St Augustine's tower

Image: © Neil Owen Taken: 3 Jul 2021

Locking's church has ancient roots: there may have been a preaching cross during Anglo Saxon times and an early Celtic Norman church in the 11th Century. By 1217 there is a place dedicated by the monks of Woodspring Priory. However, that church was removed to make way for the present building. A new construction was completed by 1380, including the tower - a fine example of Somerset style. There are records that account for relief given to the poor in the 1600s, but in 1680 the village allied itself to the claims of the Duke of Monmouth, who had raised an army to gain the English crown. After defeat at the Battle of Sedgemoor, the village and lands were given over to the Crown and later became owned by the Merchant Venturers of Bristol. It seems Locking was held in poverty for centuries as the church was described as being in a bad state in the early nineteenth century. But after some taxation and arguments over funding, the church was renovated and had a north aisle built in 1815 for the sum of £233.3s.5d.

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