ST5445 : Church of St Cuthbert, Wells
taken 5 years ago, near to Wells, Somerset, England
Listed buildings and structures are officially designated as being of special architectural, historical or cultural significance. There are over half a million listed structures in the United Kingdom, covered by around 375,000 listings.
Listed status is more commonly associated with buildings or groups of buildings, however it can cover many other structures, including bridges, headstones, steps, ponds, monuments, walls, phone boxes, wrecks, parks, and heritage sites, and in more recent times a road crossing (Abbey Road) and graffiti art (Banksy 'Spy-booth') have been included.
In England and Wales there are three main listing designations;
Grade I (2.5%) - exceptional interest, sometimes considered to be internationally important.
Grade II* (5.5%) - particularly important buildings of more than special interest.
Grade II (92%) - nationally important and of special interest.
There are also locally listed structures (at the discretion of local authorities) using A, B and C designations.
In Scotland three classifications are also used but the criteria are different. There are around 47,500 Listed buildings.
Category A (8%)- generally equivalent to Grade I and II* in England and Wales
Category B (51%)- this appears generally to cover the ground of Grade II, recognising national importance.
Category C (41%)- buildings of local importance, probably with some overlap with English Grade II.
In Northern Ireland the criteria are similar to Scotland, but the classifications are:
Grade A (2.3%)
Grade B+ (4.7%)
Grade B (93%)
Read more at Wikipedia Link
Grade I listed buildings and structures are of exceptional, even international importance. There are over 6,000 in the country. Only 2.5% of listed buildings are Grade I listed.
In Scotland the classification is Category A
Index: Link
Grade I listed
Most of the church dates from the 15th century, however there were earlier churches from the 11th and the 13th century, parts of which remain.
The nave has north and south aisles with seven bays, the western tower was originally one of two, the other (crossing tower) collapsed in 1561. The tower is the third highest in Somerset.
The chancel has aisles with three bays, the south side is St Martin's Chapel. There are other chapels in the transepts, one having a mutilated Jesse reredos. A carved head from the Jesse tree of 1470 has been preserved in a display case.
The nave ceiling is from the 16th century and was restored in 1963.
There are several memorials in the church including an incised inscription to Thomas Tanner (late 14th century), a 16th century altar tomb to Thomas Leigh, and other monuments.
Many war memorials appeared in British towns and cities after the South African War of 1899-1902 (known popularly as the Boer War), but most were constructed after the First World War, known to contemporaries as the Great War (1914-19). These were updated after the Second World War (1939-45), usually by adding a plaque with the names of those killed in that conflict. Almost every town and village in Britain has a memorial erected after the Great War, the commonest types taking the form of a cross, an obelisk or a statue of a soldier. Some occupy a prominent public space; others stand in the local cemetery or can be found inside the local church. Memorials usually commemorate the inhabitants of a particular locality, the former pupils of a school, or the members of a military unit or branch of the armed forces. Other memorials, often bronze plaques placed indoors, commemorate the employees of a private company or public institution.