Church of the Holy Cross, Middlezoy

The Church of the Holy Cross stands in the Somerset Levels village of Middlezoy. Built in the 13th century, it began as a chapelry of Sowy parish before becoming its own parish in the early 16th century. Originally dedicated to St Lawrence, it later honoured St Mary before adopting its present name in 1754. The rector William of Bitton II served by 1263, marking the church’s early presence in the community. Its stone fabric records centuries of worship and change across the Levels landscape. The church is worth the journey for its Grade I listed status and the craftsmanship of its 15th-century west tower. The tower, built around 1483, resembles that at nearby Lyng and houses six bells, one cast in 1608 by George Purdue of Closworth. Hunky punks carved on the tower show the weathered faces of mythical guardians. A major restoration in the 1860s followed designs by Charles Knowles, with further repairs in 1908 preserving the building. The tower’s pinnacles and pierced parapet were renewed by Sall Strachey Historic Conservation. Inside, the nave and chancel open into a south aisle and porch, with a north chapel or vestry beside them. The interior reflects many renovations yet retains its medieval structure. The tower’s bells still ring over the flat Somerset Levels, where the church has watched over the village for centuries. The building stands as a quiet witness to Middlezoy’s history, its stonework speaking of generations of parish life.