Description

SO 82 NE LEIGH CHURCH LANE
(north side)

3/71 Church of St Catherine
4.7.60
GV I
Parish Church. C13, C14, late C15, for Deerhurst Priory, minor
alterations early C18, early C19, restored 1885. Random rubble
blue lias, ashlar dressings; west face tower and base ashlar,
ashlar bands at string courses; vestry plain render lined as
ashlar; stone slate roof. Nave and chancel undivided, south
transept, south porch, west tower, north vestry. South facade:
3-stage tower on left, diagonal buttresses, heavily-moulded plinth;
moulded string course, blocked window, flat head, hoodmould with
square stops, opening infilled rendered brick, covered diamond-set
clock face. Moulded string course above: 2-light Perpendicular
tracery window, stone louvres, hoodmould with circular stops,
moulded string course with grotesques at corners and centre,
crenellated parapet. Plinth returned on west wall of nave.
Open, gabled porch a little to right, corner posts and cambered tie
beam form 3-centred arch, curved struts over, decorative
bargeboards. Sides framing below backed boarding on inside, open
mullions above. Behind arched doorway, nook shafts, hoodmould,
boarded door. Wall disturbed over porch. To right..2-light
Perpendicular-tracery window, above jambs of blocked doorway.
Slightly-projecting eaves course. Transept projects right: low
plinth, left return disturbance from possibly blocked door, lancet
with cinquefoil head in single stone; 2-light reticulated-tracery
window in gable, parapet gable over with cross-gablet apex.
Lancet with ogee head right return. Chancel south wall on right,
blocked doorway, steeply-cambered head from single stone; blocked
flat-headed window; buttress; window with ogee head and pierced
spandrels. To right memorial tablet, to Rev. R. Huntington, died
1664, scrolled top; related to headstone below (q.v.). Heavy
timber eaves. East end angled buttresses each side, low plinth,
better squared stone. Three-light Perpendicular-tracery window,
hoodmould; wall monument each side; parapet gable, cross on
cross-gablet apex. North side: on left 2-light Perpendicular-
tracery window, flat head; 2 buttresses forming part of vestry
walls: boarded door on left return vestry, stone lintel, reset C13
lancet with trefoil head in gable. To right wide buttress with
canted ashlar courses. Two 2-light Perpendicular windows, second
with jamb of blocked doorway below. Between windows wall memorial
to W. Lane, died 1726, rococo decoration, swept top, cherub's head
below. Relates to Lane headstones adjoining, (q.v.). Eaves as
south side. Tower as south, but with 2 slits to spiral stair, no
other opening in second stage, carved heads as stops to hoodmould
to belfry window. West face: plinth, boarded door with blind
Perpendicular tracery to head, in moulded opening, 4-centred arch
with rounded apex, hoodmould with large, square stops, decorated
leaf and rose carving. Above 2-light window, Perpendicular
tracery, angel stops to hoodmould: moulded string over, niche with
headless figure of St. Catherine under projecting head, crocketed
finial. Top stage as south.
Interior: nave/chancel, walls plastered; with arches to transept
and tower, former without capitals; 1885 glazed, traceried wooden
screen in tower arch. Collar rafter roof, collar purlin, straight
braces, ashlar pieces, isolated tie beams. Piscina in chancel,
crocketed ogee head; plain head to that in transept. Corbels
either side east window in transept, roof 1885 cross-braced collar
rafter. Octagonal stone pulpit, blind tracery to sides, brass
handrail to steps. Octagonal C15 stone font, quatrefoils on sides
of bowl, plain stem. A little medieval glass in north window.
Decalogue on 2 boards with bolection-moulded frames (1738),
benefactions board (1773) in tower base. Rear pews C17, moulded
top rail, plain ends, panelled backs. C17 and 1742 chests in
vestry. Four marble monuments of early-mid C19 in chancel, one by
Physick of London.
C13 oldest remains, nave/chancel roof C13 or C14; transept added
C14 (Decorated), tower late C15. Gallery inserted by 1735. 1885
restoration gallery and plaster ceiling removed (plaster forming
barrel vault), transept reroofed, doors either side of nave
blocked, new door cut and porch erected using C15 end of former
north porch.
(V.C.H. Gloucestershire, Vol VIII, 1968; D. Verey,
Gloucestershire, The Vale and the Forest of Dean, 1970)

Listing NGR: SO8658725749

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17526443

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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