Church of St Mary, Yazor, County of Herefordshire

Description

YAZOR CP -
SO 44 NW
4/95 Church of St Mary
16.12.86
GV II
Parish church, now redundant. 1843 and 1855 by George Rowe or Moore.
Sandstone ashlar and dressings. Welsh slate roofs and ashlar spire.
Cruciform plan with western polygonal chancel, three-bay nave and transepts
projecting by one bay with symmetrical porches to west. East tower with
entry and spire. Tower has extremely tall bottom stage with gabled weathered
angle buttresses terminating near bell-openings of top stage. Two lancets
with continuous labels and battered cills to each side of top stage. Cornice
supported on corbel table above which rises octagonal broach spire with gabled
lucarnes to cardinal points and smaller higher ones to subsidiary diagonal
points. Moulded finial with wrought iron cross. East side has three stepped
trefoil headed lancets, the outer two blind, separated by engaged shafts,
over the main entry. East doorway has two-centred moulded arch on a pair
of shafts. One order of arch has dog-teeth. Label and stops. Two-leaved
oak doors diagonally ledged. In front of the doors are four steps and a
pair of cast-iron shoe-scrapers. Nave has three lancets, with moulded labels
and curious square label stops in the form of pieces of string course to each.
elevation. Chamfered plinth, continuous string and chamfered cornice. Tall
weathered buttresses separate the lancets. Transepts have strings continued
from nave. Three stepped lancets with richly moulded labels and large foliated
stops to north and south. Single blind lancets to east returns. Verges and
kneelers. Weathered buttresses to south-east and north-east corners at junction
with nave. Attached to the west side of each transept is a small porch with
plain parapet. Continuously chamfered two-centred doorway with ledged oak doors
to north and south. Moulded labels. String to parapets of porches continues
around apse. West returns of porches each have a pair of rectangular lights
with shouldered lintels and wrought iron casements. Beneath the windows of
the north porch, stone stairs descend to square-headed doorway into crypt.
Square chimney shaft at each west junction of apse and transepts. Apse has
five lancets, one to each side, and moulded labels. At the angles are single
fully recessed shafts with stylised capitals, in the form of three leaves.
Apex of roof has elaborate wrought iron circle in cross. Interior of porch
beneath tower has stone side benches. Moulded wall-plates with untrussed
rafters. Triangular pointed inner doorway with three chamfered orders. Label
with head stops of a queen and a cleric. Two-leaved oak doors. Drawing of
the Old Church of St John the Baptist (qv), Yazor, inscribed "Old Yazor,
Oct 1850". Nave roof has six bays of moulded trusses with arch-braces rising
from foliated corbels. Moulded wall-plates. Where the roof crosses the
apes of the two transeptual arches there are a pair of carved wooden angels.
Transepts have roofs similar to that of each porch beneath tower. Chancel
roof has ribs rising from corbels similar to those of nave but richly painted.
The ribs meet in a large enriched boss above the chancel steps. Extending
down from the corbels are narrow vertical painted strips with diagonal stripes
in gold, green, red and black. Red painted plaster dado with eight rows of
rampart lions, probably symbols of the Price family. Dado has gilded and painted
metal cresting with running foliage patterns to margins. Attached to five sides
of the dado beneath apse windows are metal plaques with inscriptions of The
Magnificat, Creed, Ten Commandments, Lord's Prayer and Nunc Dimittis. Above
the central wall is a mid-C19 oak canopy with three large crocketted multi-
foiled gables and pendants. Communion table, perhaps mid-C19, has massive
twisted legs with tendrils along the twists and debased Ionic capitals
with putti-heads in place of volutes. Beneath the front rail are garlands
and vine-foliage. Rear legs, possibly C17, are in the form of pilasters
with acanthus decoration and crude Ionic capitals. Late C19 altar cross
in oak has stepped base enriched with fluerons. Mid-C19 oak chair with
gabled and crocketted back, these motifs repeated in upholstery patterns
in red, gold and blue. Oak late C19 prie-dieu with chamfered two-centred
arch to open panel and two trefoils in the spandrels. Oak communion rails
with three hollow chamfered siltire crosses to each side of central entry.
Stained glass in lancets of apse are c1845 by Warrington (BoE). Central
one has Ascension, Crucifixion and Resurrection in three superimposed vesicae.
South lancet has Annunciation and Nativity. North lancet has Magi and miracle
scene. Diagonal lancets to south-west and north-west have emblems of the
Four Evangelists. Carpet between communion rails and altar is probably C19.
Carefully fitted in the apse it is decorated in blue, gold and terracotta
colours. East of the communion rails and west of the transepts in the south
wall is a chamfered triangular-headed doorway to vestry and south porch. Above
is a marble and stone wall monument. Gable, crockets, and apron with two female
heads. Inscription:
IN MEMORY OF
ROBERT
ONLY SON OF SIR UVEDALE PRICE OF FOXLEY BART
AND LADY CAROLINE HIS WIFE
DAUGHTER OF GEORGE EARL OF TYRCONNEL
DIED 1857
AUXILIVM IN MEVM DOMINO

