Church of St Mary

Details

BARRINGTON GREAT BARRINGTON VILLAGE SP 2013-2113 10/29 Church of St Mary 26.1.61 GV II* Anglican parish church. Late C12, early C13, early C16, restored in 1880 by F.C. Penrose. Nave and north aisle, roughly squared and dressed limestone. Tower coursed squared and dressed limestone, more finely squared and dressed on the west. Chancel coursed squared and finely dressed limestone. Plan; nave with north aisle with a projecting porch towards the west end, chancel and west tower. Late C15-early C16 nave and north aisle. Nave south wall, 4 tall 3-light stone-mullioned windows within rectangular surrounds (probably restored C19). Transom towards the top of each window. Cinquefoil headed lights below the transom. Stepped hoods to all windows. Carved head stops to the left-hand window. Single C19 buttress half way along wall. C18 memorial to right of the buttress with a partially legible inscription and two winged angels' heads at the top. Four late C15-early C16 three-light windows with cinquefoil heads and stopped hoods to the clerestorey. Parapet with moulded string. Similar windows and parapet to the north side of the clerestory. Early C16 north aisle, three C19 three-light windows with cusped and ogee-curved heads and stopped hoods. Parapet with saddleback coping and moulded string. Four headstones to right of the central window. Left-hand headstone with no legible inscription. Three headstones to right to members of the Bridges family with inscriptions dating to the 1790s. Foliate scrollwork and winged angels' heads to two of the headstones. Earlier C16 four-stage tower with lean-to extensions on the north and south sides. C20 double plank doors within a paired moulded surround on the west side of the tower. Blocked round-headed flat-chamfered window above. Rectangular flat- chamfered windows to the second stage, clock in addition on the north side. Paired belfry windows with trefoil or ogee heads and stone louvres to the third stage. Single-light segmental-headed windows with carved spandrels to the fourth stage. Battlemented parapet with crocketed pinnacles. Moulded string with carved heads at each corner below. C19 chancel with diagonal and side buttresses. Pointed single light and 2-light windows with scroll- moulded hoods with foliate stops to the north and south walls. C19 studded plank door with decorative brackets within a moulded stone surround at the centre of the south side. Three-light east window with tracery and stops in the form of carved heads. Cl9 porch with diagonal buttresses and a moulded pointed entrance with hood with scrolled stops. Animal-head gargoyles on the sides. Church interior; plastered. Late C12 semi-circular chancel arch of 2 orders. The inner order is plain, the outer has chevron combined with primitive ballflower decoration. The arch rises from 2 engaged columns with scalloped capitals. Double-chamfered pointed arch from the nave to the tower base. Four-bay early C13 nave arcade with cylindrical columns with deeply moulded octagonal capitals and water-holding bases. Early C16 flat, panelled ceiling with decorative foliate bosses. The main ceiling beams have moulded soffits. Pierced brackets rising from carved head corbels (the latter possibly C19). Three-bay chancel with C19 arch-braced trusses supported by C19 carved head corbels. Five finely carved medieval carved head corbels reset in the north wall of the nave arcade. Flagged floor to nave and chancel. Decorative encaustic tiling to the sanctuary. C15 image niche with brattished canopy over the west door. Byzantine style metal hanging lamps to nave. Fixtures and fittings; early C20 pews, pulpit and choir stalls and communion rail. Restored C15 limestone font inside the north door. Monuments; large marble monument to Jane Bray, died 1711 and Edmond Bray, died 1720, and other members of that family. Figures of the children in period dress being conducted over the clouds of heaven by a winged angel above the inscription. The monument was possibly designed by Francis Bird and carved by Christopher Cass. Recumbent limestone effigy of Captain Edmund Bray, died 1620, dressed in full armour at the west end of the north aisle. (The manor formerly belonged to the Bray family). Various monuments to members of the Talbot and Wingfield families within the chancel including a large marble monument to Mary, Countess Talbot, died 1787, by Joseph Nollekens with a half-draped female figure holding a medallion carved with a bust of the Countess. Baroque marble estcutcheon to James Stephens, died 1692 with a painted heraldic shield at the top on the south wall of the nave. (David Verey: The Buildings of England; The Cotswolds, 1979; and V.C.H. Vol VI, p25).

Listing NGR: SP2051813482

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

130762

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Verey, D, The Buildings of England: Gloucestershire 1 The Cotswolds, (1970)
Page, W, The Victoria History of the County of Gloucester, (1965), 25

End of official list entry

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