SEEN FROM THE TRAIN (extract) by C Day-Lewis 1947 Somewhere between Crewkerne
And Yeovil it was. On the left of the line Just as the wrinkled hills unroll
To the plain. A church on a small green knoll -
A limestone church Cedar boughs stretched like hands that yearn
To protect or to bless. The whole Stood up, antique and clear
As a cameo, from the vale.
ST ROCH CHURCHST ROCH CHURCHST ROCH CHURCHST ROCH CHURCH PENDOMER
St ROCH CHURCH, PENDOMER
Foundation: The first recorded date for a church on this site is 1297
and the incumbent is named as Johannis Personis. In its present form it dates from about 1320.
Pendomer: The village of Pendomer is named after the Dummer or
Domer family. In 1148 Ralph de Dummera married Agnes de la Penne and it is their great grandson, Sir John de Dummer (1268-1320) whose tomb lies in the church. It is believed that Sir John’s son rebuilt the church in memory of his father and dedicated it to St Roch.
St Roch: St Roch was born in 1294 of
noble parents in Montpellier in France. He is said to have been born with a small red/purple cross on his chest, a symbol that his life was to be dedicated to God.
At about the age of twenty his parents died leaving him a large fortune all of which he gave away to the poor. He then assumed the robes of a pilgrim and set out to walk to Rome to pray at the tombs of the Apostles.
On reaching Italy he found the plague raging everywhere. He started to nurse the sick, restoring hundreds to health. At Piacenza he himself caught the plague and he retired to a wood to die.
However, a dog belonging to Count Gothard who lived nearby, took him a loaf of bread each day thus sustaining him. One day Count Gothard followed the dog and found the Saint. He helped to tend him until he was well.
Pilgrim routes to Rome
Part of East Window - St Roch gives his riches away
Part of East Window - Count Gothard’s Dog
Statue of St Roch on the Old School
House in Pendomer again showing his leg
and its scar.
It is said that an Angel came down and touched his thigh, whereupon a boil came up, burst and all the poison came out but left a terrible scar.
After his recovery he returned to Montpellier but was mistaken for a spy and thrown into prison. He refused to disclose his true identity believing his fate to be God’s will. He is said to have died about five years later on the 16th of August which is now the date of his Patronal Festival. Because of the cross on his chest and some papers he had with him his identity then became clear.
The East window was designed by Stewart Bowman and installed in 2004 as described in a separate book within the church.
Part of East Window - An Angel heals St Roch
Monument to Sir John Dummer
The Pendomer Monument to Sir John Dummer: This has a
rare example of the arms of the knight being sculpted onto the shield and surcoat (outer garment) rather than painted.
Carved from Ham Hill stone, Sir John’s hands are joined in an attitude of prayer, his legs crossed and his feet rest on a lion couchant. (‘Lion’ symbolising bravery, valour, strength and royalty and ‘couchant’ meaning lying down with its head raised.) He wears a flowing surcoat with a slit at the bottom exhibiting the hauberk (shirt of mail). Below this again can be seen about an inch of the haqueton (quilted under garment).
His head is protected by a mailles coif (chain mail covering his head neck and shoulders) and rests on his helmet. His hands are protected by gads or lames (small oblong plates of steel, of which each finger has a separate series) and the fronts of his knees by genouilliees (knee plates). His feet are armed with the remains of long pointed spurs, his shield is secured to his left arm by an enarme (strap) and at his waist hangs a long sword. The surcoat and shield exhibit the armorial bearings of the knight - a crescent between six billets (bricks or letters indicating one who has obtained credence, knowledge, and faith in his words and deeds). (The three lower billets are supposed to be concealed by the folds of the garment.)
The mouldings at the verge of the recess are projected to form a cinquefoil headed arch. The cusps are pierced and the two lower ones terminate in figures of half angels, both of which have lost their heads. That on the right bears in its hands a small human figure intended to represent the soul of the deceased, which is thus being borne towards heaven.
Above the arch is an embattled cornice ornamented with rosettes. The battlements of the cornice are surmounted by small prikets (spikes) of iron probably intended to support wax lights on the anniversary of the obit (death) of Sir John.
