St Andrew's Church in Old Cleeve is a little gem and contains a great many interesting features. There has been a church on the same site since 1066, but the current building dates from c1425-1533.
The apostle St Andrew and his brother Simon Peter were both fishermen. This is why the altar frontal and the pulpit fall were both decorated with fish when I visited, although they do vary with the time of year. The altar frontals and pulpit falls were all designed and made by parishioners.
The font and its cover date from the 15th century. It is the only medieval font cover in West Somerset. The tiles around the base of the font were probably made by the monks of Cleeve Abbey. The paschal candlestick located next to the font was made locally and donated to the church in the 1990s.
The decorative poor box is dated 1634. The ancient wooden chest, which is made out of a hollowed tree trunk, has 3 locks on it: one for the rector and one for each of the churchwardens.
The carved bench ends were made by a parish Guild of Woodcarvers in the early 20th century, apart from one which was made by a local artist in 1981. The nave roof has some fine medieval carved bosses.
The brass eagle lectern was given to the church in 1911 by Count Hochberg, who lived at Croydon Hall. The chandelier in the chancel was made by Thomas Bayley of Bridgwater in 1770.
There is a canopied tomb dated c1420. It is thought to be the tomb of Sir John Golafre, who was Knight of the King's Chamber to King Richard II. He was married to Philippa Mohun, who was heiress of Dunster. Sir John's feet are resting on a cat, which has a rat under one of its paws.
Old Cleeve Parochial Church Council commissioned a new stained glass window to mark the Millennium. It was designed and made by local artist Frankie Pollak. It features an eclipse of the sun, ammonites, the churchyard pink sweet pea and the nets and fish of St Andrew.
The east window was made by Sir Ninian Comper in 1951 and was given in memory of members of the Lysaght family of Chapel Cleeve. The west window was donated by the Vibart family, who lived locally, in memory of several members of their family who died in the Cawnpore Massacre in India in 1857. The window was restored in 2021.
In 1974 Rachel Reckitt and Jim Horrobin were commissioned to make a tower screen for St Andrew's Church. Four fibre-glass panels were painted with the patron saints of the churches in the same benefice. Three large angels are arranged above the screen.
The church currently has a ring of 8 bells. There were originally 3 bells. In 1885 the metal from the 3 bells was used to make 6 bells and 2 more bells were added in 1924. The 8 bells were retuned and rehung in 1994.
The floor of the porch is coated in pebbles with a heart shape in white pebbles. It is dated 1614.
The original churchyard cross was defaced by the Puritans in the 17th century. It was restored in 1909. The lychgate was made in 1892. There are 4 early 17th century chest tombs in the churchyard.
The roof and tower of the church were restored in the late 20th century and a gargoyle of Hugh Allen, one of the previous rectors, was added to the battlements at this point.
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