Church of St Mary

Details

HUMBER CP HUMBER SO 55 NW 2/88 Church of St Mary 11.6.59 II* Parish church. Circa 1200, altered, probably mid-C13 and C14. Restored 1874-8 by T H Wyatt, and also in 1884. Sandstone rubble and tufa with dressings of the same materials. Plain tiled roofs with decorative ridge tiles and gable-end cross finials; the spire is shingled. West tower, four- bay nave with north transept and south porch, three-bay chancel. West tower: C14, restored in 1884 when belfry stage rebuilt. Two stages (divided into three storeys internally) with ashlar sill band to belfry stage. There is a cusped lancet in the west elevation of the lower stage and an ogee-arched light in the north and south elevations. The belfry stage has 2-light louvred bell-chamber openings and there is a splay-footed spire with a finial and weathervane. Nave: C13 or earlier. The north elevation has a pair of C19 cusped lancets and a blocked pointed doorway at its western end. From the easternmost two bays project the north transept, built in 1874. This is gabled and has three stepped cusped lancets beneath a hoodmould with returns at its north gable end. There is a cusped lancet in each side elevation, and in the western angle is a lean-to addition with a north doorway. The south elevation has a shallow pilaster buttress at the western end and three cusped lancets, all C19 except for parts of the jambs. The south porch is late C14, gabled and timber-framed on a sandstone base. The outer archway has heavy wall-posts, a chamfered arch-braced tie-beam with a shaped central strut, cusped principals and the bargeboards have traceried panelling. The inner archway is formed by a simpler arch-braced tie-beam truss with a V-strut and the two-bay roof has run-out stop chamfered purlins and cusped wind-braces. The upper part of the side elevations have 4-light chamfered mullioned open- ings, the outer openings are boarded and the central two have leaded lights. The C14 south doorway has chamfered jambs and a two-centred head. Chancel: at the east end are two restored round-headed windows of circa 1200 and there is a circular window in the gable apex enclosing a C19 quatrefoil. The north elevation has a C19 buttress with offsets and three lancets of circa 1200. The south elevation has a C19 buttress with offsets at the eastern end, three similar windows, one of which is C19 and an original restored doorway with chamfered jambs and a two-centred head. Interior: there is a narrow tower arch with a pointed head and a wide C19 pointed archway of two chamfered orders leading into the north transept with semi-circular responds. Chancel roof is probably C14 and has three king-post trusses with added mouldings and struts to the tie-beams. The nave has a C19 ashlared collar rafter-roof. The chancel has a stepped sill string and the fittings include a C15 moulded stone shelf, an early C14 chamfered piscina with a multi-cusped head and some late C17 panelling behind the altar. The font is C12, circular on a short circular stem with the upper face chamfered to form an octagon and with cable moulded necking above an incised chevron motif. The C19 pulpit incorporates two sides of late C17 panelling with a moulded cornice on moulded corbels and blind arcading between engaged columns. In the vestry in the west tower is a late C17 altar table with turned legs. Memorials: in the chancel is a memorial to Oliver Hughes, died 1671, with an open segmental pediment, scrolled border and coat of arms. Also six memorials at the west end of the nave mainly of late C18 and early C19 date, one of which has a husk border. (RCHM, Herefs III, p 72, item 1; BoE, p 197).

Listing NGR: SO5356656338

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

149651

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Inventory of Herefordshire III North West, (1934), 72
Pevsner, N, The Buildings of England: Herefordshire, (1963), 197

End of official list entry

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