A NEW book outlining the story of Crowcombe's historic Church House has been published.

THE Grade II listed building, which dates back 500 years, is one of only two church houses left unchanged in Somerset.

Now a Heritage Lottery Fund grant has allowed village volunteers to carry out extensive research into centuries of parish records, assisted by Bob Croft and his staff from the Somerset Heritage Centre.

The outcome is the new book Church House, Crowcombe - A History, co-authored by chairman of its management committee Peter Menneer and professional interpreter Catherine Brew.

"This book tracks the history of Church House, from its creation, through its various uses to its modern day restoration," Mr Menneer said.

"It features historical documents, plans, illustrations and images, painting a complete picture of this West Somerset heritage building through the ages."

Over the years the Church House has been a poor-house, school and ruin before returning full circle having been recently restored as a community building.

Mr Menneer said that for many centuries in hundreds of English villages the presence of a semi-public building in the shadow of the parish church was a very familiar sight, especially so in the West Country.

"In Somerset alone more than 50 church houses are known to have been built," Mr Menneer said.

"Most have not survived from the 15th and 16th centuries to the present day. Of those that have survived, nearly all have been converted into dwellings or pubs."

Church House, Crowcombe - a History which is available from the Crowcombe Community Shop and Brendon Books for £5.

For more information visit: churchhousecrowcombe.org.uk.