Description

SO 93 SE OXENTON WOOLSTONE

5/130 Church of St Martin de Tours

4.7.60

GV II*

Anglican church. C14, C15 restored in 1873 by John Middleton for the Rector G.G. Coventry as indicated by an inscription over the entrance. Nave: random ashlar. Chancel: random ashlar and- random squared and dressed limestone. Tower: ashlar; stone slate roof. Plan: nave with south porch, short passage on the north links the chancel to the vestry, west tower. Nave south wall with buttresses with off-sets at the east and west ends: 4- light Perpendicular window with hollow-moulded mullions and trefoil heads within a Tudor-arched surround to the right of the porch; double Cl9 plank doors with decorative hinges within a moulded Tudor-arched surround within the porch. Late C19 porch with diagonal buttresses and moulded Tudor-arched entrance with moulded hood and large foliate stops. Quatrefoil with monogram 'Ihs', sundial and metal gnomon; rectangular windows with tracery to the return walls. Nave north wall: 3 buttresses with off-sets; two C19 Decorated two-light windows with moulded hoods with 4-petal flowers at intervals and large carved head stops. Chancel with diagonal buttresses. Chancel south wall: 3-light late Perpendicular window with trefoil-headed lights with carved spandrels within a deeply splayed Tudor-arched surround; similar but 2-light window with geometric tracery at the top to the right. Three-light C14 east window with reticulated tracery moulded hood and carved head stops. C19 two-light window similar to- the 2- light window on the south side with reused quoin with mass dial. Vestry, dated 1975 with 2 and 3-light stone-mullioned casements. C15 two-stage tower'with diagonal buttresses and moulded plinth. Clock on the south side. Two-light stone-mullioned Tudor-arched belfry windows with wooden louvres; battlemented parapet with moulded string and grotesques at each corner. Flat coping to gable ends; bases of ornate finials now lost to the gable end of the nave and chancel. Church interior scraped: C19 four-bay arch-braced roof supported on stone corbels with foliate decoration to the nave; trefoil-headed wooden arcading above the wall plate; double purlins linked by panels with quatrefoil decoration. C19 panelled Tudor-arched roof to chancel with two large C19 angel corbels. Flagged floor. C17 chancel arch with moulded imposts. Deeply chamfered pointed arch with moulded imposts; -early plank door with fillets within a Tudor-arched surround to the right of the tower arch. Traces of the former C14 nave arcade, comprising 3 blocked pointed arches, one with an impost, within the nave north wall. Large mutilated image niche to the right of the altar; with projecting base for image with vine scroll decoration, crocketing and pilasters either side, one of which still rises up to form a crocketed pinnacle; mutilated canopy with lierne vaulting, Tudor rose and central pinnacle, now broken off. Smaller mutilated image niche to the left of altar formerly with a crocketed canopy. Octagonal late C14 limestone font inside the south door. C19 pews, pulpit and communion rails. Mid C17 priest's chair, possibly made from a Puritan Communion table from Deerhurst, near font. Simple late Cl9 or early C20 altar table and late C17 chair with lozenge decoration within the sanctuary. Monuments: segmental-headed slatestone monument to the left of the tower arch to Mrs. Elizabeth Bishop, wife of Revd. Bishop, died 1765 with inscription "NEAR THE FONT" at top. Small ledger to Revd. Bishop, died 1766 near the font. White and grey marble monument to Revd. Luders, died 1851 on the south wall of the chancel. Recumbent effigy of priest in eucharistic garments to the left of the altar. Ledger to John Roberts, the elder, husband of Katherin Roberts died 1650 with double heart motif at bottom of inscription (q.v. inscription on The Grange); further inscription to John Roberts son of John Roberts, died 1682, below. C19 stained glass east window dedicated to Gilbert Coventry, Rector, died 1906. (David Verey, The Buildings of England, The Vale and the Forest of Dean and V.C.H. Glos, Vol VIII, p105.)

Listing NGR: SO9611230244

External Links

• Wikidata Q17538523

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Recommended Books

• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects by Harwood, Richard (2012) Paperback
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  Bristol (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
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  Devon (Pevsner Buildings of England)
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  Harrow on the Hill: A photographic portrayal of listed buildings and structures (Historic Buildings Picture Guides)
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  London 3: North West: North West v. 3 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Suffolk: East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)