Local Walks

Zeals, Wiltshire.

Zeals, Wiltshire.

St Mary the Virgin, Compton Pauncefoot, Somerset.

St Mary the Virgin, Compton Pauncefoot, Somerset. The church dates from the 15th century and is built of hamstone. In 1485 Sir Walter Pauncefoot left money for the building of the church. The top of the spire became unsafe, and an appeal was launched in 1980, with the help of grants from the Department of the Environment and the Historic Churches Preservation Trust. They raised £18,000 for the necessary work to be carried out. The church has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade II* listed building and is part of the Camelot Group of Parishes in the Diocese of Bath & Wells. The PiP is showing the church entrance.

In 1865 William Chafyn Grove of Zeals House provided four almshouses in Flemish bond brick on a stone rubble plinth. An inscription tablet records their foundation in memory of his mother. The almshouses are now Chafyn Grove Cottages. In 1888 Julia Chafyn Groves provided Zeals with a village hall alongside the almshouses built by her brother William. During her lifetime the hall could only be used by organisations of which she approved.