Church of St John the Baptist, Midsomer Norton

The exact date of the building of the church is unknown, but was probably around 1150. The church was under the patronage of Merton Priory in London until the dissolution of the monasteries, but the origin of this link is unknown. A deed of surrender was signed by the prior John Ramsay in 1539 after which Henry VIII bestowed Norton on his Royal Foundation at Oxford. The patronage was passed to Christ Church, Oxford. The Midsomer Norton Knight is a 13th or 14th century tomb effigy carving which may be the figure of one of the Gourney or Warknell family. The wooden effigy used to sit on the top of a tomb which was demolished in the 18th century. It was moved into the vicarage garden and used…

The church is made up of a five bay aisled nave and two bay chancel with an additional Lady Chapel. The west tower is of three stages. The font is Norman and the east window includes stained glass by Charles Eamer Kempe which was installed in 1889. The churchyard includes a memorial to the 12 miners killed in 1839 at Wellsway pit in Westfield when their rope was severed.