On either side of the recess and standing on a corbel is a small carved human figure. Each wears a loose garment - a bliaus (blouse or smock frock) - tied at the waist by a cord and reaching to a little below the knees. Beneath this they wear close fitting hose and laced or buttoned ankle-boots. Their hair is long and wavy and covered by a cap. Arms are raised to support the cornice.
The Norman Tub Font is believed to
be from the original church that once stood on the site in 1297
Also the Norman Archway (originally a
window) leading to the vestry.
The Oak Altar Table
dates from about 1841
Piscinas: On the South wall of the church are
two small stone recesses (piscinas), each with a drain hole where water used for washing the Communion vessels could be drained away.
Stoup: Also on the south wall there is a sealed doorway which was
probably closed up when the tower was added in the 18th century. Just to the East of the doorway is a stoup (small recess for holy water) which enabled those entering the church to make the sign of the cross as a way of affirming their baptism.
The C17 church silver is still in use today.
The Silver Chalice (goblet or footed cup
for holding the sacramental wine) is dated about 1690 and inscribed, ’The gift of Lady Ann Pollet to Pendomer church’. (The family of Pollet (or Poulett) owned the manor of Pendomer from 1630 to 1803.)
The Patten (plate for the sacramental
bread) is inscribed, ‘In usum Ecclesiae Pendomer in comit Som’sett 1696’ (For use in the parish of Pendomer in the county of Somerset).
The Pyx (small round container used to
carry the consecrated communion bread) has a beautiful depiction of the rescue of baby Moses from the Nile cast into the lid. (Exodus 2:1-10 )
The churchwarden's wands were made
in about 2000/2001 by Jeremiah 'Gus' Gaskin, a retired police officer who lived in Misterton.
The candlestick for the peace candle was
turned by Theo Matthews in 2010.
Pendomer Estates
The Dummers remained Lords of the Manor of Pendomer until November 1407 when Sir Edmund Dummer, Kt, having four daughters and no sons, sold the Manor with all his land here and in Hardington and Coker to John Stourton of Preston Plucknett near Yeovil.
John Stourton died in 1435 leaving three daughters and no son. The Manor was inherited by his third daughter, Alice. (Alice married William, Lord Daubeney and her coat of arms are in the South facing window and show a black star which would have been for a third son. The window was painted in the second half of the 15th century.)
Seal of Sir John de Dummer,
Kt, 1314
Seal of Edmund Dummer Esq
1407
Seal of Sir Edmund de Dummer,
Kt, 1363
Extracts from an old register dated 1730:
‘Henry Clarke removed to ye Vic. of Ilminster in 1683 and was accidentally shot at Crewkerne in ye Duke of Monmouths invasion. Upon the decease of Rev. Taylor in 1720 the Rt Hon Earl Poulett, Kt of the most noble Order of the Garter presented this living to Mr James Upton undergraduate scholar of Wadham College, Oxford during whose minority Mr Thomas Rhode curate to Mr Upton’s father at Monksilver held it. He honourably resigned it at Lady Day 1724 and served as curate three years after and was then removed to the great living of Astbury in Cheshire. James Upton A M and Fellow of Wadham College was presented afresh, Instituted and Inducted in April 1724.’
Extracts from an old diary kept by Rev. James Upton about the
weather and repairs to Glebe buildings:
Anno 1722 I planted ye orchard with apple trees which before was gone to ruin and decay.
Anno 1729 I built ye barn new from ye ground and ye room over ye scullery.
Anno 1729 I was nominated to ye Cure of Halstock by Dr Tho. Burnet Prebend of Sarum.
Anno 1732 An excessive dry summer. Anno 1733 I new tiled all ye home and put up all new rafters ye old
ones being much decayed. Anno 1735 Higher Woodclose was cut to beat. Anno 1735 The coldest and wettest summer that was ever known in
the memory of man. No hot weather til 29th July. In the month of May 1738 I new thatched all the West end of the
house and put up new rafters all the old ones being rotten. One new oaken beam.
