Description

TF 45 SW OLD LEAKE CHURCH ROAD
(west side)

3/99 Church of St. Mary
26.1.67
G.V. I

Parish church. C12, late C13, C14, C15, 1490-1547, C18, 1873-5,
chancel restored by Temple Moore. Ashlar and coursed squared
limestone rubble and red brick. Lead roofs. Western tower,
clerestoried nave, aisles, chancel, north and south porches.
Tower, 1490-1547, ashlar, moulded plinth, 4 chamfered string
courses, embattled parapet, stepped corner buttresses. To belfry
stage are 3 light panel tracery windows in pointed hollow
chamfered surrounds. To fourth stage are smaller similar 2 light
windows on south and west sides only. On the third stage are
single to the south side and a pair to the west of tail panelled
niches with shields, quatrefoils and canopied tops. The west
doorway is continuously moulded with deep hollow chamfers and
hood. The 2 leaf door has panel tracery to the upper parts and a
4 centred wicket. The window above is of 5 lights, tall with
panel tracery. C14 north aisle with gabled corner buttresses.
To the west a 3 light window with trefoil heads, and in the north
3 pointed reticulated windows, one similar but with rectangular
frame, and a 3 light panel traceried window with musician stops,
including a bagpipe. To the east a 3 light reticulated window.
Elaborate clerestory of 6 two light windows having alternating
flowing tracery with mouchettes and panel traceried lights.
Between the windows are niches matching those on the tower and
terminating in gablettes, the plain parapet has a cornice, carved
in a variety of heads and figures. C18 gabled north porch in
brick and plain tiles, has a C14 moulded outer arch, with annular
imposts. Continuously moulded C14 inner doorway. C14 chancel
has openwork wave moulded parapet. 2 tall 3 light and 2 shorter
3 light windows in original openings, restored tracery. Small
doorway with hood mould. 4 light C19 east window. The south
side is as the north, without the door. Clerestory matches north
side. The south aisle has 3 late C13 Y tracery 3 light windows,
2 reticulated windows, a single panel traceried window and a 3
light C16 window with triangular head. The gabled brick porch
with plain tiled roof is C18 with double chamfered outer arch and
to the gable a C18 slate sundial with segmental pediment. In the
sides are small triangular lights occupying ogee window heads.
Interior. 6 bay C14 nave arcades, filleted quatrefoil pillars,
annular capitals, double chamfered arches, with hoods and human
head stops. C12 half round east and west responds with scalloped
capitals and square abaci. Tall late C15 tower arch with hollow
chamfered octagonal imposts. C14 chancel arch, circular imposts
with fleurons, wave moulded head. Door to rood loft on south
side. In the south aisle 2 cusped ogee niches to the east, with
pinnacles. In the north aisle an aumbry, and stairs to rood
loft. C14 crown post roof. In the chancel a C14 triple sedilia
with piscina beyond. Cusped heads and crocketed gablettes. C19
tiled floor and reredos, with ashlar pillars and frieze.
Fittings. Early C18 panelled octagonal pulpit with Ionic
pilasters and pulvinated cornice, octagonal tester with entasia
star. C15 octagonal alms box on ashlar base, made from hollowed
out tree trunk. C18 font with swept octagonal bowl and base, on
2 steps. Monuments. C16 alabaster effigy of a knight in plate
armour, lying in C14 tomb recess, continuously moulded, hacked
off hood.

Listing NGR: TF4074450281

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q93749395

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

• 
  Old House Care and Repair
• 
  Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  [(Bedfordshire, Huntingdon and Peterborough)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1968)
• 
  Sussex: West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Suffolk: West: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Somerset: South and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)