Description

The following building shall be upgraded to II* (star):-

SP 1634 NW BLOCKLEY THE SQUARE

9/3 Parish Church of St Peter and St Paul

GV - 25.8.60 II

and the description shall be amended to read:

Parish church. Late C12 chancel and nave remodelled in C14 and C15; late C13 north chapel; early C14 north aisle, early C17 porch; south nave remodelled and clerestory built 1636-7; west tower of 1725-7 by Edward or Thomas Woodward of Chipping Campden. Coursed and uncoursed limestone rubble with ashlar clerestory, south elevation and west tower; slate and lead roofs. Plan: chancel and aisled nave with north aisle continued as late C13 chantry chapel north of chancel; north and south porches; west tower. 3-bay. Late Norman chancel has 5-light east window of 1838 by Richard Hulls, C14 pointed-arched doorway and C15 2- and 3-light windows to south side which is articulated into 3 recessed bays with arches and pendants to corbel table; north side has late C12 window with trumpet-scalloped capitals to engaged shafts. North aisle: east bay has late C13 clasped and wall buttresses, C13 trefoiled lancet above lancet to east and C18 2-light Y-tracery window above C13 trefoiled lancet to north; C14 aisle to rest has offset angle and wall buttresses, two east bays have C17 3-light plain mullioned window and C14 paired trefoiled lancet above C15 square- headed 3-light window with trefoiled ogee lights; label moulds over C15 2- above 3-light square-headed windows with cinquefoil heads framing steeply-gabled porch of 1871 with lancets and hood mould over pointed-arched doorway; C18 3-light west window; C15 parapet. North clerestory has label moulds over four 3-light cinquefoil-headed windows. South elevation probably rebuilt in early C17 when south porch built: C15 3-light windows with elaborately cusped panel tracery flank porch with crocketed pinnacles to crenellated parapet and sundial above keyed semi-circular arched doorway with strapwork spandrels; label moulds over probably C17 3-light window with panel tracery to east and 3-light cinquefoil-headed clerestory windows; early C17 lead rainwater heads and plain parapet. Four-stage west tower has string courses linking set-back angle buttresses: keyed semi-circular arched west doorway with sunk spandrels set beneath classical semi-circular arched window with key and impost blocks; belfry stage has ogee hood moulds over 3-light Gothick windows each with quatrefoils to tympanum and louvred lights flanking blind light; cornice, plain parapet and crocketed pinnacles.

Interior: late C12 chancel has broad-leafed carvings to scalloped capitals of responds to rere arches; prepared for vaulting with similar scalloped capitals to vaulting shafts; early C14 piscina and 3 sedilia in crocketed ogee arches to south, C14 aumbry and pointed- arched doorway to north; C14 common-rafter roof; entrance to rood stairs to south. Chancel arch has early C14 pointed moulded arch set on late C12 responds with similar scalloped capitals. 4-bay north aisle arcade has C14 chamfered arches of 2 orders set on octagonal piers; to west end of nave are 2 buttresses flanking late C12 blocked doorway with trumpet-scalloped capitals; nave has plastered Cl8 ceiling with small decorative plaster panels; north aisle has C15 roof with moulded and quartered beams.

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SP 1634 NW 9/3 BLOCKLEY THE SQUARE (East side)

25.8.60 Parish Church of Saints Peter and Paul GV II

Large parish church in centre of village. Present structure late C12 with C14 additions, C17 alterations and an imposing Gothic tower of 1725-28 by Edward or Thomas Woodward of Chipping Campden. Built in rubble with ashlar North aisle and West tower. Roofs a mixture of tiles, stone slates and lead. Consists of:-

1. Tower of 4 stages, crenellated; set back wall buttresses ending in tri-lobes and pierced corner pinnacles; large belfry openings with blind tracery in heads; crude pointed west door, half baroque half Gothic probably re-using earlier material. This is a fine example of work by a good provincial mason exhibiting several features from the great C15 Gloucestershire wool-churches (eg belfry windows loosely based on those at Chipping Campden) combined with some of Kentian Gothick.

2. Chancel: 3 bay late C12 formerly vaulted - see springers inside; Norman windows with inserted C14 lights to south; priest's door under centre window. East wall rebuilt 1838.

3. Nave of 4 bays with C14 north aisle and arcade and 2 storey chantry and sacristy (now vestry). C12 south door with inserted C15 stout doorcase. Present nave clerestory, for gallery, presumably of the same period - good examples of Gothic Survival. South parapet dated 1738.

4. South porch dated 1630.

5. North porch added c1871.

[nterior: galleries removed. Main items of interest are Rushout and Childe Memorials In north aisle extension, and a number of busts by Rysbrack. Note also especially a jood baroque wall monument on south wall by Edward Woodward (to Edward Croft died 1717). Wooden C15 chancel screen. Unusual piscina on corner of east respond. For fuller description and history see 'Buildings of England Series (Gloucestershire: The Cotswolds)' and V.C.H. Worcester Vol. 3 (Blockley used to be in Worcestershire).

Listing NGR: SP1646234920

External Links

• Church of St Peter and St Paul, Blockley at Wikipedia
• Church of St Peter and St Paul, Blockley official website
• Wikidata Q17536442

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

• 
  Huddersfield in 50 Buildings
• 
  Pevsner's Architectural Glossary (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Sussex: East with Brighton and Hove (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Specifications for Building Conservation: Volume 1: External Structure: Practical Examples v. 2
• 
  Staffordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)