treason.  The town is nowadays chiefly dependent upon a large lace works and some collar factories.  The church, which stands in the “old town” (turn down Axminster Road), is said to have been erected about 1400, and is a spacious Perp. building without a clerestory.  It has a squat W. tower, some good porches (cp.  N. porch with Ilminster), and some bold gargoyles.  Within note (1) squints, (2) rood-loft stair with external turret, (3) indistinct traces of mural paintings in N. transept, (4) Brewer monument (early 17th cent.) in N. transeptal chapel.  The main street contains some notable examples of domestic architecture—­(1) gabled hostelry, “The Choughs” (opposite street leading to church), (2) fine old house opposite Town Hall, date about 1580, supposed to have been the court house of the manor (containing an exceptionally fine room, with two mullioned windows of 20 lights, and a moulded plaster ceiling), (3) grammar school, at foot of the town opposite a fountain.  A leaden pipe carries the date 1583, though the present school was not founded till 1671.

Charlcombe is a parish 2 m.  N. of Bath, with a very small church, which has a Norm.  S. door.  Note (1) the font (probably Norm.), (2) the massive stone pulpit, (3) the reredos.  There is a fine yew tree near the porch.

Charlinch, a parish 5 m.  W. of Bridgwater.  The second syllable (recurring in Moorlinch, Redlynch) means a level terrace on the side of a hill; the first is probably a personal name.  Its church illustrates many periods of architecture, for it has a Norm. font and S. door (with depressed arch), a Trans. chancel arch (pointed), a Dec.  E. window, and Perp. tower, chapel (or transept), and nave windows.  The altar-piece, in memory of Lady Taunton, is a modern copy of the 15th-cent. painter Francia.  There are two interesting epitaphs, one on the S. wall of the chancel, the other on a brass on the floor.  There are also some fragments of ancient glass; and a stone, with a consecration cross, is built into the porch.

E. of the church, on the road to Wembdon, is Gothelney Hall, an old manor house, with a good front, and walls of great thickness.  The banqueting-hall (now divided into rooms) was on the first floor and had a minstrel gallery, whilst the chapel was probably at the top of the tower.  There is an interesting collection of portraits of (it is believed) former owners of the house.

Charlton Adam, a village 3 m.  E. of Somerton, has a church which contains a few features of interest.  The chancel has two foliated lancets; in the S. chapel there is the canopied tomb of Thomas Baker (d. 1592); and in both chancel and chapel are some curious old seats.  Note also (1) the piscina, (2) Norm. font, (3) a Jacobean pulpit, (4) rudely carved figures in S. porch.  There seems to have been here a chantry of the Holy Spirit from 1348 to 1547.

Charlton Horethorne is a pleasant village 1-1/2 m.  N.W. of Milborne Port Station.  The church has a well-proportioned Perp. tower with bold buttresses; the rest of the building appears to be earlier.  Note (1) the recesses and niches in the N. and S. walls, (2) piscina, (3) heavy cylindrical font.  The church porch is old.  In the parish are some barrows which have been opened and found to contain remains.