Details
ST54SE CROSCOMBE CP CHURCH STREET (East side)
14/28 Church of St Mary the Virgin
2.6.61
GV I
Anglican Parish Church. Predominantly C15/C16; C19 restoration. Ashlar, lead sheeting roofs, coped verges, cruciform
finials. Nave, chancel, north and south aisles clasping the latter, the south with a 2-storey meeting room at its west
end, north aisle with a transeptal chapel, now a vestry, west tower, south porch. Perpendicular. Three-stage west
tower, diagonal buttresses, pinnacles, embattled parapet, gargoyles, niches with figures, recessed stone spire with a
band of blind arcading, 2-light bell-chamber windows with louvres; clock to south side; low turret to ringing chamber;
2-light west window, west door. Nave with a crenellated parapet with pinnacles, gargoyles; continuous over chancel;
clerestory stage with 3-light cambered head windows, 3 to nave, one beyond the chancel arch. Aisle parapets with blind
foiled niches, similar continuing over porch, meeting room and north chapel, further gargoyles. Four bay aisles with
buttresses, large 3-light windows, north and south doorways; north aisle with a rood turret. South porch with a shafted
C13 door opening. Meeting room with 2-light windows to first floor, barred openings to ground floor; chapel with 2
cusped lancets; small 3-light window to each side of chancel, 5-light east window. Particularly well furnished
interior; plastered, flag floors; 5 bay arcade to north and south aisles, piers with 4 shaft-mouldings; tower arch of 3
recessed orders; chancel arch on corbels. C15 wagon roof to nave with bosses; restored lean-to roofs to aisles, that to
south on elaborate corbels; C17 tie-bean roof to chancel on angel corbels; fan vault under tower, vestry with a ribbed
tunnel vault. C14 piscina with a cusped head; entrance to rood loft; C19 stone reredos with a medieval tablet inset to
each side. Much woodwork the gift of the Fortesque family, particularly the 2-tiered arcaded screen with attached
paired readers, obelisk finials, strapwork, heraldic shields, and set over all the coloured archievenent of Stuart arms
in a carved frame with a cornice and strapwork cresting; pulpit with a sounding board of 1616; many C17 box pews,
further C15 pews with carved ends and poppy finials later altered to box pews. Stone tablet with archievment to north
chancel wall; 3 futher C18 and 10 C19 monuments; 2 brasses to Bisse family in south aisle of 1606 and 1625. Octagonal
lead-lined font, probably C14. Branch dated 1707, futher large C18 branch. C19 wooden plaque to north aisle
commemorating 2 charities. Two C17 chairs and an elaborate chest. C19 stained glass to chancel and under tower, east
window of south aisle of 1925 though some medieval glass to sub-lights. Peal of 6 bells, earliest 1613i organ dated
1837. (Pevsner N, Buildings of England, North Somerset and Bristol, 1958).
Listing NGR: ST5906544414
