Details
SJ9223SW;
590-1/10/83
STAFFORD,
ST MARY'S GATE (west side)
Church of St Mary
16/01/51
GV
I
Former collegiate church. