Description

TL 3770 OVER CHURCH END (North Side)

10/89 Church of St. Mary 31.8.62 I

Parish church, with C13 origins but mainly early C14. Restored 1840. Barnack stone ashlar part rendered. West tower, nave with North and South aisles, South porch and chancel. West tower early C14, of three stages, on double splayed plinth with main cornice and boss enrichments. Three stage angle buttresses and newel staircase in South East corner. The West doorway and the West window are, however, C15. West doorway in four centred arch flanked by two vacant niches in ogee heads, between two continuous orders. Above the door is a relief of Our Lord in Glory flanked by two niches. Early C14 window openings to second and third stages. The broach spire is also covered with Barnack ashlar and is in three stages, each with gabled lucarne. Original gable of steeply pitched nave roof visible on each side of tower. The nave, early C14, reroofed. C15 and embattled. Each side of clerestory with six two light windows. South aisle, early C14, embattled with large grotesque gargoyles and frieze of ball flower ornament to main cornice. Three windows, all early C14, with reticulated tracery. Two windows of three lights in segmental arches, and one of four lights in a pointed arch. All have drip moulds with mask stops. The South porch is contemporary with the South aisle and the gargoyles and frieze of ball flower ornament are carried round from the aisle. Embattled parapet with corner turrets and pinnacles. Buttresses of grouped keeled shafts on high base flank the two centred outer arch with three hollow and roll moulded orders. The inner arch has similar moulding. The porch is in two bays, with two-light early C14 openings to each. The heads of the openings have pierced tracery. The roof is C15. The chancel was much restored in 1840 and has early 15 fenestration, but there are North and South doorways with Caernarvon heads which must be C13-C14. There is a low side window in the South wall with similar head. Interior: Nave arcade C15 in six bays. Two centred hollow chamfered arches on half-octagonal columns with hollow mouldings to the side. Each shaft is embattled and has a capital with mask enrichment and a high moulded base. The North and South aisles have blind arcading of early C14 to the walls. Crown-post roof in six bays, C15, restored. Hollow and roll moulded principals and tie beams, the jackposts on stone niches with figures, supported on corbels, some mutilated. Chancel arch, C13 origins. Two centred with one hollow and one chamfered order. The piscina has a similar Caernarvon head. Screen between chancel and nave, C15, with vertical tracery to upper bays. Vaulted coving preserved on each side. Stalls in cancel possibly from Ramsey Abbey, with misericords. Pulpit, early C17 with original vaulted tester and enriched ogee canopy. Seven sided pulpit with arcaded panels on original stem or possibly earlier. Font, C15, octagonal bowl and stem, enriched with cusping and blank shields of arms. Two chests, both C17 one in nave, part restored but with original iron fittings, the other in tower. Pevsner. Buildings of England p.446 R.C.H.M. record card

Listing NGR: TL3724770778

External Links

• Wikidata Q17528229

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