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.

------------------------------------

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

• Historic England Listing
• 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

• 
  Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability
• 
  England's Post-War Listed Buildings
• 
  Nottinghamshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Development and Design of Heritage Sensitive Sites: Strategies for Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas
• 
  Georgian Style and Design for Contemporary Living
• 
  Gloucestershire 1: The Cotswolds: Cotswolds Pt. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)