Description

STOKE DRY
SP 89 NE
4/142
10.11.55 Church of St
Andrew.
GV I

Parish church. Early C12 in origin, much rebuilt C13-early C14 with C15
clerestory windows and N porch. Restored 1898. Coursed ironstone rubble,
Collyweston slate roofs to chancel and chapel, lead roofs to remainder. Narrow W
tower, nave, aisles, N and S porches, S chapel, and chancel. W tower has lancet
with restored hoodmould in W wall, small slit window, and bell-chamber of 1694
with large 2-light traceried openings, quatrefoil frieze and battlements. Nave
has C15 clerestory with 3 bays of cusped 2-light windows with flat heads.
Similar windows to N aisle, the left with Tudor hoodmould, the right part blocked
by stair to N porch. N door has early C14 moulded arch, and fine 2-storey porch
of late C15 date, with parapet, missing finials, small angle buttesses, and
4-centred arch of 2 chamfered orders with hoodmould. Inner order rests on
half-shafts with embattled capitals. Above arch is an oriel window with cusped
lights and embattled parapet. S aisle has one arched window with 3 untraceried
lights, and 2 tall altered windows with Cl6-C17 moulded mullions and flat heads,
that to W end with Tudor hoodmould. S door in moulded arch. S porch heavily
rebuilt C20. S chapel has moulded string raised over moulded S door with steep
2-centred arch, C13 2-light window with geometric tracery, and fine 3-light E
window with Decorated tracery. Tall 3-light E window of chancel is similar but
with different tracery. Altered window of 3-lights with flat head and moulded
mullions in N wall of chancel.
Interior: high 2-centred arch to tower, of 2 chamfered orders on carved head
corbels. 3-bay nave arcades, that to S of late C12-early C13 date, with
double-chamfered arches on circular piers. Moulded capitals, 3 with narrow band
of nailhead. N arcade is late C13-C14, with quatrefoil piers. Above arcades are
traces of C16 wall-paintings with texts and heraldic cartouches of the 12 tribes
of Israel. Nave roof is C15, restored, with moulded beams and carved brackets to
ridge. S aisle has moulded cambered tie-beams; N aisle re-roofed. 4-centred
doorway to porch stairs. Double chamfered chancel arch, each jamb with early C12
shafts, richly carved with beasts, winged figures and foliage. Left shaft has
similar capital; right shaft includes figure of a man ringing a bell. Early C12
string with saw-tooth moulding in N wall of chancel. Chancel also has aumbry,
blocked arch in SE corner, ogee window to chapel and C14 wall-paintings of St
Andrew and the Madonna enthroned on E wall. Chapel has arch to S aisle partly
blocked by low wall, 4-centred door to chancel, and late C13 wall paintings of St
Christopher and St Edmund on S wall. Chapel roof is of 1574 with arch-braced
collars.
Fittings: fine C15 screen complete with rood canopy on nave side; C16 bench-ends
with poppyheads, one bench with moulded back-rail; wooden trestle for carrying
coffins, inscribed "Iob Swayen fecit 1694"; disused stone font; fragments of old
glass in E window; C19 pulpit and font; stained glass of 1904.
Monuments: alabaster tomb chest in chancel with recumbent effigies of Kenelm
Digby, d.1590, and wife Anne, with mourners and corner balusters; monument in S
chapel to Everard Digby c.1540, with mutilated effigy of knight on chest with
blind tracery panels, shields and corner balusters, a shallow wall recess behind
with 4-centred arch, finials and balusters; slab in S aisle with incised figure
of Jacqueta Digby, 1496, disfigured by graffiti.

Listing NGR: SP8555296768

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Church of St Andrew at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q17529528

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

• 
  Herefordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Hertfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Gwent/Monmouthshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Wales)
• 
  Drawing up a Local Listed Building Consent Order: Historic England Advice Note 6
• 
  A Buying and Owning a Listed Building: A Brief Guide
• 
  [(Shropshire)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1958)