Visiting Two Grade II listed churches in the Chew Valley – June 25th 2026
Thursday 25 June 2026, 2pm-4.30pm
- St Nicholas and the Blessed Virgin Mary, Stowey
- St Laurence, East Harptree
For the June SCT Churches Crawl, we will be visiting two Grade II listed churches in the Chew Valley, north of Wells. See the results of stunning conservation work in Stowey and East Harptree.
We begin our crawl at St Nicholas and the Blessed Virgin Mary, Stowey BS39 5TQ
Parking is outside the church, in the road. There are many interesting features to this little church but (as can be seen, left) the Chancel arch is dominated by Henry Strachey’s depiction of the The Last Judgment.
There is also a 1660 Royal Coat of Arms, which is currently undergoing conservation. Stowey Church has an extraordinary and beautiful scheme of murals, a rare surviving example of the mural practice of Henry Strachey. (Other scenes are in the Chancel). A sometime resident of Stowey, he was recognised as an accomplished portrait and landscape painter; muralist, art critic, writer and musician. His family (The Strachey family owned nearby Sutton Court from the late 17th century until it was sold in 1987) and his connections with the Bloomsbury Group of artists and intellectuals give his work both local and national significance. Tea and Coffee will be available upon arrival and after the guided tour we will travel around 4 miles to
St Laurence, East Harptree. BS40 6BD
This is a Norman church with many interesting features, clearly evidencing changes over time. The PCC at St Laurence embarked upon a major scheme of works (Project Newton) including Ensuring that all the white paint in the chancel was removed, to reveal wonderful medieval and Victorian wall paintings underneath. The total project is nearing completion.
Project Newton is in memory of Sir John Newton who died in 1569. There is a splendid chest-tomb with recumbent effigy with 20 children kneeling at the front but, what happened to Lady Newton’s effigy? These two local parish churches and their PCCs are outstanding examples of committed people with a vision, driving through major projects which involved very significant fundraising. These two parishes are to be congratulated on the success of their projects and they are well worth visiting. (Note: St Laurence is open daily; St Nicholas etc is generally not open.)
There are toilet facilities at Stowey. For those arriving early, New Manor Farm (BS40 6HW ) has a good cafe. It is equidistant from the two churches.
To assist with arrangements, please advise Axel Palmer if you propose to attend: 07540 380300 or sct@combefarm.co.uk
