Church of St Lawrence, Rode

The Church of St Lawrence in Rode stands in the quiet countryside of Somerset. Built in the late 14th and early 15th century, it mixes medieval craftsmanship with later Victorian touches. Charles Edward Davis led a major restoration in 1874, giving the church its present form. Traces of an earlier Norman church remain, including parts of a doorway. The tower has housed bells since the 16th century, with six new bells cast in 1753 by Thomas Bilbie. After safety work in the early 2000s, the bells were rededicated and rung again. Rode’s church is famous for Clipping the church, an old custom held on Easter Monday or Shrove Tuesday. The word ‘clipping’ comes from Anglo-Saxon and means ‘to embrace’. At Rode the circle faces inward, and people dance left and right before rushing in and cheering. Some writers have linked the ritual to older, possibly non-Christian, traditions. The event draws the whole community together in a living tradition. Inside, the church shows its layered history. The Victorian restoration left clear marks, while Norman fragments hint at earlier worship. The tower still holds its bells, now safely mounted on a steel frame. The building sits at the heart of Rode’s parish life, part of the Hardington Vale benefice. Its stone walls and simple nave speak of centuries of quiet devotion.