Church of St Mary

CHURCH OF ST MARY, RIVER CLOSE

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Overview

Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
II*
List Entry Number:
1162875
Date first listed:
05-Feb-1952
List Entry Name:
Church of St Mary
Statutory Address:
CHURCH OF ST MARY, RIVER CLOSE
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Location

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Date:
2003-02-27
Reference:
IOE01/09848/06
Rights:
© Mr Peter Tree. Source: Historic England Archive

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
II*
List Entry Number:
1162875
Date first listed:
05-Feb-1952
List Entry Name:
Church of St Mary
Statutory Address 1:
CHURCH OF ST MARY, RIVER CLOSE

The scope of legal protection for listed buildings

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

The scope of legal protection for listed buildings

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

Location

Statutory Address:
CHURCH OF ST MARY, RIVER CLOSE

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

County:
Cambridgeshire
District:
East Cambridgeshire (District Authority)
Parish:
Mepal
National Grid Reference:
TL 44066 81106

Details

TL 48 SW MEPAL RIVER CLOSE
(East side)

3/27 CHURCH OF ST MARY
5.2.52
II*

Parish church. C13 with restorations of 1849, 1876 and 1905 by Carbe. Field
and rubblestone with limestone dressings. Plain tiled roof with crested ridge
tiles and restored end parapets. West end of nave has double bellcote under a
gable with vesica opening to the spandrel. The bellcote is carried on three
carved stone corbels. Plan of nave and chancel. Nave has diagonal
buttressing to south west and north west corners and a restored west window of
a single light in a pointed arch and moulded label and stops. C19 gabled
porch has two-centred outer arch with label and stops and diagonal
buttressing. The inner arch is two centred and chamfered. The chancel has
two C13 lancets in the south wall with modern labels. As in the west wall,
there is reused moulded stone in part of this wall. Rebuilt east window of
three lights with similar stops. North wall also has two C13 lancets.
Interior: West wall has original deep splay to lancet window and similar
splays to paired lancets in nave south wall. The north window openings have
modern rear openings. Two centred chancel arch of two chamfered orders on
chamfered responds with moulded capitals. C19 organ bay and vestry on west
side of nave. Original rear arches to two lancets in north and south chancel
walls each. Piscina, C13, of two bays each in two centred arch. Font: C13,
square bowl with chamfered courses on modern stem and base. Wall monument on
west wall James Fortrey (d.1719), son of Samuel Fortrey, of Fortreys Hall,
Byal Fen, in Chatteris parish. James was page of honour to Mary of Modena,
Duchess of York and wife of James II. He was also Groom of the Bedchamber to
James II.

Pevsner: Buildings of England p441
VCH: Cambs Vol IV


Listing NGR: TL4406681106

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:
49556
Legacy System:
LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Salzman, L F, The Victoria History of the County of Cambridgeshire and the Isle of Ely, (1953)
Pevsner, N, The Buildings of England: Cambridgeshire, (1954), 441

Legal

This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.

Ordnance survey map of Church of St Mary

Map

This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 13-Jun-2026 at 18:46:45.

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© Crown copyright [and database rights] 2026. OS AC0000815036. Use of this mapping is subject to Terms and Conditions.

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.

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