History in Structure

Church of St Mary the Less

A Grade II Listed Building in Durham, County Durham

More Photos »
Approximate Location Map
Large Map »

Coordinates

Latitude: 54.7718 / 54°46'18"N

Longitude: -1.5765 / 1°34'35"W

OS Eastings: 427339

OS Northings: 541955

OS Grid: NZ273419

Mapcode National: GBR KFF8.G7

Mapcode Global: WHC4Q.RBG7

Plus Code: 9C6WQCCF+P9

Entry Name: Church of St Mary the Less

Listing Date: 10 March 1988

Grade: II

Source: Historic England

Source ID: 1121335

English Heritage Legacy ID: 110498

ID on this website: 101121335

Location: Durham, County Durham, DH1

County: County Durham

Electoral Ward/Division: Elvet and Gilesgate

Parish: City of Durham

Built-Up Area: Durham

Traditional County: Durham

Lieutenancy Area (Ceremonial County): County Durham

Church of England Parish: Durham St Oswald

Church of England Diocese: Durham

Tagged with: Church building

Find accommodation in
Durham

Description


NZ 2741 NW, 16/440
DURHAM AND FRAMWELLGATE SOUTH BAILEY
(West side)

Church of St Mary the Less

GV

II

Parish church, now college chapel. C12 rebuilt 1846-7 by Pickering,
incorporating some original material. Irregularly-coursed squared sandstone
with ashlar quoins and dressings; Welsh slate roof with stone gable copings.
Nave and south porch; chancel. Neo-Norman style. 4-bay nave has shallow porch
in second bay: round-headed double door in shafted surround with chevron
moulding under steeply-pitched gable with moulded kneelers. 3 large round-
headed windows have shafts with cushion capitals; sill string; bracketed eaves.
2-bay chancel has moulded surrounds and head-stopped dripmoulds to round-headed
windows, that at left smaller and transferred from original church. Large
round-headed east and west windows. West bellcote has 2 round arches under
gable.

Memorial slabs built into south wall under first window to right of porch:
(Frosterley marble) to Dorothy and Frances Carnaby (died 1684 and 1692) and
to right of that, Joan Lever wife of Cuthbert (died 1669).

Interior: plaster above-boarded dado, which has battlemented top, in nave;
chancel plaster above C17 carved panelling which has cherubs' heads, Gothic
tracery and pinnacles. Head corbels support arch-braced collar and king-post
roof, with stencilled stars painted on chancel ceiling. Chancel arch
incorporates chevron moulding and is flanked by 2 lower segments set in wall.
Door has roll-moulded chevron surround; lozenge-moulded drip string on griffin
stops; diaper pattern in panel above to gable. Shouldered- arched
north vestry, door under mandorla with seated Christ and symbols of Evangelists.
Cross-slab in south wall with interlaced 8-arm cross and sword. Painted wood
memorial panels to members of Butler family died 1708 and 1710; and to John
Butler - 'a zealous protestant' - died 1597. Large dark funeral hatchment
over chancel arch. Gothic memorial at west end to Martin Dunn, mayor, died
1838.


Listing NGR: NZ2733941955

External Links

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

Other nearby listed buildings

BritishListedBuildings.co.uk is an independent online resource and is not associated with any government department. All government data published here is used under licence. Please do not contact BritishListedBuildings.co.uk for any queries related to any individual listed building, planning permission related to listed buildings or the listing process itself.

British Listed Buildings is a Good Stuff website.