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Angersleigh
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The village stands on rising ground at the foot of the Blackdown Hills, on land, then known as Leigh, given before 737 to the bishopric of Winchester by Frethogyth, wife of King Ethelherd. It was later called Knight's Leigh, as it was held by men doing knight service to the bishop, then when it came into the possession of John Anger in 1279 acquired its present name.
Church Lane is part of an ancient road, and the church faces the north escarpment of the Blackdowns. It is dedicated to St. Michael the Archangel and dates from the early 12th century. It was given about 1115 by the Bishop of Winchester to Taunton Priory, who provided priests to serve it till around 1300. The nave walls are probably part of the original building.
The present entrance is, unusually, at the west end under the 14th century tower (this is because the original south entrance was converted into a vestry), and the oldest feature of the church is the Norman font, now in the porch.
There are memorial windows to Lords of the Manor of Taunton Deane, and the window next to the tower shows features of the Jerusalem Temple. The east window, in memory of the first Mrs. Eastwood, depicts Christ "reigning from the tree", with the Virgin Mary, St. John and St. Mary Magdalene, as well as St. Augustine, the first Archbishiop of Canterbury, St. Columba of the church of Iona and St. Birinus, the first missionary bishop of the West Saxons. The wealth of carved woodwork on the pews was produced by Arthur Eastwood, Lord of the Manor in the early twentieth century, and members of a woodworking class he ran here.
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