Description

KEEVIL MAIN STREET
ST 95 NW
(off south side)
7/139 Church of St Leonard
11.9.68
GV II*

Anglican parish church. C13, C15 and early C16, 1860s and c1910
restorations. Limestone ashlar, stone slate chancel roof, lead
nave. Plan: west tower, south aisle and nave, chancel and north
chapel, north and south porches. North porch is gabled with
moulded pointed doorway, string course, coped verge. North side of
nave has 3-light Perpendicular window either side of porch,
buttresses carried up to crocketed pinnacles above battlemented
parapet, second gabled porch to left and 3-light Perpendicular
window to left, square sanctus bellcote on east gable end of nave.
Chancel has Tudor-arched priest's door with hoodmould, moulded
lancet to right and 2-light Perpendicular window to left, diagonal
buttresses to east end, 3-light Perpendicular east window, C18 wall
tablet to left, south side has lancet and 2-light Perpendicular
window. Cast-iron rainwater heads dated 1867. Early C16 south
aisle has blind east wall, three 3-light Perpendicular windows,
buttresses carried up to crocketed pinnacles on south side, blocked
doorway to gabled porch with diagonal buttresses, battlemented
parapet with gargoyles, blocked west window. Three stage west
tower with low C19 porch with original Tudor-arched doorway within,
set back buttresses and string courses, middle stage has
arrowloops, bellstage has 3-light Perpendicular windows with
pierced stone louvres, cornice with gargoyles to battlemented.
parapet polygonal stair turret with arrowloops on south east
corner.
Interior: Five-bay tie-beam roof to nave with moulded beams and
cusping between struts, panelled roof with bosses. Tall moulded
tower arch with C20 wooden screen, 1715 Royal Arms hung in tower.
Three bay south aisle with additional chapel bay at east end,
moulded pointed arches on piers, cusped piscina on south wall at
east end. North chapel with same mouldings as south chapel, head
of Tudor-arched doorway to former rood loft stairs on east wall.
Moulded pointed chancel arch same as chapel arches, early C20
traceried screen. C19 four-bay chancel ceiling, barrel-vaulted
with moulded ribs, C19 panelled stone reredos with mosaics of Four
Evangelists and St Leonard and St Aldhelm, C19 communion rail.
Other fittings: C19 stone polygonal pulpit, C15 octagonal font
bowl on pier with four shafts by north door; 1909-10 seating.
Some good C19 stained C19 glass in chancel and chapels, unsigned.
Monuments: C17 and C18 tablets in-chancel include pedimented
tablet with heraldic arms and volutes to John Harris died 1657.
Several C18 tablets in north chapel to Beach family of Keevil Manor
(q.v.), north wall tablets include cartouches to William Gaisford
died 1754 and marble tablet by Ford of Bath to Jane Talbot died
1768. Large marble tablet in south chapel to Edward Blagdon died
1750. Several small brass plaques in church, such as one in north
chapel to Elizabeth Gaisford died 1720. Large benefactions board
dated 1852 on north wall of nave, gifts of George Tayler.
(N. Pevsner, The Buildings of England, Wiltshire, 1975; J.N.
d'Arcy, Church Guide)

Listing NGR: ST9176557982

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17544237

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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