Description

MARSTOW CP BRELSTON GREEN SO 52 SE 6/111 Church of St Matthew

GV II

Parish church. 1855 by T Nicholson (BoE). Coursed sandstone rubble with limestone dressings and tiled roofs. Four-bay nave with western bell-cot, two-bay chancel, vestry and south porch. Bell-cot is supported by a pair of weathered buttresses and rises to steep gable with cross above west verge of nave, two cinquefoil-headed openings each carry a bell, to north and south are small trefoiled cross gables. Nave has west window with two trefoiled ogeed lights and quatrefoil tracery under a polygonal 2-centred head. Integral weathered angle buttresses extend north and south from west wall which also has a chamfered plinth; north wall has four windows again with chamfered poly- gonal 2-centred heads each traceried with two trefoil-headed lights; the outer pair of windows have quatrefoil tracery, the inner trefoil, one buttress to each side and centre. Vestry has single-light trefoiled window to north, east doorway is moulded with 2-centred head. Chancel has north window of two lights, each trefoil headed, with trefoil tracery. Two-centred head and label running down into string which continues around east wall; east window has 2-centred head, three trefoil headed lights and wheel tracery with radiating trefoils, weathered angle buttress and verge with gable cross; south wall has string rising to label over two single-light trefoiled windows with trefoil tracery. South wall of nave is separated from chancel by buttress above which is eastern gable cross. To east of porch are two windows each with two trefoil headed lights; the west one with trefoil tracery, the east with quatrefoil. To the west of the porch another window like the last. South porch has gable cross angled weathered buttresses. Outer arch with part-octagonal shafts on high bases has 2-centred head; south doorway is moulded with 2-centred head. Interior has nave roof with scissor trusses and ashlar pieces rising from well within walls on short beams; chancel has open wagon roof with crested wall- plate. Chancel arch is 2-centred, moulded and chamfered rising from wall shafts on corbels carved with acorns and oak leaves. Chancel has reredos in red-brown marble depicting Last Supper in bas-relief for Edith Mary Hole, died 1886 on which the main panel is gabled and trefoiled, to each side is a larger gabled niche containing an angel. Piscina in south wall with circular drain; trefoil- headed aumbry in north wall. East window has stained glass for Adeline Beatrice Beever, died 1863 depicting Raising of Jairus's daughter. Chair perhaps early Cl7 with turned front legs, bobbin stretcher, back posts with volute-finials, back panel with curved top rail and curved lower rail both carrying pendants. On south side, wall monument to William Coke, died 1893, curate of Marstow and Pencoyd for 50 years, in marble with gold tesserae to margin. Harmonium, late C19, probably American, in mahogany with turned cross cresting at each end by Mason & Hamlin Organ Company has inscribed gold medals:

PARIS 1878, SWEDEN 1878, PHILA 1876, SANTIAGO (de Chile) 1875 VIENNA 1873, PARIS 1867.

Vestry has C17 communion table with turned legs, moulded rails and moulded edges to top; heavy metal box inscribed:

MILNER'S/ FIRE-RESISTING/ BOX/ LIVERPOOL/ AND/ LONDON/ In Commemoration of/ the 60th year of the reign of/ Queen Victoria/ 1897.

Nave has pulpit in brown limestone, part-octagonal with three panels each trefoil-headed and crested rising from corbel beneath; C17 chest with four front panels each containing lozenge pattern, arcaded frieze to front and sides, plain side panels and moulded top. East window on north side has stained glass with St Mary and St Joseph for William Holt Beever, died 1896. To west is marble memorial for the three men of the parish who died in 1914- 18 war; in next window to west is stained glass, probably early C20 for William Shuttleworth Clarke with figures of Christ and St Martin. In the centre of north side large wall monument in form of aedicule in C18 style with scrolled surround for Robert Shuttleworth Clarke who died in action near Hooge 1915, at the top is the monogram of the King's Shropshire Light Infantry and at the bottom the motto AUCTO SPLENDORE RESURGO: east window of south side of nave has stained glass window of Elizabeth and Zacharias for William Holt Beever matching the one opposite. West window has stained glass in quatrefoil tracery with inscription EN DIEU MA FOI. Font has octagonal step, octagonal moulded stem with octagonal bowl chamfered on its underside. Five late C19 to early C20 paraffin lamps attached to walls. The building replaced the earlier parish church of St Martin which was situated about 3/4 mile to south-west and demolished in 1855. (BoE, p 250; RCHM, Vol I, p 199).

Listing NGR: SO5590520099

External Links

• Wikidata Q26576814

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Recommended Books

• 
  Gloucestershire 2: The Vale and The Forest of Dean: Vale and Forest of Dean Pt. 2 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Period property manual, victorian house manual 2 books collection set by ian rock
• 
  Herefordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Setting up a Listed Building Heritage Partnership Agreement: Historic England Advice Note 5
• 
  Gloucestershire 1: The Cotswolds: Cotswolds Pt. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Worcestershire Revised Edition (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)