| Church of St Barnabas | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | Queen Camel, Somerset, England |
| Coordinates | 51°01′19″N2°34′26″W / 51.02194°N 2.57389°W |
| Built | 14th century |
Listed Building – Grade I | |
| Designated | 24 March 1961 [1] |
| Reference no. | 1249203 |
  Location of Church of St Barnabas in Somerset | |
The Church of St Barnabas is a church in Queen Camel, Somerset, England. The church was built in the 14th century and has been designated as a Grade I listed building. [1]
Contents
A former church in Queen Camel was the mother church to Somerton, Chilton Cantelo and the surrounding area before 1140. In the 12th century the church was given to Cleeve Abbey. [2] The first recorded rector was in 1317. [1] The church underwent Victorian restoration in 1888. [2]
The church has a 96 feet (29 m) high tower, built in five stages, [3] [1] which dates from around 1491, [4] The tower contains a heavy ring of six bells. While St Buryan in Cornwall is home to the heaviest ring of six bells by the weight of the tenor bell alone, [5] Queen Camel is the heaviest six in the world by total weight (all the bells combined). [6] [7]
The interior contains memorials to many of the Mildmay family, [1] who were Lords of the manor. There is a wooden rood screen and octagonal stone font supported by four large carved supports. [8]
The churchyard contains a Commonwealth war grave of a Royal Navy seaman of World War I. [9]
The parish is part of the Cam Vale benefice, which includes Corton Denham, Sparkford, Sutton Montis, West Camel and Weston Bampfylde, within the Bruton and Cary deanery. [6]
