Description

WOLSINGHAM CHURCH LANE(North end)
NZ 0737
Wolsingham
39/344 Church of St. Mary
31.1.67 and St. Stephen

GV II

Parish church; 1848 rebuilding by W. Nicholson, with changed dedication to St.
Matthew, of C12 and C13 building; earlier dedication restored with 1896
reconsecration. 1856 tower heightened. Sandstone rubble tower, coursed squared
sandstone C19 work, with ashlar plinth and dressings; roofs of graduated
Lakeland slates with stone gable copings. Tower and 4-bay nave with clasping
south aisle and south porch; north aisle and tower choir vestry; 4-bay chancel
with north vestry and organ-chamber. Gabled porch has 2-centred-arched shafted
surround to wrought-iron gate; flanking buttresses have setbacks and gablets;
church door of studded boards with elaborate hinges; lancet windows, paired in
clerestory and stepped in east end, have drip moulds with head or ballflower
stops; west tower lancet through 2 stages, and proud of second stage. Tower,
Norman to nave-roof level, of 3 stages with set-backs; small round-headed stair
turret lights in west front; battlemented top stage has paired belfry openings
under 2-centred-arched paired drip moulds. 1856 painted clock given by Miss
Wilson and G.D. Wooler. Aisle and chancel buttressed; set-back buttresses to
tower, angle buttresses to chancel. Overlapping gable copings with elaborate
cross finials. Interior: painted plaster with ashlar arcades and dressings;
scissor-truss roof on corbelled wall-posts. 4-bay C14 arcades have double-
chamfered 2-centred arches on round piers; moulded capitals have band of small
dog-tooth moulding; keeled responds. High 2-centred chancel arch of 2 orders
on shafts and half-shafts with alternate-block jambs; east window has similar
treatment, with clasping bands on shafts, and sill string. Norman west door,
removed to north tower wall, has fat roll moulding on re-cut impost string and
detached shafts with scallop capitals, recessed in plain round arch; inner arch
chamfered. High 2-centred tower arch, with wide chamfer on quirk and half-
pyramid stop, has chamfered inner arch on grotesque corbels; stopped drip
mould of man's head at left and woman in headdress-at right. Memorials
include classical tablet to Rev. Peter Ionn, erected by scholars: he was curate
and schoolmaster; trophy of academic and priestly symbols. Classical tablet to
Greenwell family by G. Green, Newcastle, c.1839; memorial tablet in tower
resited from chancel, to Francis Ainsley nee Gilbert, died 1677, (in Latin).
Glass includes north aisle windows by Atkinson of Newcastle; west end of south
aisle to John and Jane Proud, died-1859 and 1866, Jacob's ladder by Holiday, of
high quality.

Listing NGR: NZ0734737392

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26526347

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

• 
  Warwickshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Liverpool: Pevsner City Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  Gloucestershire 1: The Cotswolds: Cotswolds Pt. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Buildings of England)
• 
  Listed Buildings and Other Heritage Assets
• 
  Period Property Manual (New Ed)