Details
BIBURY CHURCH ROAD
SP 1006-1106
(east end)
11/72 Church of St. Mary
26.1.61
GV I
Parish church. Mid-late C11; late C12 and early C13 enlargement;
C14 and C15 alterations. 1863 restoration by Gilbert Scott; late
C19 restoration by Waller and Son. Random and coursed rubble
limestone; stone slate roof. Nave with north and south aisles;
south porch, north west tower and chancel. Round arched south
doorway with single roll moulded order and hoodmould with stiff-
leaf stops. Transitional south porch with dogtooth enrichment to
pointed archway. Parapet lean-to roof to short early C13 south
aisle with small lancet windows; large C15 Perpendicular-traceried
window inserted right of porch. South nave wall clearly displays
the progressive enlargement of the church. Section of wall
immediately to left of aisle is C11 with original circular
clerestory window surviving; C13 lancet below. Extension to west
appears late C12 with pilaster buttresses and moulded mid-height
string courses. Two lancets set at high level. C15 clerestory
with crenellated parapet and 2-light windows, 3 trefoil headed, one
to west with ogee tracery. Clasping buttresses to west end of nave
with large 5-light Perpendicular-traceried window; crenellated
parapet gable with central lancet recess and flanking recesses.
Similar buttresses to lower stage of tower; C15 belfry with 2-
light trefoil headed openings and crenellated parapet. Buttressed
north aisle with C14 Decorated windows; C12 north doorway reset,
has chevron arch and carved abaci, plain tympanum having had later
trefoil cut-out. Various lancets to chancel, one on north side
with low sill, formerly shuttered below glazing; elaborately
carved fragment of Saxon pilaster in adjacent chancel wall. Fine
arcaded east triplet dating from C13 extension of chancel. Small
rectangular window on south side illuminates altar.
Interior: limewashed with nave arcades of different dates.
Transitional north arcade is unusual, being interrupted by short
lengths of wall; one cylindrical pier has scalloped capital. East
respond has elaborately carved capital, otherwise capitals are
scalloped or waterleaf types. One arch has chevrons; 3 to east
have keeled shafts. Saxon nave pilasters are still partially
surviving in north aisle above arcade. C13 Early English 3-bay
south arcade. Ten-bay Perpendicular tie-beam roof; 3 tiers of
cusped windbracing. Saxon jambs and imposts to C13 chancel arch
breaking through Saxon string course above. Some surviving
fragments of what is assumed to be a stone rood are visible above
string course; 2 blocked windows have Perpendicular cusped heads.
East wall of chancel has 3 aumbries; many other aumbries in side
walls. C16 seat in chancel is said to be part of a bedstead.
Pulpit in nave, probably by Scott. Square early C13 transitional
font in south aisle has 4 corner and one central pillar, outer with
rope mouldings. Transitional 2-bay arcade to each face of bowl.
Early-mid C18 set of ledger slabs in nave to COXWELL family of
Bibury Court. Two fine marble memorials with obelisk backgrounds
on north chancel wall, ELIZABETH WARNEFORD, died 1756, and ANNE
ESTCOURT CRESSWELL, died 1791. Memorial slab in north aisle
inscribed in latin: 'REVERENDI BENIAMINI WYNNINGTON', died 1673.
Fine stained glass to principal windows, east by T. Willement of
1855, west by Wailes, probably 1860s. Small window lighting altar
retains some C13 glass. The extent of Saxon remains allow a
reasonable reconstruction of the immediately pre-conquest church.
Of great interest also are the Transitional features, especially
the carved capitals to the north arcade, part of a series of
alterations by the monks of Oseney after their appropriation of the
church in 1151.
(Anon., A. Short History of Bibury Parish Church, n.d.: A.R.J.
Jurica, 'Bibury' in V.C.H. Glos. vii, 1981, p 21-44; H.M. and J.
Taylor, Anglo-Saxon Architecture, 1965; D. Verey, Cotswold
Churches, 1976 and Gloucestershire: The Cotswolds, 1979)
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
127318
Legacy System:
LBS
Sources
Books and journals
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
End of official list entry
