Description

ASHINGTON WOODHORN
NZ 38 NW
3/32 Church of St. Mary,
14/4/49 (now Woodhorn Church
Museum)
GV I

Parish Church. Pre-Conquest nave and perhaps west tower; north aisle early C12,
south aisle mid-C12. Eastern arches of arcades and chancel arch C13. External
walls, except for lower part of west end and tower, rebuilt 1843 by B. & J.
Green of Newcastle. Tower roughly-squared stone, C19 parts tooled stone with
tooled ashlar dressings. Welsh slate roofs. C19 parts in heavy Norman style.

South aisle has porch with boarded double doors in round arch, with 1818 sundial
above, under coped gable with roll-moulded finial; 4 round-arched windows with
hoodmoulds to east of porch, similar windows in each end of aisle. North aisle
shows similar fenestration. Clerestorey with 4 pairs of round-arched lights on
each side; coped east gable with elaborate cross fleury finial. West tower
shows low stepped diagonal buttresses and slightly-projecting stair turret with
small loops. West window of 2 trefoil-headed lights, with shields of Ogle and
Widdrington under square head, is probably 1843 copy of C15 original; above
window a built-in small effigy, perhaps of a priest. Set-back bell stage with
large 2-light openings and heavy parapet with blind arcade and shafts at angles.

To south of tower south-west quoin of Pre-Conquest nave is exposed, of large
irregular blocks. Fenestration of chancel includes 2 round-headed loops and
C15-style 4-light window on south, and lancet triplet on east, reproducing pre-
1843 features. C19 parts have sill strings and eaves cornice on block corbels;
plaque with Greens' monogram beneath east and west windows.

Interior: internal tower walls of long roughly-shaped blocks in irregular
courses. Round arch of 2 square orders to tower, on restored chamfered imposts;
square-headed doorway to tower stair on south, and blocked square-headed opening
above. Tower stair of unusual square plan. Western bays of north arcade have
round arches of a single square order with a chamfered hoodmould, on squat
round piers with scallop capitals; taller eastern arch has filleted roll
mouldings towards nave, on triple-shafted respond with still-leaf foliage and
mask corbel. Western bays of south arcade have round arches of 2 square orders
with a chamfered hoodmould, on round piers with re-cut capitals and bases with
nail-head; tall double-chamfered eastern arch with broach stops and moulded
hood. The western arch of each arcade cuts into a single-splayed Pre-Conquest
window; the monolithic pseudo-arched head of that on the south has decoration
of incised concentric circles. Double-chamfered chancel arch on twin-shafted
corbel responds, the northern partly cut away.

C19 nave and chancel roof with laminated round-arched trusses, on moulded stone
corbels.

Patterned mid-C19 glass in eastern lancets. 2 medieval bells now displayed in
chancel. Well-preserved C13 effigy attributed to Agnes de Valence. C18 and
early C19 mural monuments including 1739 Walton monument in south aisle and
tablets by Davies. Font has early C19 cable-moulded bowl on older shaft and
base. Collection of sculptured stones including Pre-Conquest cross fragments,
headstone crosses and C12-C14 cross slabs; other unprovenanced carved stones
from Society of Antiquaries'collection in Newcastle and inscribed cross slab
from Kickhill Chapel Site, Hepple, are also displayed.

Woodhorn may be the 'Wudecestre' (Woodchester) granted to the Lindisfarne
community by Ceolwulf in 737.

Listing NGR: NZ3013788851

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17527791

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

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  Renovating Old Houses: Bringing New Life to Vintage Homes (For Pros By Pros)
• 
  Churches: An Architectural Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Listed Buildings, Conservation Areas and Monuments
• 
  Listed Buildings and Other Heritage Assets
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  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects, Supplement 2014
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair