Church Of St Mary

Description

This information is taken from the statutory List as it was in 2001 and may not be up to date.

ALTON ALTON BARNES SU 16 SW 5/2 Church of St. Mary 27.5.64 I

Anglican parish church. C10-C11, C14 and 1748. Altered 1832 and restored 1875 and 1904 by C.E. Ponting. Limestone structural work with malmstone infilling, mostly pebbledashed. Stone slate roof.

Simple 2-cell plan of nave and chancel. C14 south door, the north doorway blocked and glazed. Nave of late Saxon work with pilaster strips dividing wall into 4 bays, and gable to 2 bays, the strips rebated for rendering. Flush quoins, large and partly side alternate. The east and west gables raised and coped and have terminal crosses. In the gables paired rectangular openings for bells. Three light west window with reserved chamfered mullions.

Scratch sundial on south-east quoins. Chancel rebuilt for Nicholas Preston in 1748. Diaper brickwork on rubble stone sills and ashlar quoins and corbel table. Two light ogee square headed windows, probably reused. Blocked keyed oculus in east gable.

Interior: Intimate. Nave of 2 bays with C18 panelled west gallery on one column and rear stair. Roof of quasi-raised crucks with threaded purlins and square set ridge. Long curved arch braces to purlins. Chamfered tie beams. Rafters and ashlars exposed.

Early-mid C18 dado panelling. Chancel arch altered 1832 replacing Saxon original on Cll-C12 moulded imposts. Chancel has coved ceiling. Fittings: Font, clE, inelegant stone basin on baluster stem. Pulpit also. C18, raised and panelled. Steps enclosed in re- used late C17-early C18 panelling which also encloses reader's pew.

Pews oak, C19. Simple C18 choir seats. Glass: In north chancel window, arms and inscription of 1737 to W. Lamplugh, rector.

Monuments: Many wall memorials. In chancel, north side, marble slab of 1652 to Warner South, rector, with Latin inscription; and 6 others of early C19 in simple Classical style: Theresa Brereton, died 1835, by the Patent Works, Westminster and memorials of the Crowe family, distinguished in the diplomatic field. In the nave, 10 wall tablets, including a limestone pedimented aedicule to Thomas Chandler, died 1790. Four brasses, one in chancel to William Budd, rector, died 1685. On west front of church two oval tablets with crest, illegible and one now missing. Furniture: Chancel has C17 oak chair with carved back, and a 3-legged serving table with ball and claw feet.

(N. Pevsner, Buildings of England, Wiltshire, p87; Combined churches guide, 1970; Taylor & Taylor, j Saxon Architecture, Vols 1 to 3; W.A.M, 68 - 1973 and 77 - 1982)

Listing NGR: SU1076762028

Content

This is part of the Series: IOE01/0955 IOE Records taken by B J W Heath; within the Collection: IOE01 Images Of England

Rights

© Mr B.J.W. Heath. Source: Historic England Archive

This photograph was taken for the Images of England project