Church of St Lawrence

Details

SO 9324 NW SWINDON SWINDON VILLAGE

15/134 Church of St Lawrence

4.7.60

GV II*

Anglican parish church. C12, largely rebuilt in neo-Norman style, c1845 by T. Fulljames. Ashlar with a stone slate roof and single ashlar stack. Plan; nave with north and south aisles. Chancel with vestry on the north. Hexagonal west tower. Buttressed north aisle with three C19 two-light pointed windows with tracery and hoods with head stops. Scroll-moulded continuous string beneath the windows. Single similar window in the west end. C19 plank door within a moulded basket-headed surround to vestry at the east end of the north aisle. Pointed C19 window in the east wall. Chancel with C19 set back buttresses at the east end and the remains of a C12 pilaster buttress on the north (now covered or destroyed by the addition of the vestry). Blocked narrow C12 round-headed window to the left and the remains of a flat-chamfered band to the left of the latter. The chancel north wall is now lit by a single lancet window and the upper part of another lancet (the lower half being obscured by the C19 vestry). Three-light C19 east window with a stopped hood. Two-light C13 pointed window with small quatrefoil at the top to south wall, similar window at the east end of the south aisle. Set-back and side buttresses to the south aisle. South wall rebuilt C19 with a central C19 door within a moulded pointed surround with a hood with head stops flanked by two C19-pointed 2-light windows. Three-stage west tower in the form of an irregular hexagon, largely rebuilt c1845, with 2-light C12 belfry openings divided by round columns with cushion capitals set in splayed round-headed recesses. Single round-headed window in the west face with part of a reused grave slab decorated with an incised cross forming the lintel. Two- light pointed window to ground floor with cinquefoil-headed lights and a hood with foliate stops. C19 octagonal stair turret at south-east corner with a narrow panelled C19 door within a basket- headed surround with decorative mouldings at top, and small round- headed stair-lights and pointed stone roof with animal and human head corbels at eaves. C19 plank door with decorative hinges within a wooden basket-headed surround set within a high C12 round- headed arch with C12 engaged columns with scalloped capitals and flat-chamfered imposts. This archway is set back within a C19 stone-built porch entered via a round-headed archway with chevron decoration rising from composite engaged columns. Stepped coping at gable ends with the remains of upright cross finials. Interior; neo-Norman with 3-bay nave arcades with composite piers with scalloped capitals and round-headed arches with hoods and C19 head stops on both sides of the arcades. C19 neo-Norman chancel arch of 2 orders with engaged columns, hood with large pellet decoration. Mutilated C12 remains of a tall C12 arch with engaged columns from nave to aisle. Three-bay nave with C19 hammer beam roof trusses, rising from C19 corbels with pendants. Soffits of trusses and wallplate with nailhead decoration. Scissor-braced trusses to aisles also with nailhead decoration. Two-bay chancel with braced collar beam trusses with corbels in the form of kings' and queens' heads. Nailhead decoration to collar beam and purlins. Flagged floor to nave and chancel. C14 trefoil-headed piscina in south wall of chancel. Five early carved stone heads (probably originally corbels) in the south aisle, two set in the east wall, the others now freestanding in window sills. Octagonal C15 limestone font at base of tower. C19 pews and choir stalls. Octagonal stone font. Two fine C18 carved oak chairs. C19 wrought iron and brass communion rails. Monuments; three white on grey marble monuments at base of tower, two C19, one to Mary Surman died 1772 and William Surman died 1791. Classical style monument to William Long, died 1786, with crest and urns at top, on west wall of north aisle. White marble monument to William Long, died 1815 with a triangular pediment to right. Monument to John Sturmy, died 1769 with a segmental-headed pediment and winged cherub's head at bottom on the north wall. Limestone monument to John Stratford, died 1776 with festoons in either side of the incription and urn at top highlighted in gold and black on the east wall. White on black marble monument to Sarah Elliot, died 1838 in chancel by Lewis of Cheltenham. Two white on grey marble monuments to members of the Rickett and Cornwallis family on the west wall of the south aisle. One by Lewis of Cheltenham. Ledger to Thomas Packer Surman, died 1765 and Mary Surman, died 1780 in floor of south aisle. C19 stained glass. East window by T. Willement 1843. The tower comprises the main feature of interest. There is only one other six-sided tower in the country, that at Ozleworth near Dursley, Glos. (David Verey, The Buildings of England, The Vale and the Forest of Dean, 1980 and The Gentleman's Magazine, July 1843 XX 21-2)

Listing NGR: SO9346324886

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

134542

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Verey, D, The Buildings of England: Gloucestershire 2 The Vale and The Forest of Dean, (1970)
Gentlemans Magazine in July, Vol. 20, (1843), 21-22

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