Holy Trinity Church, Binegar
Holy Trinity forms with St James’, Ashwick and All Saints, Oakhill the local Church of England. Times of Services are displayed on the church notice board and in the monthly magazine, Ashwick, Oakhill and Binegar News.
The first Church in Binegar was before the Norman Conquest. The list of priests takes us back at least 700 years. What may have been the third Church on the site was built about 1400 AD. Today the tower, aisle, flagstones and some of the nave masonry are all that remain. The nave and chancel were rebuilt in 1858. In 1937 three new bells were added.
Inside, surviving from the 15th century, is the Jacobean altar table, the octagonal font, some Mural Sepulchria, Communion Plate and three of the six tower bells.
The tower is just over 70 ft to the top of the battlements. The carving in the centre of the western parapet represents the Church’s dedication to the Holy Trinity. It shows a seated King (The Father) holding a crucfix (The Son) and bearing a dove (The Holy Spirit). It has been described as “probably the finest Trinity group in England”.
The frayed White Ensign by the War Memorial Tablets was flown by the arctic convoy corvette HMS Honeysuckle when taking survivors from HMS Goodall Goodall was the last British ship to be sunk by the Germany in World War II.
Click for website: Holy Trinity.
Oakhill Methodist Church
The Church, part of the Evangelical Alliance, meets at the Wesleyan Methodist Chapel, Oakhill. It is part of the West Mendip Methodist Circuit. The local Minister is Revd Roly Sims.
Click for website: Oakhill Methodist Church.
Downside Abbey Church
The Catholic Abbey Church is dedicated to St Gregory the Great. It is the largest of the Neo-Gothic style churches built in this country after the Reformation. Pevsner calls it “the most splendid demonstration of the renaissance of Roman Catholicism in England. If ever there was an excuse for building in period forms in the twentieth century, it is here”.
Click for website: Downside Abbey.
