Details
ETTINGTON
SP24NW
1912-1/6/81
05/04/67
SHIPSTON ROAD, Alderminster
(East side (off))
Former Church of Holy Trinity
approx. 70m E of Ettington Park
Hotel
(Formerly Listed as:
ETTINGTON
Remains of old Holy Trinity Church)
GV
I
Shown on O.S. map as St. Nicholas Church ruins.
Partly ruined C13 church. South transept and chapel restored
for use as mortuary chapel for Shirley family c1825. Coursed
limestone rubble with some ironstone and red sandstone ashlar;
ashlar dressings; graduated stone slate roof to transept.
PLAN: west tower, north arcade and west wall of north aisle,
south wall of nave and chancel, and south transept with east
chapel survive.
EXTERIOR: C14 3-bay north arcade has hexagonal piers with
moulded capitals, one with heads, and double-chamfered arches;
2 small 2-light straight-headed clerestory windows with
Perpendicular tracery; to east end a pier with worn piscina
recess, springers to north transept arch with very worn tablet
to south side probably recording restoration, and a raking
buttress to east end.
West wall to lost lean-to north aisle has diagonal buttress
and 4-light window with C17 straight mullions. South wall of
chancel is sandstone ashlar, from east a 2-light
straight-headed window with Perpendicular tracery, an offset
buttress, a window with Y-tracery, a Tudor-headed entrance and
a 2-light straight-headed window; to north, 2 sanctuary steps.
Transept has coped gables, with bellcote to north and gable
cross to south. Chapel has plinth and restored 3-light east
window on sill course dated 1881; north side has a moulded
arch with C19 infill including entrance with moulding and
4-centred head and 2 cusped spherical-triangle windows, 3
moulded corbels above; south gable end has diagonal buttresses
and 3-light traceried window on sill course; 2 large offset
buttresses to west wall, with lancet to north. South wall of
nave has blocked 3-light straight-headed window to west of
transept, with 2-light clerestory window above and sill and
jamb of a window to west, and west of that an entrance with
corbel above to north side.
3-stage tower has strip buttress to lower stage of each side
and string courses; offset stair turret with corbel table
clasps south west angle; top stage has c1200 2-light
round-headed bell openings with cusped lattice infill; top
cornice and restored crenellated parapet with angle pinnacles,
2 with wind vanes. South face has narrow light to buttress;
west face has round-headed double-chamfered light to lower
stage, narrow window with sash to middle stage. East face has
tower arch of 3 orders, the inner order on corbels, impost
band and hood; opening with balustrade and 3 former roof lines
to middle stage.
INTERIOR: tower has corbels with shields and entrance to stair
turret with plank door and round-headed light over; deep
splays to windows; plaque commemorating restoration of 1972-4
and one commemorating Underhill family (placed by American
members of the family descended from 1630 emigrant); upper
chamber noted as having terracotta panel of The Deposition by
Agostino Corlini, 1725, and panelling to walls.
Transept has arch-braced roof trusses, formerly with panelled
ceiling by Rickman; chapel has shafts with foliate capitals to
east window.
FITTINGS: early C19 stalls by Rickman with cast-iron panels,
and later encaustic tiles to chapel. Monuments: many monuments
and wall tablets to members of the Shirley and Underhill
families including: Anthony Underhill, d.1587, painted panel
with verse; Frances Freckleton, d.1633, with effigy on chest
with canopy on Corinthian columns; Earl Ferrers, d.1775, and
Countess Ferrers, monument by JF Moore, veined marble plinth
with inscription panel supports red and white marble
sarcophagus with feet and oval inscription panel and reclining
figure of George Shirley against grey marble stele with
armorial bearing over white cornice; figures of Earl and
Countess flank sarcophagus; plaque to right records that
monument was intended for the church at Staunton Harold,
Leicestershire, but was placed here by George Shirly when
permission refused by Washington, Earl Ferrers.
STAINED GLASS: glass to transept and chapel by Evie Hone,
1948-9, replacing glass from Winchester College which was
returned there; north aisle west window also by Hone.
Scheduled Ancient Monument.
(Buildings of England: Pevsner N: Warwickshire: Harmondsworth:
1966-: 290; Shell Guides: Hickman D: Warwickshire: London:
1979-: 98).
Listing NGR: SP2479647315
