Description

SO 4054-4154; 13/16

DILWYN CP,
DILWYN

Church of St Mary

02.09.66

GV

I

Parish church. c1200, extended and rebuilt late C13, with some C14 and C15
additions, restored C18, 1867, 1875, 1882 and 1904. Coursed rubble with
ashlar dressings under a slate roof with an octagonal shingled spire. West
tower, nave with north and south aisles, north transept, chancel and north
vestry.

The west tower, of c1200, is of three stages with a timber spire
probably added in the C18. The tower has clasping buttresses, battered
plinth with roll moulding and a C18 crenellated parapet. The third stage
has a semi-octagonal head, probably C19, in the south wall, with a lancet
to the west wall. The first stage has lancets with double roll mouldings.
The ground stage has lancets with dog toothed labels set in pilaster buttresses.
The late C13 south aisle is of five bays with a four-bay clerestory above.
This has square-headed windows, each of two trefoiled lights. The aisle
windows below are each of two lights, trefoiled to the west, then pointed to
east of south door, trefoiled and finally cinquefoiled, the latter three
under two-centred heads. The south porch of the late C15 or early C16 has
a tall outer two-centred arch with moulded and shafted jambs. The side walls
are of two bays, each with a window of two ogee trefoiled lights with a
quatrefoil under the two-centred head. Internally, a moulded respond is carried up
to support the central roof truss, the mouldings continuing across the tie beam.
The contemporary south door has a two-centred arch and moulded jambs. The outer
rolls of the jambs are continued up to form the sides of tall trefoiled panels
flanking the door with moulded brackets for statues. North aisle of three bays
to west with two windows; each of two trefoiled lights with quatrefoil under two-
centred head, with blocked north door between. Above the clerestory are two
windows, each of two trefoiled lights. North transept added in early C14 has
diagonal buttresses. The north window is of three trefoiled lights with a
traceried head under a two-centred arch. East and west windows are each of
two cinquefoiled lights under a two-centred head. The chancel is also late Cl3
with clasped buttresses. The south wall is of three bays, the western window
of two trefoiled lights under a two-centred head, the central one a trefoil
lancet, that to east of two cinquefoiled lights under a two-centred head.
The priests' door to the west of the central window has a two-centred cusped
head. The north wall has two 2-light windows similar to those in the south wall
flanking the north vestry. It has a simple lancet in the east and west walls.
The east window of the chancel has three lights, the outer two trefoiled, the
central light cinquefoiled, all under a two-centred head.

INTERIOR has similar
arcades of five bays to the north and south aisles. These have two-centred
arches of two chamfered orders with chamfered labels which have head stops.
The cylindrical columns have moulded capitals and bases. The eastern columns
of each arcade bear a corbel to support a statue. The south arcade is aligned
centrally on the tower arch, which has a central pier forming the respond of
the arcade. This is probably contemporary with the two-centred tower arch of
three chamfered orders, the inner order supported on three engaged filleted
shafts. There is the scar of a steep roof of the former nave (centred on the
tower) above this arch. A lean-to arch of two chamfered orders separates the
north transept from the remaining three bays of the north aisle. The chancel
arch is two-centred of three chamfered orders, with engaged respond shafts
to the inner order. To north of arch a square-headed door formed the entrance
to the rood loft, with the lower doorway into the north transept. In the
north wall of the chancel there is a C14 tomb recess which haste hollow
chamfered segmental-pointed head with ball flower ornament, a moulded label
with crockets, head stops and finial. The side shafts have carved finials.
The recess contains a C14 stone effigy of a knight. Fittings: C15 screen
dividing off the east bay of the south aisle of seven bays to the north, three
bays to the west, all with ogee trefoiled and traceried heads. Doorway in west
side with two similar heads. Chancel screen, C15, of five bays including
central door with a square head carved with monsters, and above a 3-light
opening with ogee trefoiled heads, with similar heads to the 3-light bays on
each side. The moulded main posts have carved mole heads at the base. The
fan-vaulted canopy above is probably C19. The north transept screen, also
C15, is of four bays, with the doorway to west of centre. The western bay
is of three lights, the other two each of four lights, all with ogee trefoiled
heads. The main posts all have pilasters with carved finials. The C12 font
is a cracked simple round tapering bowl. The C14 font has an octagonal
continuously moulded bowl with panelled stem. Set around the fonts at the west
end of the south aisle are pieces of at least five coffin lids with incised
crosses. A floor slab standing against the west wall of the nave has the
indents of two figures under a double canopy, formerly with a stone inlay,
probably C15, with added inscriptions to TR, 1690, and AR, 1682. Roof of
nave is C15 with moulded tie beams forming seven bays. The low-pitched roof
is boarded and ribbed. The north transept roof is of similar date of three
bays with steeply cambered tie beams supporting short king posts. The chancel
roof is C14 common-rafter type with straight braces to the collars and ashlar
pieces. The brattished wall plate is C19.

Listing NGR: SO4152654670

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17530369

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

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  County Durham (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England) by Elizabeth Williamson Nikolaus Pevsner(1983-03-11)
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  Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, and Peterborough (Pevsner Architectural Guides): Written by Charles O'Brien, 2014 Edition, Publisher: Yale University Press [Hardcover]
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  Somerset: North and Bristol: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Churches: An Architectural Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
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