Description

ST 8298-8398 HORSLEY THE STREET
(south side)

20/138 Church of St Martin

28.6.60

GV II *

Parish church. C15 tower, main body rebuilt 1838-9 by Thomas
Rickman. Ashlar limestone; Welsh slate roof. Broad nave with
integral aisles, transepts, chancel and west tower. Broad west
tower is only survival from medieval church, 4 string courses being
carried over diagonal corner buttresses and rectangular stair
turret on north side. Heavy hoodmould to pointed arched west
doorway; restored 3-light Perpendicular traceried window above.
Two-light 4-centred arched belfry openings with stone louvres and
string course rising above. Crenellated parapet with crocketed
corner pinnacles. Remainder of church rebuilt in thin Decorated
style, 4-bay nave having tall 2-light traceried windows.
Crenellated parapets, plain but low-pitched to gable ends of
transepts with crocketed corner pinnacles. Central pointed arched
doorway to north transept with 4-light traceried window above.
More elaboration to east end: 3-light Decorated east window with
enriched crocketed ogee hood with carved head stops. Empty trefoil
headed image niche at centre of quatrefoil panelled parapet gable.
Small low flanking vestries with crenellated parapets.
Interior: wide nave with queen post truss roof supported on small
machicolated stone corbels. High triplet of moulded pointed arches
at crossing with slender octagonal piers. Moulded pointed chancel
arch. Ribbed pointed barrel vault to chancel. Original panelled
reredos has Commandments, Creed and Lord's Prayer, and flanking
sedilia with openwork tracery to ogee arch with crocketed top.
Later raised choir floor at centre of crossing with decorative
wrought iron screen and iron openwork pulpit all added during 1887
restoration. Various C18 or early Cl9 monuments, one with broken
pediment surmounted by escutcheon and flaming urns, inscribed to
EDWARD WEBB, Clothier died 1751; others plainer, one in sanctuary
to Thomas Davis, signed by Thomas Webb, mason and architect of
Tetbury, c1782. Earlier monuments at west end include finely
carved Baroque monument to Martha Bishop, died 1714; another to
Joseph Chambers, died 1722 - both with good borders. Many more in
tower with cartouche borders, most elaborate being Thomas Davis,
clothier, died 1715. Plain C19 pews. Octagonal stone font is C19
and 'THE GIFT OF E. HEAD DALTON.' A good example of Thomas
Rickman's architecture although called 'a preaching church in
rather thin Gothic clothes' by David Verey.
(W.J. Sheils, 'Horsley' in V.C.H. Glos. xi, 1976, pp 175-184; and
D. Verey, Cotswold Church, 1976 and Gloucestershire: The
Cotswolds, 1979)

Listing NGR: ST8379598018

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17538261

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Specifications for Building Conservation: Volume 1: External Structure: Practical Examples v. 2
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Buildings of England)
• 
  Listed Buildings and Other Heritage Assets
• 
  Kent: North East and East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Georgian Style and Design for Contemporary Living
• 
  Churches: An Architectural Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)