Description

MOOR CRICHEL
ST 90 NE

8/62 Church of St Mary
30.5.72

GV II*

Parish church, now redundant, 1850, chancel of 1886 (Pevsner). Attributed to
George Alexander (RCHM), for H C Sturt. Walls of finely jointed ashlar with
slate and lead roofs. Cruciform plan with nave, chancel, north transept,
south transept and north vestry. Eaves parapet with blind quatrefoils.
2-weathered stage buttresses. Partly Early English, partly Decorated and
partly Perpendicular in style. The nave has 4 pointed, 2-light, traceried
windows to the north and south walls. West nave window of 3-lights under
pointed head. Chancel has a pointed west window of 3-lights with elaborate
vertical tracery. The transepts have 3-light windows. The south-west corner
of the south transept has an octagonal stone bell-cote with domed cap. West
doorway has moulded pointed head and continuous jambs.

Not inspected internally but fitting said to be largely stripped. The chancel
is said by Newman and Pevsner to be 'one of the most ambitious in Dorset'.
Internal features (from RCHM and Newman and Pevsner): pointed, moulded
chancel arch springing from respond shafts; pointed, moulded transept
arches with shafted jambs; 8 bay arch-braced hammer-beam roof to nave;
2 bay fan vaulted chancel roof with cusped and moulded panelling and gilded
ribs; vestry doorway with elaborate surround; blank stone arcade along east
wall of north transept; stone gothic communion rail; 2 tomb recesses with
plain tomb-chests in chancel.

The church displays a craftsmanship and contains features which are well
above average quality for a mid-Cl9 parish church. (Newman, J and Pevsner, N,
The Buildings of England: Dorset, 1972, p 299, RCHM, Dorset, vol V, p 40/1,
no. 1).

Listing NGR: ST9950808299

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26268182

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.

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