Description

SHORWELL

SZ48SE MAIN ROAD 1354-0/9/313 (East side) 18/01/67 Church of St Peter

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Parish church. North chapel C12, north porch early C13, otherwise mainly C15 with North porch added in C16, spire rebuilt in C17 and S.W. corner of the south aisle, now the choir vestry, added to thouse the Town Gun and south porch added in C18. Built of Isle of Wight stone rubble with stone spire and tiled roofs. Nave with north and south aisles, the arcades being continuous from east to west without division between the chancel and the nave, chancel with north and south chapels, north and south porches and west tower. West tower of 3 stages with offset buttresses. Stone spire with weathervane. Bell stage has pierced stone screens to south and wooden screens to the other sides. Restored modern cusped window to 1st stage and arched doorcase with hood moulding to west. South aisle and chapel has gables with saddlestones. West window has 2 cinquefoil heads as has the westernmost window on the south side. South doorcase is arched with dogtooth mouldings and engaged columns. The adjoining window to the east in Perpendicular with wide arch with 4 cusped heads and spandrels with quatrefoils. Then follow 2 triple cinquefoil-headed light windows, the left side one with hood mouldings divided by a round-headed door. The east window has 3 cinquefoil-headed lights. South porch is C18, gabled with round-headed arch with keystone and impost blocks with the initials M.B. Nave east window has 3 cinquefoil-headed lights. North aisle and chapel has gable ends with cross-shaped saddlestones and offset buttresses. South aisle has blocked C12 round-headed doorway and lancet window, then 4 Perpendicular windows, 3 2-light and 1 3-light with cinquefoil-headed lights and hood moulding. North porch is early C13, gabled with pointed headed arch with dripstone. Interior: West tower has tierceron star vault. Nave: 3 bay nave with 2 bay chancel sharing same arcade on the north side interrupted by the original C13 stone pulpit with its arched doorway. Wooden tester to pulpit is dated 1620. C17 hourglass at side attached to column. Roof has some C16 tie beams but is mainly C19 with boarding and arched braces. C19 dormers. 7 early C19 circular wall plalques. Brass to Richard Bethel d.1518 to left of altar. North aisle has over the porch a c.1440 wall painting of scenes from the Life of Sir Christopher with a central figure of the saint wading through the water amongst ships and fishes, on the left side the saint riding with the Devil and later renouncing the Devil for Christ and on the right a martyrdom scene with arrows. The roofs are C19, boarded with arched braces and through purlins, but some of the tie beams are original. North chapel has 3 fine monuments to the Leigh family of North Court in the North wall. John Leigh (d.1629) and his baby son consists of a wall monument with 2 kneeling figures in front of lecterns, the baby miniature yet fully dressed and kneeling though he died at 9 months in an architectural surround with Composite columns abaove with cornice having alternatively 2 glyphs and paterae with armorial shield above. Below is a plinth with Tuscan half columns and inscription flanked by shields. Central marble wall tablet to John Leigh d.1688 with elaborate cornice and shield flanked by garlands, and garlands and scrolls to sides of inscription panel. To right is a stone wall monument to Lady Elizabeth Leigh d.1619. Stone wall monument with strapwork inscription panel with central winged head. The cornice is held up by Composite columns and surmounted by a central shield and end putti with instruments of death. Plinth with shields and drapery. Above the altar is a Brass plate to the 2 wives of Barnaby Leigh d.1615 and 1619. They stand together holding the heart of their husband with scrolls and inscriptions surrounding them. South aisle Chapel has piscina with square drum and early Renaissance Netherlands carved panel of the Flagellation of Christ. Roof has C16 tie beams but C19 boarded ceilings with arched braces. Octagonal stone font with Jacobean strapwork front cover with dove finial and hoist inscribed "And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him. Luke 3 Verse 22". C17 oak benches with early C19 poppy head bench ends.

Listing NGR: SZ4573283000

External Links

• St. Peter's Church, Shorwell at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q7591333

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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