Description

TF 34 NE AND TF 44 NW LEVERTON MAIN ROAD 8/97 & 9/97 (west side)

26.1.67 Church of St. Helen

I

Parish church. C14, C15, late C15, restored 1892 by James Fowler. Limestone ashlar, slate and lead roofs. Western tower, clerestoried nave, chancel, south chantry chapel. 3 stage C15 tower with plinth, moulded string courses and parapet. Stepped corner buttresses with grotesques. To the top stage, 3 light belfry opening in hollow chamfered surround with transom of 4 centred arched heads to the lights. Continuously moulded west doorway. C15 4 light window with cusped heads and panel tracery. C14 north aisle with C15 west window of 3 lights, recut C19. Continuously moulded north doorway flanked by single C14 3 light windows in moulded rectangular surrounds, with ogee heads to the lights. To the east a similar window recut C19 to 2 lights, and a 3 light window with triangular head. C15 east window with cusped ogees and panel tracery. Clerestory of 1892 of 5 two light windows in C14 style. Highly ornate late C14 chancel with plinth, decorative corbel table of beasts and fleurons, moulded parapet, stepped buttresses with crocketed and traceried gables, with projecting beasts and figures. On the north side 3 three light windows with cusped ogees to the heads and panel tracery. At the east end are crocketed pinnacles, a cross fleury and a fleuron gable cornice. 5 light C19 east window in C14 moulded surround. On the south side are 3 three light windows, that to the west with ogee heads to the lights, as the north side. The central window is C15 and beneath this is a continuously moulded priest's doorway. The westernmost window is similar, and beneath this is a chantry extension with plinth, deeply moulded parapet, decorated buttresses and pinnacles. In the ends are single 2 light windows with moulded surrounds and C19 tracery. In the south side 2 C15 2 light windows with cusped lights, rectangular moulded surrounds and hood. C14 south aisle with C19 reticulated east window in earlier moulded surround. On the south side 4 three light C14 windows with ogee heads to the lights, moulded rectangular surrounds and hoods. Continuously deeply moulded doorway, in gabled projection. Interior. 5 bay C14 arcades with double moulded arches, quatrefoil filleted piers and responds, annular capitals. Tall C15 continuously moulded hollow chamfered tower arch. Wide late C14 chancel arch with hollow chamfered reveals and arch. In the south aisle a pointed headed piscina. At the east end of the nave the rood loft doorways and turning stair are preserved. In the north aisle a trefoil headed niche at low level. In the chancel south wall a continuously moulded round headed doorway with human head stops to hood mould leads to chantry. C14 door and closing wing. Fine C14 sedilia with cusped and crocketed ogee heads, with leaf terminals, and pinnacles, delicate bossed vaults to sedilia. Corbelled and brattished cornice with fleurons and heads to coved base. In the rear wall a rectangular opening to chantry. Beyond a pointed and cusped arch contains a piscina and a further opening to the chantry. Both openings have rear arches in the chapel. The later chantry roof is supported on fine figured corbels. Fittings. C14 chancel screen of 5 bays, with traceried panels, and cusped ogee lights with ogee panel tracery. C19 pulpit and pews. At the west end of the nave a Royal Coat of Arms to William IV dated 1832. Late C14 octagonal font with tail trefoiled panels with quatrefoil frieze to rim, with matching stem and bell moulded base on 3 octagonal steps.

Listing NGR: TF3999247887

External Links

• Wikidata Q17526095

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Recommended Books

• 
  Staffordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Norfolk 1: Norwich and North-East: Norwich and North-east v. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Somerset: North and Bristol: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Drawing up a Local Listed Building Consent Order: Historic England Advice Note 6
• 
  For the Record
• 
  Northumberland (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)