Church of St Cuthbert, Holme Lacy, County of Herefordshire

Description

SO 53 SE; 6/29

HOLME LACY CP

Church of St Cuthbert

26.01.67

Parish church. C13, C14, C16 and C17. Extensively repaired in 1924.
Sandstone rubble and ashlar with tiled roofs. West tower, externally
continuous six-bay nave and two-bay chancel with corresponding south
aisle and south chapel. North chapel and south porch.

West tower is
C14 with two external stages divided by a string. Plain parapet with
upstands to corners. Cornice beneath parapet with two waterspouts to
each side. Diagonal weathered buttresses to north-west and south-west.
Pier buttress to north-east. Each side of bell chamber has central 2-light
quatrefoil traceried openings. Each light has trefoiled head. West side has
large. square-headed opening to upper part of lower stage. Central chamfered
doorway with two-centred head and ledged door, perhaps C17, above which is a
glazed opening with a similar head. North elevation of nave has three pairs
of trefoiled-ogee-headed lights with a weathered buttress between the centre
and left-hand lights which are C14. Above the right-hand pair is a gabled
dormer with wooden Y-shaped glazing bars, possibly early C20. North chapel
to left has two ogee and trefoil-headed restored lights with quatrefoil
tracery and diagonal weathered buttresses. Glazed trefoil beneath gable cross.
Right-hand return has early C20 doorway with four-centred head and contemporary
oak ledged door. Chancel has two more pairs of ogeed trefoiled lights, the
left pair blocked internally and set higher than the right. East elevation of
chancel has a restored 3-light window, each light with a cinquefoiled head and
the tracery above containing trefoils. Gable cross and verge. Diagonal buttress
to right corner. Pier buttress to left divides chancel from south chapel which
has 2-light trefoil traceried window, each light with trefoiled head. Diagonal
buttress to left corner. South elevation is long and uninterrupted from south
porch on left-hand side to south chapel. Three weathered buttresses to right of
centre. South aisle has a pair of trefoiled ogeed lights, a recessed C13 lancet
and a 2-light ogeed and trefoiled C14 window with glazed spandrels set under a
square head. South chapel has another recessed, but slightly smaller, C13 lancet
to the left and a restored 2-light window with plain Y-tracery. West window of
south aisle has two trefoiled ogeed lights and a large quatrefoil above. To its
right, adjacent to south porch, is a weathered diagonal buttress. South porch
perhaps C17, has continuously moulded arch of two orders and nail studded oak
door with strap hinges arching over small inset wicket door with C17 scutcheon
and handle. Roof has late C19 or early C20 softwood scissor struts. C17 oak
side benches with incised edges. South doorway, similar to outer doorway of
south porch, but presumably C13, contains late C19 or early C20 nail studded
two-leaved door.

INTERIOR has two continuous plastered barrel ceilings to the
two main areas and a wagon roof to the north chapel. C14 arcade separating
nave from south aisle has double chamfered two-centred arches with inner order
dying into jambs. The eastern pier was inserted in 1924. Chancel and south
chapel are divided by two bays with four central C13 clustered shafts and two-
centred double chamfered arches. West respond has large keel moulded impost;
the last corbelled triple shaft. Doorway into tower has two-centred arch
with three chamfered orders. Arch into north chapel, partly obscured by early
C20 oak glazed screen and gallery in form of rood screen, has round to elliptical
head, possibly C16. Piscina in chancel is C13 with square head and oblong drain.
Another in south chapel has trefoiled chamfered head and octofoil drain.
Immediately west of this piscina is a low stone window seat. Font is late
C17 with circular bowl on cylindrical stem with moulded base. Stem has swags
and rosettes; the bowl, cherubs. Round stone bowl with ears near entry into
north chapel.

