Church of St Mary

Details

TM 23 NW SHOTLEY CHURCH WALK

3/58 Church of St Mary

22/2/55

- II*

Parish church. C15 south porch, dressed flint and ashlar. C16 red brick parapet. C13/C14 nave, flint and red brick. C14 north and south aisles, roughcast and plastered. Chancel dated 1745 on south doorway keystone, roughcast. Old base to west tower with probably C18/C19 timber framed and roughcast bell turret built on hipped red tiled roof. Grey slate nave roof, red tiled chancel roof. Chancel: Buttressed at eastern angles. The stone Venetian east window with keystone, pilastered side lights with frieze and cornice, is set into a recessed round-headed arch with moulded label. Below is a much worn plaque on brackets. North and South walls each with 2 round-headed windows, keystones and imposts. Stone south doorway, moulded round-headed arch, keystone dated 1745, Aston family crest over, moulded open pediment on console brackets. The rebuilding of the chancel was by the rector, Hon Henry Hervey who took his wife's family name of Aston. Central north vestry of red brick with hipped red tiled roof and C20 small paned vertically sliding sash windows to east and north faces. Nave: Seven clerestory windows to north and south walls, each of 3 trefoiled lights, moulded 4-centred heads, label and band continues through each face. South Aisle: Moulded parapet, angle buttresses. East wall, western and easternmost south wall windows of 2 lights, 2-centred heads Y-tracery, probably C19, western window of 2 trefoiled lights, quatrefoil over, 2-centred head and label, restored. North Aisle: 2 central and angle buttresses. The 2 easternmost and north wall windows each of two trefoiled lights, quatrefoils over, 2-centred heads and labels, western window of 2 lights, Y-tracery 2-centred head and label, restored. North doorway blocked, moulded 2-centre arch and label. South porch, red brick crenellation and bands: Flint and ashlar buttresses, moulded plinth. Moulded 2-centre arch doorway, the outer order continuous, the inner resting on polygonal shafts with moulded capitals and bases, moulded label and square head with carved flowers, worn ? lion stops, worn carving to spandrels, panelled door. Each return wall with a window of 3 trefoiled graduated lights, tracery over, moulded segmental heads and labels. South door, chamfered 2-centred arch, fragment of moulded label over. West Tower: Belfry, north, south and west walls with louvred, pointed head timber openings, similar small opening to first stage of west wall. Interior: South Porch: Cambered roof, stop chamfered principals, central wall posts on stone corbels. Stone flag floor. Stoup to east of doorway. The chancel retains its fine circa 1745 interior. Barrel-vaulted ceiling panel, plastered with moulded wall plates, ceiling rose and semi-circular end panels each with 3 cherubs and clouds. Black and white floor paving. Carved wood 5-panel reredos, enriched borders, dentilled and moulded cornice, central semi- circular pediment, 5 draped urn finials, swags above and below the painted boards of Moses, Aaron, Lords Prayer, Creed and Exodus. Communion table with carved cabriole legs. Three sided altar rails with turned balusters, moulded base and rail on stone base. Panelled dado. Panelled north and south doors. Moulded and panelled wood semi-circular chancel arch, the jambs with capitals and bases, garlands and patera to pilasters, rusticated keystone to east face, crowned shield of arms with animal supporters. Floor slab, S Forster D.D 24.7.1843. Wall plaque Samual Forster and Elizabeth his wife, 1843 and 1807. Nave: Fine double hammer- beam roof of 7 bays. Moulded and crenellated wall plates with carved roses and fleur-de-lys. Moulded and crenellated hammer-beams, solid moulded arched braces, tracery to lower spandrels. Moulded arch braced wall posts. Moulded and crenellated collars, king posts and ridge-board. Tracery over collars. Solid braces to moulded side purlins. Stone and red tiled floors. Colourwashed walls. Wooden semi- octagonal pulpit, pierced and traceried panels. Panelled wood reading desk. Brass lectern. C19 pews, quatrefoiled end panels. Narrow chamfered 2-centred west tower arch of 3 orders, the inner 2 resting on polygonal shafts with moulded capitals and bases. Painted Royal Arms board over, lower part blocked by recessed wall with C18 doorway, moulded pediment on console brackets, 8-panel door. North and south arcades each of 5 bays, sunk chamfered 2-centred arches, octagonal columns with moulded capitals and bases. North aisle, lean-to roof of 10 bays. Only 4 bays with original timbers, 5 bosses at intersections. Organ case with cusped and crocketed head, crenellated returns, presented circa 1858, said to have at one time been a barrel organ but now with keyboard. South aisle, lean-to roof of 10 bays, only one original wall post and principal timber remain. 1907 stained glass memorial window to 3rd Marquis of Bristol. Piscina, south east corner, trefoiled head, round drain. C20 simple octagonal font. Chamfered 4-centred heads to clerestory windows. N Pevsner, Suffolk, 1961. St Mary's Church, Shotley. A Short Guide, Unnamed and undated (1987).

Listing NGR: TM2370136021

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

277510

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
St Mary's Church Shotley A Short Guide, (1987)
Pevsner, N, The Buildings of England: Suffolk, (1961)

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.