Middle Chinnock Church

USUAL SERVICE TIMES EACH MONTH

First Sunday: No Service (11am Holy Communion in West Chinnock)

Second Sunday: 9.30 am Common Worship Morning Prayer

Third Sunday: No Service (10.30am Café Church in West Chinnock)

Fourth Sunday: 9.30am Holy Communion
(this alternates monthly between Book of Common Prayer and Common Worship)

For other services in the Benefice please see our Current Services page via this link

Joint services are arranged with St Mary’s West Chinnock for Good Friday, Remembrance and a Christmas carol service. In addition, joint Benefice services are held on 5th Sundays.

DISABILITY ACCESS STATEMENT

There is no designated disabled parking, but parking available on a fairly quiet road outside the church. There are steps on the roadside access, but to the side an entrance without steps, although this is up a rough track which can be used by a car.

No hearing loop in the church, but there is a microphone which is used when required.

HISTORY

St Margaret’s Church Middle Chinnock serves a small community of 100 people in 44 homes. There has been a church there since Norman times, so for nearly 1000 years church services have taken place in the village. The church is Grade 2 listed and the War Memorial has also recently become Grade 2 listed. Many visitors comment on the peaceful and prayerful atmosphere of the Church.

Middle Chinnock is a small church building with some remaining medieval features, namely the south doorway and porch (c1100), some Norman stonework in the north side of the tower (c1200) and the tower itself (about 1400) : the tower is 40 ft high and houses three bells. The arch over the south door is Saxon and in good preservation. The church is Grade 2* listed and is built of ham stone with slate and stone tiles and stands on an elevated site overlooking the older part of the village. It has clear glass windows and internally retains its 12th century font and 18th century pulpit.

THE CHURCH AND THE COMMUNITY
The Electoral Roll has 11 members and a worshipping community of 9 regular members, who attend at least one of the two monthly services. The main festival services are well attended by the wider community – for example, 75 attended the 2024 Carol service held jointly with West Chinnock; the church will seat a maximum of around 90 people. Middle Chinnock Church has a calm and peaceful atmosphere, which is commented on by so many visitors. There are seven members of the PCC who work to raise funds to care for the fabric of the church and keep the churchyard in good order. Fundraising activities also form part of the outreach to the community and are invariably well supported by villagers from both of the Chinnocks as well as Chiselborough and Norton-sub-Hamdon. Middle Chinnock is a small village with only 54 houses, some of which are widely spread, but there is a good community spirit; several non-church members help with the Flower and Key holder rotas and people from Middle Chinnock and nearby villages respond well to events such as an annual ‘Soup and Puds’ lunch, Open Gardens and Flower Festivals; an informal outdoor garden-based Hymns & Pimms service has been well-received in the last two years.

Our current Mission Priorities are :
Serving our community and showing the love of Christ for his people in practical ways
Working more closely with other churches in the benefice
Taking the church to the community