Somerset Churches Trust

A Welcome from the Chairman

Welcome to our website. We are an independent, non-denominational trust raising money for the repair and improvement of churches and chapels open for Christian worship in the historic county of Somerset. The Trust, founded in 1996 under the name Friends of Somerset Churches and Chapels, exists to encourage interest and the involvement of all members of the community in the magnificent heritage of our fine religious buildings. Already, since its founding, the Trust has made grants of almost £700,000 to over 300 churches and chapels in Somerset. I hope to meet you at one of our church crawls. If you need any information about our activities or how to apply for a grant do please get in touch. All the information you need is on our contacts page. Dr Axel Palmer Chairman

Grant Applications and Closing Date

We welcome applications from churches and chapels of all denominations for grants towards repairs and improvements to enable wider community use subject to our grant terms and conditions. Applicants who are not already members of the trust must become members for at least three years in order for a grant to be paid. Grant applications must normally be received one calendar month before the date of the trustees meeting at which the application will be considered. The next closing date will be 22nd March 2019 for the trustees meeting on 27th April 2019. Click here for more information on Grant Applications.

See Where We've Been on our Church Crawls!

A complete list is now available of every church and chapel we have ever visited since the trust was formed in 1996. You can search by the date of the first visit or alphabetically. Click on the links below to go straight to the lists. If there is somewhere we have missed where you would like to visit then do let us know.

Churches and Chapels visited by date of first visit.
Alphabetical list of churches and chapels visited.

For once we were lucky with the weather on Saturday 8th September for this year's Ride+Stride and it looks as though the day was a great success. Our coordinator, Michael Auton in the photo below looks happy! Many thanks to all those who provided refreshments and welcomed participants to their churches and chapels, thanks to all those who rode and strode and a big thank you to all those who have given sponsorship. We would be most grateful if Remittance Forms are returned together with the total money collected (cheques only please - no cash) and all Sponsor Forms to Tony Davies, Treasurer, Somerset Churches Trust, 52 Purlewent Drive, Weston, Bath, BA1 4AZ . Cheques payable to "Somerset Churches Trust Bike Ride".

Michael Auton (centre) and friends at Peasedown St John

The Somerset Historic Environment Record

The Somerset Historic Environment Record is a record of the known historic environment in the modern administrative county of Somerset (excluding Exmoor National Park). There are currently 36,398 entries in the record. This site is available to all and can be accessed by clicking on the link below. Searches can be undertaken by Site Type from "Abacus to Zoo", Period from "Palaeolithic to the 21st Century" and by Parish from "Abbas and Templecombe to Yeovilton". Why not see what there is of interest near you? The Map tab can be used to look at historical OS mapping, tithe maps (1840s) and aerial photographs.

Link to The Somerset Historic Environment Record

Links Page

The Somerset Historic Environment Record is part of the much larger South West Heritage Trust website. Our Links Page has links to this website and over twenty other organisations concerned with religious and historic buildings.

Publications

Click here for the following:Books for SaleAnnual ReportsTrustees Annual Reports and AccountsPress ReleasesChurch Card ArchiveChurches and Chapels Visited by Date Churches and Chapels visited by LocationPolicies and Procedures

Our Patron Kevin McCloud, the presenter of Grand Designs says:

“Our churches are literally our historic and cultural touchstones – in our landscapes, built environment, family histories and our communities. They embody faith, beauty, craftsmanship and collective memory. So we should cherish them.”

Grants Available for Roof Alarms

With an award of £30,000 from Allchurches Trust we can grant up to £1,000 per installation including systems that are already in the process of being put in. The grants are on condition that churches must be members or become members of Somerset Churches Trust for a period of at least 3 years, that the alarm is approved by insurers and is maintained for at least 5 years. For an Application Form please go to our Grants Application Forms page. Our grant scheme has been featured on a number of BBC West news reports. Click here to see the report by Lee Madan of the BBC including comments from the Rector of Cheddar and our Chairman Axel Palmer.

As winter approaches, Simon Colledge remembers a lovely early summer's day

Simon Colledge recalls the Church Crawl on 19th May to St Michael, Wayford (interior pictured left) St Stephen, Winsham and St Thomas, Cricket St Thomas. Click heading for full details.

Cheddar Church Tour

Fifteen hardy souls braved the wintery weather to enjoy a tour of Cheddar Churches and were rewarded with a wondrous spread at the Baptist Church.(pictured left)

BBC features our Alarm Grants Scheme

The Somerset Churches Trust/Allchurches Trust Scheme for grants towards roof alarms has been featured on a number of news reports by BBC West. Click on heading for link to the report.

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