St Mary Magdalene, Taunton

St Mary Magdalene stands in the centre of Taunton, Somerset, beside the wide streets and older buildings of the town. The church is built of local sandstone and rises in Early Tudor Perpendicular Gothic style, completed in 1508. A tall tower dominates the skyline, built around 1503 with money from the wool trade and rebuilt in the 19th century. The tower reaches 48 metres to the pinnacles and is regarded as one of the finest Somerset towers. Inside, the painted walls and Victorian stained glass show the church’s long history. The tower holds fifteen bells, twelve of which are rung full-circle, and a clock mechanism with a chime. Simon Jenkins called it the noblest parish tower in England, and the bells were recast in 2016 by Taylors of Loughborough. The church contains war memorials for soldiers from the Somerset Light Infantry and memorials to past clergy. Joseph Alleine, a Puritan minister, and John Boswell, a high church writer, are buried in the churchyard. Visitors enter a sandstone building with painted interiors and Victorian glass. The tower’s pinnacles rise above the nave, and the bells can be heard across the town. The churchyard holds simple graves of notable figures, and the stained glass includes fragments from earlier centuries. The tower’s stonework has needed repairs after damage from storms and vandalism. The church now serves as Taunton Minster, marking its continuing role in the town’s life.