Description

NU 2311 LESBURY LESBURY VILLAGE
(North side)

19/98 Church of
31.12.69 St. Mary

GV II*

Parish Church. Core probably C12; north aisle and chapel added and chancel
remodelled in C13; east window mid-C14; late or post-medieval part rebuilding
of tower; vestry probably C17; 1849 restoration including refacing and part
rebuilding of south wall, addition of south porch, new parapet and roof to
tower and re-cutting of much internal detail; chancel arcade altered 1853.
Squared stone; large squared masonry of C12 type in tower, roughly-squared
stone in vestry, C19 parts tooled stone; cut dressings, tooled-and-margined
in C19 parts. Graduated Lakeland slate roofs except for Welsh slates on
chancel. Plan: Nave with west tower, south porch and 2-bay north aisle;
chancel with 2-bay north aisle and north-east vestry.

Tower shows complex evidence of rebuilding and repair; plinth, stepped and
chamfered set-backs at mid-height and irregular stepped clasping buttress at
south-west corner. West window is C19 lancet; slatted belfry openings with
plain pointed heads, set north of centre in east and west walls; no openings
on north. C19 parapet on block corbels; pyramidal roof with weathercock.

South side of nave all of 1849; large stepped buttress at west end; gabled
porch,with C20 glazed doors in double-chamfered arch under worn sundial,
enclosing studded double doors under moulded round arch on shafted jambs,
possibly copy of C12 original; one lancet to west of porch and three to east.
North aisle shows medieval masonry heightened in C19; old stepped buttresses,
blocked north door and blocked small square-headed windows; C19 lancets.

South side of chancel is 1849 refacing with C13 features reproduced; three
bays with chamfered plinth, shallow buttresses, lancets and priest's door.
C14 3-light east window cutting C13 chamfered string course; clasping buttresses
and C19 trefoil opening in rebuilt gable. North chapel shows restored C14-
style 3-light window. Vestry shows old studded door on east in chamfered
stone surround, with blocked window over; C19 two-light window and older
blocked loop on north. Coped gables on moulded kneelers, with finial crosses.

Interior plastered except for north aisle. Tall double-chamfered tower arch
on half-round responds. Arcade of broad double-chamfered arches with circular
pier and responds with heavy chamfered impost band carried back on both wall
faces. Similar but taller chancel arch; chancel arcade again similar but
without the impost band. All detail heavily re-cut. Chancel has retooled
trefoiled piscina on south and restored rebated square aumbry on north. Nave
has C19 roof of collar-beam trusses with upper king posts, with braces rising
from re-cut stone corbels. 5-bay chancel roof has heavy cambered ties resting
on re-cut or renewed corbels and carrying purlins, ridge and separate straining-
pieces linking the tie faces below the ridge; ties; purlins and straining
pieces have relief-carved flower and leaf bosses, grotesque animals and Percy
emblems. Old studded door from chapel to vestry.

C15 octagonal font carved with Percy crescents and fetterlocks. Old creed and
pater boards flanking chancel arch; commandments board and George III royal
arms under tower. Mid-C18 mural tablet in chancel to Garret family of Wooden;
some C19 ledger stones.

Listing NGR: NU2368211705

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17545900

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

• 
  Gwent/Monmouthshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Wales)
• 
  Gloucestershire 1: The Cotswolds: Cotswolds Pt. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Handbook 2 Books Bundle Collection (Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair,Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability)
• 
  Churches: An Architectural Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Nottinghamshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)