Church of St.Mary of the Purification

Details

This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 1 August 2023 to correct a typo in the description and to reformat the text to current standards

SK 55 NE
1/4

BLIDWORTH
MAIN STREET (south side)
Church of St.Mary of the Purification

11.8.61

G.V.
II*

Parish church. C15, west nave and south aisle rebuilt 1739, east part of the south aisle and chancel re-erected 1839. Ashlar. Lead roofs. Single ridge cross to east chanel. Tower, nave, south aisle, south porch, south outbuilding, south vestry with porch and chancel.

Restored C15 tower set on a deep chamfered plinth of two stages and embattled with single pinnacle at each angle. The west side has a single pair of arched lights with a single similar pair above. Each side of the belfry has a single pair of arched openings now glazed. Above, on the west and east sides are single clock faces. Embattled north wall with four C17 round arched windows each with architrave surround, imposts and keystone. The windows alternate with five small C14 carved heads. The east wall is set on a chamfered plinth with embattled east chancel having a single projecting bay with single arched window with three arched and cusped lights, hood mould and label stops. The south wall is set on a chamfered plinth.

South vestry has a gabled porch with pediment formed in the gable. Round arched C17 doorway with architrave surround, imposts and keystone, now part blocked and with single fixed light. In the re-entrant angle, to the right, is an arched doorway. To the left of the porch are five C17 round arched windows each with architrave surround, imposts andkeystone. Gabled south porch set on a chamfered plinth with slate roof and single ridge cross. Pediment formed in the gable. Restored round arched entrance with architrave surround imposts and keystone. Inner similar doorway. To the left of the south aisle and set back is an outbuilding with arched doorway with keystone, to the left is a single pointed arched opening with metal grille and further left the remains of a coffin slab with decoratively carved C13 cross. The west wall has a single small rectangular opening. The embattled clerestory has six pairs of arched windows.

Interior. Five bay 1739 nave arcade, Tuscan columns with chamfered arches and keystones. Doorway to tower. In the chancel is a doorway to the vestry. C18 panelled west gallery. C18 panelling to walls below sill level. C15 octagonal ashlar font with panels decorated with blind, mainly panel, tracery, set on a pedestal and with C20 cover. Early C19 pulpit transferred from Southwell Minster, c,1900, decorated with blind tracery, fleuron, crockets and carved heads. There is a C17 chest and two chairs with carved backs. C19 pews. Panelled reredos with eight C17 panels decorated with foliate carving set into decorative arches, transerred from Southwell Minster.

There is a meorial to William Bilbie, 1787, surmounting the inscription is a draped urn. That to Joseph Bilbie, 1747, has an arched head with foliate strips flanking the inscription. William Bilbie, 1777, by Christopher Theakston of Doncaster, this is topped with an urn, the apron is decorated with a shield. Alabaster monument to T. Leake, 1608, surround to the inscription decorated with a horn, skull, arrows, deer's head and other trappings of a Sherwood Forest Ranger. Over all is a decorative shaped head. There are a number of C19 memorials and a monument to those who died in the 1914-18 war. In the single central south window is stained glass by Mayer & Co. of Munich and London, 1874. There is a hymn board with King David crudely painted on the reverse by Sheppard, 1779.

Listing NGR: SK5856655631

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

242060

Legacy System:

LBS

End of official list entry

All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.