Church of St Mary, Abbas and Templecombe

The Church of St Mary stands in the quiet Somerset village of Templecombe. Built in the 12th century, it is a Grade II* listed building with parts still showing its original stonework. The churchyard holds a 4.6-metre stone cross that serves as the village war memorial. Four Commonwealth war graves lie within the churchyard, marking the resting places of soldiers and a WRNS petty officer. The church’s tower, with its oldest bell cast around 1420, shows signs of Saxon foundations. After wartime damage in the 1940s, the church was restored, though some arches and the roof still bear the scars. The church’s history is tied to powerful figures and orders. After the Norman Conquest, Earl Leofwine gave the manor to Bishop Odo of Bayeux. Later, the Knights Templar established a preceptory here in 1185, using it as an administrative centre for their lands across the south-west. When the Templars were suppressed in the 14th century, the Knights of St John took over until the dissolution of the monasteries. A 13th-century painting discovered in 1945 adds mystery to the site. Known as the Templecombe Head, it may depict Christ without a halo, a feature linked to Templar controversies. Inside, the church holds a 12th-century Purbeck marble font with an 1897 cover. The silver collection includes a 1628 cup, two 1725 salvers by Anthony Nelson, and an 1845 flagon. The building itself features a two-bay chancel, a four-bay nave, and a south transept. Hamstone walls and clay-tiled roofs give the structure a warm, earthy appearance. The south entrance porch leads to a two-stage tower, its buttresses added after construction. The church’s interior blends centuries of craftsmanship, from medieval stonework to Victorian restoration.