Scudamore monuments include, under east arch between chancel
and south chapel, that for John Scudamore and his wife Sibell Vaughn of Hargast,
c1550. The two alabaster figures lie supine praying, he with armour, feet rest-
ing on dog-sized lion, gauntlets and armour at his side; she wearing long gown
and gently curving cord with round pendant. The chest tomb beneath has panels
with shields of arms divided by tapered Renaissance pilasters and blackletter
inscription. On north wall of chancel is monument for John Scudamore, died 1668,
large and Baroque in whitemarble. Two enriched pilasters supported by garlanded
volutes rise to coved cornice above which is a pair of urns flanking arms set in
a cartouche. Framed by the pilasters is a gadrooned sarcophagus with inscriptions
in a cartouche between two cherub-heads. Above, two flying cherubs holding a
wreath appear from behind curtains and hover over the wigged figure of Scudamore
who, in Roman dress, half sits up from his cushions and extends his right hand
with a bewildered and indifferent expression, as if about to say, "Sowhat", in
a way which seemingly contradicts his inscription, "ARMIGER NATUS". To the left
is the wall monument to his widow, Jane, died 1690. Again Baroque in grey-
flecked white marble, with cherubs to either side of a garlanded obelisk set
in front of a segmental pediment and two pairs of pilasters. Beneath a gadrooned
lower corniceis the draped inscription surrounded by six cherub heads. In
south aisle, wall monument to John Scudamore, "Vicecomitis de SLYGO & Baroni de
DROMORE in Regno HIBERNIAE", died 1716. Marble with a large pair of fluted
Ionic columns supporting a broken segmental pediment. Between the columns
is an obelisk and two putti sitting on a sarcophagus with two wreathed skulls.
On the east wall of the south chapel, a white marble monument to Mary Scudamore
Stanhope, died 1859 by Matthew Noble. Neo-classical style with life-size female
figure in hemi-domed niched, restrainedly decorated with palmettes and a pro-
jecting curved plinth. In north chapel, another marble wall monument, by Noble,
for Chandos Scudamore Stanhope, Captain RN, died 1871, consisting of an angel
rising from rock on which is an anchor. Several C17 floor slabs, some of which
are re-cut medieval coffin lids.

Stained glass in east window of south chapel
depicts Cornelius and the Angel and has the inscription: "Edwyn Francis Brydges
Scudamore Stanhope Capt 59th Regt Obit Sept 1855 aetat 29/ Bell pinxit Bristol
1856¨. East window of chancel is for Robert Lucas-Tooth, died 1915, and shows
the Archangel Michael weighing souls. North window of chancel has fragments
of late-medieval glass with several heads including a crowned and nimbed
Christ. East window of south wall of south aisle has The Good Samaritan for
William Pitt Scudamore Stanhope, vicar 1872 to 1892. Nave window of north
chapel has figures of Sir Galahad and Sir Bors for'Archibald Leonard Lucas
Lucas-Tooth Bart Major HAC', died on active service 1918. On the right-hand
reveal is his battlefield grave market cross. Nearby is a small plaque for
two men from the parish who died in World War II. Window of north chapel is
for Henry Edwyn Chandos, Earl of Chesterfield, died 1887 and has Christ with
the inscriptions, "I am the Good Shepherd" and "The Light of the World".

East
wall of chancel has C17 panelling in front of which is contemporary communion
table with later top. Two sets of choir stalls, perhaps C15, one to each side
of arch to north chapel. One is a three-seater, the other a two-seater.
Dividing arms with angels holding shields and misericords including a bird and
a large grotesque face. Near the east window of the chancel are two late C17
chairs with high elaborately carved backs. Chest in south aisle about 4
feet by 18 inches by 18 inches is oak with double locks, perhaps C17. Small
oak table on high turned legs, perhaps C17 is near the west window of the
south aisle. Several C17 benches with turned legs and open backs, those to
east of nave have re-used panels with arabesques formed into desks. Lectern
with gilded eagle and oak plinth inscribed: "SELWYN: LUCAS-TOOTH: EVERILD:
LE TOUQUET 1914". Several hatchments to north and south walls with Scudamore,
Stanhope and Brydges mottos including "IN COELO QUIES", "SCUTO AMORI DIVINI",
and "SOLO VIRTUS INVICTA". Near the south door a benefactions board, dated
1790.

Listing NGR: SO5684734738

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British Listed Buildings

History in Structure

Church of St Cuthbert

A Grade I Listed Building in Holme Lacy, County of Herefordshire

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Description

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