the church of st john baptist
the Weathercock
of St John's church
A new weathercock, to surmount the tower of St John's church, was purchased in 1575 at a cost of £2 9s 2d, being 14s for supply and a further £1 15s 2d for erection (totaling around £800 at today's value).
When the present-day weathercock was erected in 1745, on the summit of the
tower stair
turret, the
Churchwardens'
Accounts
recorded that
the cost was £3
5s 6d, being £1
4s 0d for supply
and a further £2
1s 6d for
gilding and
erection (£3 5s
6d is £3.28p at
today's price,
but around £550
at today's
value).
gallery
The parapet surmounting St John's tower. The weathercock is seen at the far left, surmounting the tower stair turret, the iron cross is seen at the far right and one of the nesting peregrine falcons on the parapet at right. Photographed in 2023.
This photograph
features in my
book 'The Church of St John the Baptist, Yeovil - a History and Guide'.
The weathercock surmounting the roof of the northwest stair turret. Photographed in 2021.
... and a close-up of the weathercock of 1745. Photographed in 2021.
