Phelipses, the earliest dating from the 15th cent.  In the churchyard is the carved shaft of a cross.  Near the W. end of the church is a beautiful 15th-cent. gateway, once belonging to a Cluniac Priory (founded in the time of Henry I.), with oriel windows N. and S., the latter flanked by two turrets of unequal height.  Note over N. window a portcullis, and over the S. the letters T.C., the initials of Thomas Chard, the last prior but two.  In the village square is a picturesque house with the initials R.S. (Robert Sherborne, the last prior) between two figures with fools’ caps. Montacute House, the seat of the Phelipses, is built in the form of the letter H, and dates from the reign of Queen Elizabeth (1580-1601).  The E. and W. fronts are handsome, the former being decorated with nine large statues, supposed to represent various martial characters, historical, legendary, and biblical.  The two large upper-storey windows that project from the N. and S. sides, light a gallery running the whole length of the house.  The building was designed by John Thorpe, the architect of Longleat.  Note the “gazebos” in the garden (cp.  Nether Stowey).

[Illustration:  MONTACUTE HOUSE]

Moorlynch, a village on the S. edge of the Poldens, 4 m.  S. of Shapwick Station.  The churchyard commands a good view of Sedgemoor, with the towers of Othery, Middlezoy, and Weston Zoyland rising conspicuously from it.  The church (said to be E.E., but altered in Perp. times) has some features of interest:  (1) pillar piscina, (2) carved bench-ends, (3) Norm. font, (4) effigy of lady (preserved under the tower), (5) bits of old glass in chancel windows, (6) consecration crosses on exterior chancel wall.  There are some carved bench-ends and old oak seats.

Muchelney, 2 m.  S.E. of Langport, is a small village rich in antiquities.  Like Athelney, it was once a marsh-girt “island “—­the largest, or muckleey, amongst its peers.  Its church has a fair tower (double windows in the belfry), though much inferior to those of Huish and Kingsbury.  At the W. door there is a fine stoup.  There are N. and S. porches with parvises or chambers, and the vault of the S. porch is groined.  Within should be noticed (1) quaint paintings on the nave roof, (2) piscina and sedilia with fine canopies, (3) group of canopied niches E. of the S. aisle, (4) fine carved Perp. font.  In the churchyard, E. of the church, is a fine panelled tomb.  S. of the parish church are the foundations of the Abbey Church.  The Abbey was founded by the Saxon Athelstan, about 939.  The remains may be traced of (1) an apsidal Norm.  Lady Chapel, (2) a square-ended Lady Chapel of later date.  A few tiles are preserved in the adjoining church.  S. of the churchyard is the Abbot’s House, which exhibits much of interest (especially a room with a settle of Henry VIII.’s time), if admission can be obtained.  A panelled (interior) wall may be seen from the road:  behind it is a cloister (now a cider cellar).  N. of the parish church is another interesting building, the old Vicarage House, dating from the 14th or 15th cent.  In another house hard by is a fragment of Norm. carving.  Note, too, the village cross (restored.)