchyard.