Church of St John the Baptist, Hatch Beauchamp

The Church of St John the Baptist stands in the village of Hatch Beauchamp in Somerset. Built in the Norman period, it is a Grade I listed building. The church’s most striking feature is its three-stage tower, added around 1500. The tower has a crenellated top, crocketed pinnacles, and a pierced parapet with quatrefoils and arcades. Diagonal buttresses support the tower, ending in the belfry stage where small detached shafts rise to form corner pinnacles. Stonework around the tower includes hunky punks shaped like dogs. The church holds a window dedicated to Colonel John Rouse Merriott Chard, who won the Victoria Cross for his actions at Rorke’s Drift in 1879. In the 19th century, the church was restored by George Gilbert Scott, who added extra bays to the north and south aisles in 1867. The church belongs to the Seven Sowers benefice, which includes nearby villages such as Curry Mallet and Beercrocombe. It lies within the archdeaconry of Taunton in the Diocese of Bath and Wells. Visitors find a church rich in medieval craftsmanship, from the tower’s intricate stonework to the hunky punks on its walls. The interior includes the memorial window to Colonel Chard, a reminder of the church’s connection to military history. The aisles added by Scott blend seamlessly with the older structure, creating a sense of harmony. The village setting adds to the church’s quiet charm, with no modern intrusions nearby. The tower dominates the skyline, drawing the eye from afar. Inside, the space feels both grand and intimate, a place for reflection and admiration of its craftsmanship.