Description

WEST WALTON SCHOOL ROAD
TF 41 SE
2/73 Bell Tower of Church
of St. Mary
G.V. I
Detached bell tower, c.1240-50, restored 1907, further major restoration
commenced 1985. Barnack stone. 3 stages, each elevation identical except
that north and south arches contain dog tooth, east and west plain. Pierced
on all sides to provide walkways with undercut moulded arches on piers with
circular responds and 2 orders shafts with moulded capitals and bases. Ground
floor with angle buttresses each with gabled arched niche. Stepped polygonal
buttresses continue to parapet terminating in crocketted finials. Second
stage with arched arcading continuous round buttressing and of 3 bays on
flanks of tower where wall plane recessed to provide external wall passage.
Centre bay with louvred light, blocked arched lights to right and left.
Belfry stage with 2 tiers of continuous arcading, the lower stage interrupted
by 2-light Plate tracery window : uncusped lights support spandrel pierced
by moulded circle : jambs with 4 orders of shafts, each with dog tooth between
and richly moulded and undercut arch. C15 parapet punched with hollow sided
diamond motifs within circles. Interior. Each corner pier with segmental-
headed doorway leading to conically vaulted room except that to south-east.
At south-east the door is blocked but leads to staircase. Occasional pointed
lancets mark staircase through storeys. Only floor joists remain to each
floor except to belfry stage, where bell frame intact. Interior elevation
reflects openings in exterior.

Listing NGR: TF4712613318

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17536407

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

• 
  Gloucestershire 1: The Cotswolds: Cotswolds Pt. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Somerset: South and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  [(Bedfordshire, Huntingdon and Peterborough)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1968)
• 
  Old House Handbook 2 Books Bundle Collection (Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair,Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability)
• 
  Period Property Manual (New Ed)
• 
  Listed Buildings and Other Heritage Assets