To the left is a brass plaque for RL Preece, Rector, dated 1863, who
"beautified this Church/ & built the spire". On the north wall opposite
is a large white marble plaque with inlaid cross at the junction of the arms
of which is a representation of the east elevation of the present church.
The plaque is for Uvedale Snodd Price. The inscription concludes: " ... He
was zealous for the honour of his makers house and began to Build this Church, the
ancient one of this parish being dilapidated by time. But it pleased almighty
God to call him hence before his work was ended. He died at Bishopstone Nov VI
mdccccliv aged xxxix years". Beneath is a mid-C19 cast iron stove about six
feet high and four feet in diameter. Radiating vertical fins, fluted capping
and crown-finial. Between the north and south walls of the chancel are richly
decorated geometrically patterned floor tiles with blues, reds, browns and
buffs. Candelabrum, perhaps brass and wrought iron. Twelve curved branches
with foliated drip-pans and turned central shaft hanging centrally from the
roof. Late C19 bench and two-seater desk in oak. Bench has carved arms with
bird; desk has poppyheads and ogeed panels. Transepts each have a large
triangular-headed arch with three chamfered orders to jambs. Each arch has a
pair of corbels, like those of nave, supporting central order with fillet mould-
ing. Beneath each arch is a richly carved oak screen, probably late C19 with
central entry and six panels, each with two trefoil-headed openings and benches
with moulded arms facing inwards. The southern screen is interrupted by a large
polygonal oak pulpit supported on large carved corbel. Lower rail has carved
angel. Panels have crockets and ogeed heads. Inscription on rail: "Blessed
is he that heareth the Word of God ... ". Ogeed tester is vaulted in oak between
pendants with the emblems of the Four Evangelists. Behind the screen oak
stairs with balustraded handrail lead into the pulpit. West side of south
transept has triangular-headed doorway like that in chancel. South window
has stained glass with grisaille, blue squares and red triangles of 1866
(BoE). To the north of the pulpit is a two-seater bench and desk similar
to that in chancel. Screen to north transept is similar to that of south
transept but unobstructed. Six seats and central entry to organ. Stained
glass is similar to that of, south transept. Organ has exposed pipes framed
by quatrefoiled spandrels and two corner posts each with an angle to the top.
Nave has uncoloured plastered walls. Font with plain octagonal base and stem.
Octagonal bowl with chamfered underside and horizontal mouldings to lower parts
of sides, probably C15. Stained glass in opposed westernmost lancets. That
to north depicts Ruth gleaning wheat and commemorates the marriage of Charlotte
Lucy Davenport in June 1866. The south window refers to Isaac and Rebekah and
is for the marriage of George Horatio Davenport of Foxley and Sophia Diane,
February 1866. South side of east wall has monument to the Hon Robert Price
died 173 2/3 in white and black marble with Corinthian columns, two urns and
achievement. Above is a monument with obelisk and urn for Robert, only son
of Uvedale Price. Both these price monuments removed from the Old Church of
St John the Baptist (qv) in December 1853. North side of east wall has two
early C19 monuments, the top one for George Allen, the bottom one for Rev James
Allen. Roll of honour for six men of the parish killed from 1914 - 19 and four
from 1939 - 45. Candelabrum identical to that in chancel, hanging centrally
from roof. Radiators in oak cases with lattice grilles, to north-east and
south-east corners. Mid-C19 nave pews and wainscoting complete at time of
re-survey (December 1986). To each side of east door is a pair of wrought
iron mid-C19 brackets with twisted stems. Above the door are the Royal Arms,
in relief, possibly plaster, richly painted. Above the Arms is slender two-
centred tower arch with three orders, the centre one having corbels like the
transeptual arches, supporting central filleted order. Lower part of arch
is crossed by an open wooden screen, producing a gallery effect consisting of
three panels, separated by octagonal shafts supporting two-centred arches
with tracery. At the bottom of each panel is a pair of quatrefoils. Beyond
the screen is the ringing chamber with bell-rope and lancet in east wall of
tower containing stained glass of the Virgin and Child. Goodhart-Rendel dates
the church 1843 and 1855 and attributes it to George Moore. Pevsner suggests
1843 by George Rowe, with the apse windows by Warrington c1845. The building
was awash with rainwater affecting chancel, floor tiles, pulpit and benches
at time of re-survey but was said to be in process of transfer to the
Redundant Churches Fund. (BoE, p 328; Goodhart-Rendel, HS: List of Victorian
Churches; RCHM, Vol III, p 217 p 18).

Listing NGR: SO4058946575

External Links

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.

British Listed Buildings

History in Structure

Church of St Mary

A Grade II Listed Building in Yazor, County of Herefordshire

Coordinates

Description

External Links

Recommended Books