Description

STANFORD ON SOAR MAIN STREET SK 52 SW (west side) 7/78 Church of St.John the Baptist 13.10.66 G.V. I Parish church. C13, C14, C15, restored 1893-4 by W. S. Weatherley. Dressed coursed rubble and ashlar. Lead roofs. Single stack to the west end of the north aisle. Parapets, being embattled to the nave, aisles, organ chamber, south porch and tower. Single ridge crosses to east nave, east chancel, organ chamber and porch. Tower, nave, aisles, north organ chamber, north vestry, south porch and chancel. Diagonal buttressed tower of 3 stages with bands, on a moulded plinth and with single corner gargoyles. Under the embattlements extends a frieze of quatrefoils set into lozenges. The west side has a moulded arched doorway with Tudor hood mould and label stops, the spandrels decorated with single trefoils containing blind shields. Over is a single C14 arched 3 light window with cusped tracery, hood mould and figurative label stops. Above is a single C14 2 light window with cusped tracery under a flat arch with hood mould and human head label stops. There are 3 stair lights. 4 arched bell chamber openings each with 2 cinquefoil arched lights, hood mould and human head label stops, under those on the north east and south sides are single clock faces. The buttressed north aisle is on a chamfered plinth and has in the west wall a single C14 pair of trefoil arched lights. The north wall has a moulded blocked doorway now with single C19 arched 2 light window with reticulated tracery. To the left are 2 similar windows, all with hood moulds. The clerestory has 4 C15 arched 3 light windows with cusped panel tracery and continuous hood mould. There are 4 gargoyles and 4 crocketed pinnacles. To the left is the C19 diagonal buttressed projecting organ chamber set onto a chamfered plinth with single C19 arched 3 light window with cusped tracery, hood mould and label stops. To the left, set back on a chamfered plinth is the vestry in the main C19 but incorporating some C13 fragments with single C19 arched 2 light window with reticulated tracery and hood mould. The east wall has a doorway with moulded surround. The heavily restored chancel is set on a chamfered plinth. Under the parapet is a decorative foliate band broken by the east window. North wall with single similar C19 window with hood mould and label stops and continuous sill band which extends around most of the chancel. Diagonal buttressed east wall has a single C19 arched 3 light window with reticulated tracery, hood mould and C14 human head label stops. Single small rectangular opening in the apex. the south chancel with single C14 gargoyle has a single arched and restored C14 2 light window with reticulated tracery, hood mould and human head label stops. To the left is a single similar smaller window with hood mould and right C14 human head label stop and left C19 decorative label stop. Further left is a single C14 arched 2 light window with flowing tracery and hood mould, under is a single rectangular niche with Caernarvon arched panel. The east wall of the south aisle has a single restored C15 arched 3 light window with cusped panel tracery, hood mould and label stops. The south wall with 4 crocketed pinnacles and 2 gargoyles has 2 similar windows and hood moulds. To the left is the diagonal buttressed C19 porch with moulded arched entrance and hood mould. Over is a decorative niche containing single carved figure. The side walls each have single 3 light windows with cusped tracery under a flat arch. Inner C19 moulded arched doorway and hood mould. To the left is a single similar C15 window. The clerestory corresponds to the north. Interior. 3 bay nave arcades, the south C13 with circular columns and responds, responds with fillets, moulded capitals and double chamfered arches. North side C14 with octagonal columns and responds, moulded capitals and double chamfered arches. Triple chamfered tower arch. The inner order supported on circular responds with moulded capitals. Double chamfered chancel arch, the inner order supported on octagonal responds. South chancel with ogee arched and cusped piscina. Chamfered arched doorway to vestry. To the left is a single C14 arched 2 light window with reticulated tracery, hood mkould and label stop to vestry side. Further left is the moulded organ arch. East wall of north aisle with single similar window. North wall of north aisle with moulded arched tomb recess with hood mould with C19 label stops and finial and containing a damaged C14 reclining effigy of a knight holding his heart in his hands. South wall of south aisle with arched and cusped piscina surmounted by single small arched piscina. C19 decorative alabaster font. Carved C19 reredos. Remaining furniture C19. Built into the vestry walls are fragments of C13 decorative carvings. East wall of nave decoratively painted. Chancel has a C15 floor slab with 2 incised carved figures. There is a good c.1400 brass of a priest. South aisle south wall with memorial to Francis Lewis, 1743. The inscription tablet is flanked by decorative volutes, apron decorated with a shield and skull under. Over the tablet is a scrolled pediment containing a decorative urn. Further memorial to Carolus Lewis, 1763. Inscription tablet in form of a decorative sarcophagus with decorative shield on the apron. West wall of south aisle with good memorial to Thomas Lewes, 1694. The inscription tablet in a surround of putti, cartouches and skulls. Under is a memorial to Charles Vere Dashwood, 1821 by J. Bacon, London. The inscription tablet is surmounted by 2 draped urns. On the north wall is a memorial to Caroline Dashwood, 1840, by E. Gaffin, London. The inscription tablet surmounted by tablet with 2 carved angels with drapes over. On the north wall of the nave is a memorial to Edith Elizabeth Dashwood, 1911. In aedicule surround further decorated with carved figures and garland.

Listing NGR: SK5433422004

External Links

• Church of St John the Baptist, Stanford on Soar at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q5117454

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