Description

DODFORD
SP66SW
5/47 Church of St. Mary the Virgin
18/01/68 (Formerly listed as Church of
St. Mary)
GV I
Church, Early C12 south wall, C13 west tower and north aisle, nave rebuilt and
south porch added C14/C15, chancel of 1850 by Philip Hardwick; church restored
1878-80 by William Butterfield. Ironstone and limestone rubble and coursed
squared ironstone, tile roofs. Chancel nave, north aisle, south porch, west
tower. Two-bay chancel has 3-light geometrical east window and coupled lancets
to south, and vestry to north with hollow-chamfered north door and 2-light east
window with plate tracery. Nave has some herringbone masonry to south wall, 2
small round-arched windows, one to south-east, the other visible inside and
blocked by porch, tall 3-light windows either side of porch with intersecting
tracery to east, reticulated to west, and clerestory on north side with three
2-light windows with straight heads. Two-storey south porch has chamfered rib
vault and doorway with chamfered inner arch on polygonal responds, outer arches
dying into wall, blocked 1-light above and to east and west sides. South door
has double hollow-chamfered arch. North aisle has renewed 3-light Perpendicular
east window, blocked double hollow-chamfered north door and lancet windows to
north and at west end, that to north-east blocked; heads mostly renewed. 3-stage
west tower with angle buttresses to lowest stage, chamfered west door with
lancet above, a lancet to south side of middle stage and 2-light bell openings
of coupled lancets under one arch. Plain stone-coped parapet on corbel table
with corner pinnacles and low pyramidal lead roof with weathervane. Interior has
C19 stained glass east windows to chancel and north aisle and in tower.
Chamfered chancel arch on polygonal responds. Rood screen with traceried lights
given to church in 1440 by Sir John Cressy. Nave has 4-bay arcade with double
hollow-chamfered arches on octagonal piers and polygonal responds to east and
west. Triple-chamfered tower arch, inner arch on polygonal responds. Circular
Norman font carved with linked beaded semi-circles framing foliage patterns. C19
roofs throughout except possibly for some elements of north aisle roof.
Important set of monuments including 3 brasses: John Cressy d.1414 and his wife;
William Wylde d.1442 and wife; Bridget Wyrley d.1637. Purbeck marble recumbent
effigy of a knight with crossed legs wearing band mail - a rare type of armour -
thought to be of Sir Robert Keynes d.1305 (Pevsner). Early C14 tomb recess in
north aisle with oak effigy of another lady on tomb chest in front with mourners
and angels supporting pillow on which tier head rests, said to be Wentiliana de
Keynes d.1376, grand-daughter of Hawise. Alabaster tomb chest with effigy of Sir
John Cressy d.1444, with angels supporting arms either side and at west end. C17
alabaster wall monument to John Wyrley. Large C18 marble wall monument to Henry
Benson d.1725 in Smith of Warwick style with inscription framed by round-headed
arch with keyblock flanked by Ionic pilasters supporting entablature and broken
segmental pediment framing cartouche of arms.
(Buildings of England: Northants, p.187).

Listing NGR: SP6124660545

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17526461

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

• 
  Derbyshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Georgian Style and Design for Contemporary Living
• 
  Setting up a Listed Building Heritage Partnership Agreement: Historic England Advice Note 5
• 
  Northumberland (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  The Victorian House Manual (2nd Edition): How They Were Built, Improvements & Refurbishment, Solutions to All Common Defects - Includes Relevant ... ... Properties (Haynes Manual) (Haynes Manuals)
• 
  Oxfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)