Details
KEMPLEY KEMPLEY VILLAGE
SO 62 NE
8/135 Church of St. Edward the
Confessor
GV II*
Parish church. 1902-'3, by Randall Wells for Lord Beauchamp.
Roughly squared stone, ashlar dressings, stone generally red, white
for main windows; pantile roof. Nave and chancel, north tower
over porch, vestry, chapel and store. North, entrance elevation:
tower right of centre: recessed surround to doorway, 4-sided head,
relieving arch voussoirs over. Above with recess, roll moulding
to edge, nearly semi-circular head, radiating voussoirs over,
containing low relief figure of Christ, against background of
cross, vine and grapes. Twin lancets above, stone louvres,
slightly projecting triangular heads, radiating voussoirs above:
slit in apex of gable. Parapet gable. Left and right returns, 2
paired lancets, louvred, low, triangular heads, immediately below
slightly-projecting eaves course. To right, low, slightly set
back; 2-light mullioned window, flat head, leaded lights: slightly-
projecting eaves course: parapet gable. To left, flush with
tower: similar window, triangular buttress, similar 3-light window
and single light, with triangular buttress between: slightly
scalloped projecting eaves course. East end: 2 gables, lower on
right, with slit window, scattered projecting stones, small stone
cross on gable. Large stone bowl as rain-water head between
gables. On left, large recess with polygonal top; low relief
Christ on the cross with St. Mary and St. John: head slightly
projecting, relieving arch over. Scattered projecting stones up
line of gable, parapet, small stone cross on apex. South side,
low wall, 4 triangular buttresses; near right end mansard gable
with triple projecting verge, pair triangular-headed windows;
projecting stone on right with groove in top: plain projecting
eaves course. West wall, main, right gable with a great window,
with triangular head, plain hoodmould, radiating voussoirs above,
infilled diagonal stone grille. To left, stone bowl as rain-water
head: smaller gable slightly set back: boarded door on right,
slightly inclined jambs; parapets to both gables.
Interior: porch: stone paved floor, bench on right. Double door
to church, each leaf a single board, iron hinges, flat head, sides
slightly inclined at top: roll moulding to arris. On left
boarded door in chamfered surround. Moulded string course, wall
painted above. Above double door shallow recess with scalloped
edge, Virgin and Child in low relief: slit angled to north-west on
right. Five bay church, structurally undivided: 2 bays chancel.
Painted stone walls, collar, scissor-braced trusses, 2 pairs
purlins with curved braces between, square ridge. Rood screen
lower collar with straight bracing above and below, upper collar
cross-piece of cross: carved, painted figures of Christ, St. John
and St. Mary. Low relief carving on truss of tendrils, fruit and
leaves, with chamfered arrisses as on waggon sides, all coloured.
Semi-circular headed piscina. On left door and window to chapel,
with polygonal heads. Chapel painted stone walls, moulded stone
cornice, pointed concrete barrel vault with slight ridge along
centre of each side. Central tie beam: trefoil head to east slit
window. Semi-octagonal pulpit, with reused Jacobean panels;
spiral columns on panelled bases either side communion table,
acanthus consoles over carrying canopy with timber cornice.
Simply-shaped ends to oak pews. Circular stone font, wavy edge to
bowl, on stem with moulded base. Pews by Gloucester Joinery
Company, ironwork by S. Smallman, the local blacksmith, stone
carving by W. James, save over entrance jointly with Randall Wells.
Originally stone slate roof. Forms group with Lych Gate (q.v.).
Built as chapel-of-ease to St. Mary's, Kempley, (q.v.): became
parish church in late C20.
(P. Davey, Arts and Crafts Architecture, 1980; D. Verey,
Gloucestershire, The Vale and the Forest of Dean, 1970.)
Listing NGR: SO6712829609
