AN arsonist set fire to hymn books and a treasured 30-year-old visitors' book in St John's Church in Cutcombe on Monday evening.
Disaster was narrowly averted when an eagle-eyed villager spotted the blaze at 6.15pm.
Fire crews from Minehead, Dulverton and Wiveliscombe were called to the church and the fire was quickly put out.
Vicar the Rev Terry Staples said thankfully the building itself was not damaged, while a table and just one pew had been damaged slightly.
"The one precious thing we lost was our visitors' book which had been there at least 30 years and signed by so many different people who had visited the church.
"We've had no other trouble there and this just came out of the blue," Mr Staples said.
* Wheddon Cross woman Grace Coles, aged 35, of The Firs, was sent to prison for six months by Taunton Deane Magistrates on Wednesday after facing charges of arson, criminal damage and sending false communications.
She was given 26 weeks imprisonment in connection with the attack on the church and a further 24 weeks to run concurrently for an unrelated matter.