Halswell House

St. Edward´s Church

Dedication

The dedication of this church to St Edward, King and Martyr marks it out as unusual. Edward was a Saxon King, murdered on the orders of his step-mother, Elfrida, in 978, at Corfe Castle in the county of Dorset. This dedication could therefore suggest a 10th century foundation for Goathurst Church and further evidence is to be found in the simple rectangular nave and chancel plan which reflects a basic pre-conquest layout of a probably smaller building.

The Building

The church as stands is principally from the Perpendicular period and dates from the second half of the 15th century. The exterior, with its rough rubble walls of local stone, quoins and mouldings of Ham stone and mixed in pieces of Blue Lias, originally shone out in lime-washed render and must have looked imposing to a village of vernacular hovels and huts.

The church underwent considerable restoration in 1884 during which the upper and lower rood-loft doorways, behind the pulpit were discovered; as was the squint between the Tynte Pew and the Chancel. In addition the whitened plaster which covered the exterior of the church was removed and many structural repairs were undertaken.

In the Belfry can be seen a fine collection of Hatchments commemorating the Kemeys-Tynte family of Halswell House, created Lords Wharton in 1545. When a death took place in the family it was the custom to create one of these hatchments with the deceased´s side of the coat of arms painted black. It was then placed over the front door of Halswell House where it would remain for a lengthy period before being placed in the church.