November 18 1738 I paid for building of Chancel £1-2-0. July 1739 I new built the outhouse by the well and the kitchen wall
from the ground. A very wet summer. The winter excessive cold and very severe frost.
1740 A very dry summer. 1747 A dry warm and pleasant winter but a cold and backward spring.
A prophecy June 5th 1761 There will be a transit of the planet Venus over the suns disc.
The great comet of 1682 will appear again about 1757. The winter of 1749 and 50 was the warmest and pleasantest that the
oldest man I have met with ever remembered. July 1751 Great rains abundance of hay quite spoiled. 1757 Dec 19th Laura Bartlett died of smallpox and was buried. July 1760 This day John White now of Halstock turned ninety year of
age earn’d of me one shilling for work done (thatching) before dinner which I gave him into the bargain.
A census in 1881 stated the population of Pendomer to be sixty nine persons.
Extracts from the minutes:
Pendomer and Sutton Bingham legally one parish by Order of Council 1906.
An additional bell and three brass hanging lamps were placed in the church as a thanks offering to Almighty God for victory and peace in the Great War 1914-18.
Christmas Day collections from 1931 to about 1943 were always given to the waifs and strays and ranged from 13/6 (67p) to £1-3-0 (£1.15).
The Sunday School outing to Bournemouth for 15 children in 1932 cost £1-7-6 (£1.36).
A quarterly charge of 7/6 (36p) was made for ringing the bells in 1932.
In 1936 the Diocesan Quota for Pendomer was £4-11-4 (£4.55) per year and raised by Parish Lenten boxes.
In January 1941 a letter from the Bishop relating to ‘air raid damage to churches’ was discussed by PCC members and a decision made to set aside 2/- (10p) per week from collections to contribute towards repairs.
In January 1942 the attention of the meeting was drawn to a bad crack at the North-East end of the church which had been caused by eight H E bombs which fell near Pendomer in May 1941. The repairs cost 7/6 (36p).
In 1953, coronation year, Mr & Mrs Firminger-Paton enabled the repair of the cross on the church. (It had been smashed by gales several years previously.)
In 1960 electricity was installed in the church. The installation was donated by the Whetham Family of Pendomer. (Previously all lighting and heating was by paraffin heaters and lamps.)
In 1969 under the Pastoral Re-organisation Measure 1949, it was decided that the Benefice of Pendomer with Sutton Bingham should be dissolved and Pendomer join with Hardington Mandeville. Sutton Bingham joined East Coker.
In May 1979 Mr Ernest Sandiford left a very generous bequest ‘to the Rector and Churchwardens of Pendomer Parish Church for their absolute use in connection with the maintenance of the church.’
In July of the same year the Diocesan Architect reported: the iron nails securing the roof battens rusting; beetle activity in the roof timbers; the windows in need of re-leading and some of the outside walls in need of attention. Restoration work continued until 1981 and, in gratitude for the bequest, a commemorative window to Ernest and Frances Sandiford was installed.
In 1983 a new tile floor was laid. (see page 8 beneath the Peace Candle)
In 1990 Quartz ray electric wall mounted heaters were installed. (Previously paraffin heaters had been used and then electric convector heaters and calor gas fires.)
In 1981 the Benefice of Hardington Mandeville with Pendomer joined with East Chinnock and subsequently in 1984, after the death of the Rev. David Farrington, became the Benefice of West Coker with Hardington Mandeville, East Chinnock and Pendomer.
In 2004 to celebrate our faith and God's love with something of beauty and again aided by Ernest and Francis Sandiford’s bequest, a new East window was designed by Stewart Bowman and installed. (A full description of its design and installation can be found in the church.)
In 2005 Jane Carpenter used the remaining fragments of broken Victorian glass to make a free standing ’Tree of Life’ window.
In 2013 the Benefice of West Coker with Hardington Mandeville, East Chinnock and Pendomer joined with the Benefice of East Coker with Sutton Bingham and Closworth to form the Benefice of the Coker Ridge.
For more information about Pendomer please visit www.pendomer.org.uk
Reprinted 2013
