Details
SP 02 72 ALVECHURCH CP BEAR HILL (south side)
15/10 Church of St Laurence
16.11.67
GV II*
Parish church. Fragments of C12, C14 north aisle, tower of 1676 built by
the Richards brothers, rest rebuilt by William Butterfield, 1859-1861.
Sandstone ashlar with machine-tile roof. West tower 1676, north aisle C14,
nave, south aisle and chancel 1859-1861. West tower: incorporates some
C15 features, rebuilt 1676, three stages, each offset. C17 balustrade with
crocketed pinnacles, diagonal buttresses: west wall: second stage has a
window of trefoiled lights under 2-centred head; first stage: square-headed
window with chamfered reveals, below clock and a datestone inscribed:
"Samuell Richards and / Thomas Richards 1676" over a pair of addorsed
dragons; ground stage: window of three cinquefoiled lights under 2-centred
head with label over an entrance with 2-centred arch. Nave: 1859-1861, four
bays with (from left to right) clerestorey windows: cinquefoil lancet, a
pair of similar lancets, a pair of trefoiled lancets, and a similar pair with
quatrefoil above; south aisle: 1858-1861, lean-to roof, five bays, left-hand
bay has timber-frame south porch to re-set restored C12 door which has a roll
moulding to semi-circular head, a billeted label, and respond shafts with
capitals; other bays mostly have paired trefoil lancets, each with a re-set
C12 or C14 corbel above; east window has two trefoiled lights under a 2-centred
head; north aisle: C14, altered C15, gabled roof; three bays defined by stepped
buttresses, each bay with two windows of two trefoiled lights under 2-centred
head; east window has reticulated tracery under a 2-centred head, and had
five lights obscured by lean-to C19 vestry. Chancel: 1859-61, three bays,
that to left covered by south aisle, trefoiled lancets to each bay; east
window: three stepped trefoiled lancets. Interior: nave: north arcade of
three bays with 2-centred arches and circular plan piers, south arcade of
four bays wth 2-centred arches and slender columns, respectively Norman and
Early English in style, but all C19; tower arch: 2-centred of two continuous
orders; chancel: arcade to aisles on each side of two bays with 2-centred
arches and slender columns. Re-set head of a C14 sedilia in south wall of
chancel; north aisle; early C15 tomb recess behind organ has an ogee cinque-
foiled arch, crocketed and terminating in a carved finial; effigy in recess
is a recumbent stone knight. Roofs: nave: seven bays: arch-braced collars,
south aisle: lean-to roof; chancel: two bays, cusped arch-braces to collar;
north aisle: common rafter roof with scissor-braces. Fittings: mostly C19
by Butterfield; the low chancel screen is made up from probably C15 woodwork,
including a frieze with trailing foliage, all painted. North aisle: wall
tablet to Edward Moore, died 1746, with Corinthian pilasters; brass mounted on
wall to Philip Chatwyn, died 1542; chancel: tomb slab bearing a cross flory,
chalice and the arms of John Carpenter, Bishop of Worcester (1443-76).
(VCH 3, pp 255-256; BoE, pp 68-70 Hereford & Worcester Record Office,
Probate records 3585/767).
Listing NGR: SP0266472445
