Church of St Peter

Details

SP 03 NW
2/59
4.7.60

DUMBLETON
DUMBLETON VILLAGE

Church of St Peter

GV

I

Anglican parish church. C12, C13, C14 and C15, chancel restored
in 1862 as commemorated on the east gable end. Nave: rubble with
a restored plinth. Clerestorey, transept, chancel: coursed
squared and dressed limestone. Tower: coursed squared and dressed
limestone degenerating into rubble towards the top of the second
stage; random large finely squared and dressed limestone upper
stage. Leaded roof to nave and south aisle: red tile roofing to
transept and chancel; stone slate roofing to south porch and
vestry, the latter being replaced with artificial stone slate at
the time of resurvey - March 1987. Nave with west tower, north
transept and south aisle which abuts the east side of the south
porch; chancel with vestry on the north abutting transept. Nave
south wall: C20 double doors with a Tudor-arched surround with
carved spandrels inserted within a C12 opening with engaged jamb
shafts with scalloped capitals supporting a chevroned arch with
roll-moulded outer arch with later carved head at the apex;
tympanum decorated with cat-like head with foliage issuing from its
mouth, reputed to represent the devil. C13 lancet with ovolo and
casement mouldings and moulded hood with small head stops, to the
right. Eroded C12 corbel table each with varying decoration.
Remains of similar corbel table and Decorated 2-light window
visible where the south wall of the nave remains exposed. Two
rectangular C15 two-light windows with trefoil-headed lights and
eroded jambs to the north side of the clerestorey. Similar but
C19 windows with diamond-leaded panes and sundial with metal gnomon
and inscription 'ARCHER' at the top on the north side. C20 double
plank doors with Tudor-arched stone lintel with carved spandrels
towards the west end of the south wall and set within a tall flat-
chamfered pointed arch, now partially blocked. Parapet with
moulded string. Gabled early C20 porch with diagonal buttresses
and moulded pointed-arched entrance with stopped. hood framing
foliate panels. Trefoil-headed 3-light windows to the return
walls. South wall of chancel with diagonal and side buttresses:
single pointed 3-light window with Perpendicular tracery; two
pointed window with quatrefoils to the right; C19 three-light
window with Perpendicular style tracery; roll-moulded string
course below. Chancel north wall: traces of blocked window;
blocked Tudor-arched priest's door with an early-mid C17 two-light
window with stilted-headed lights and hollow-chamfered mullions.
Early C20 cross-gabled vestry and lean-to porch diagonal buttresses
to both parts; single lancet with deep casement-moulded surround
containing-square foliate bosses on the east, small plank door with
decorative hinges and moulded lintel lower right; 5 reused C12
corbels on the east below a string course; single quatrefoil to
each gable. Plank door with decorative hinges within a moulded
Tudor-arched surround with hood framing rectangular panels of
foliate decoration; reused 2-light late C16-early C17 stone-
mullioned window to the north wall. Three-stage tower with C13
lower stages and C15 upper stage. Angle buttresses and side
buttresses to the lower stages. Early studded ogee door on the
north side. Lancet window above; two lancet windows to the south
side; one lancet to the east. C13 corbel table with matching
moulded corbels; string course above. Two-light belfry windows
to the C15 stage with pierced decorative shuttering; battlemented
parapet. Stepped flat and saddleback coping to-the nave, north
transept and vestry respectively. Limewashed interior. C15 roof
to nave with cambered principal rafters; C19 arch-braced collar
beam trusses to the chancel and transept. C20 lean-to roof to the
south aisle. Flagged flooring to the nave; coloured and
encaustic tiling to the chancel. C13 tower arch of 3 orders the
inner dying in at the height of the springing; possibly C14
chancel arch with double hollow-moulded C14 arch to transept; 2-
bay south arcade, rebuilt C15, the easternmost arch has a crudely
executed segmental-headed head incorporating some C12 stonework
with pellet decoration; the other is a crudely executed 'Tudor'
arch; early rectangular doorway now partially blocked to the east
of the segmental arch; single early C20 arches from the chancel
and north transept to the organ chamber. Triangular piscina in
the south wall of the south aisle indicating the former presence of
an altar. Large probably C15 piscina with roll-moulded trefoil-
headed surround in the south wall of the chancel; small probably
C14 piscina also with a trefoil head set on the sill of the window
immediately to the right. C14 style octagonal stone font with
inscription dated 1661 under the west arch of the arcade. Early
C20 pews, choir stalls and pulpit with finely carved decoration
utilising apple, vine and bursting seed pod motifs. Casing of
organ with similar motifs. Two early C18 carved oak chairs in the
sanctuary. Altar: C20 wooden table. C19 stained glass window,
two further C19 windows to the chancel. Monuments on the north
wall of the chancel from left to right: alabaster and marble
monument to Thomas Cocks of Cleeve, died 1554, large bust of
bearded man in robes with foliate oval surround and a segmental
pediment; inscription panel with foliate surround below; white
marble monument to Harriet Ancrum, C20 Hoptonwood stone tablet with
lettering by Eric Gill; fine painted monument to Sir Charles
Percy, son of the Earl of Northumberland and Dorothy his wife, he
died 1628, she died 1646, comprising two kneeling figures within a
deep round-headed niche flanked by free-standing Corinthian
columns; heraldry flanked by miniature obelisks above the frieze.
The figures are painted as are the motifs decorating the remainder
of the monument with gilded high-lights. Monuments on chancel
south wall from left to right: simple rectangular marble monument
with moulded surround to Dorothy Cocks, died 1714; simple
limestone tablet to Thomas Washbourne, died 1681; fine alabaster
and marble monument to Richard Cocks and Dame Susanna his wife, he
died 1684, she died 1689. Segmental-headed inscription panel
flanked by black columns with Corinthian capitals, weeping putti
either side, open segmental pediment decorated with cherubs, putti
leaning on hourglasses at the top, plain cartouche at the bottom;
two white marble C19 monuments and three brass plaques, one to
Edward Holland, died 1875 (q.v. Dumbleton Hall). Two C18 marble
monuments to members of the Cocks family in the south aisle.
Large grey marble monument to Frances Lady Cocks, died 1723 on the
north wall of the nave with a long inscription flanked by
pilasters, heraldry and urns at top.
(David Verey, The Buildings of England: The Vale and the Forest of
Dean, 1980)

Listing NGR: SP0174435780

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

135156

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Verey, D, The Buildings of England: The Vale and the Forest of Dean, (1980)

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.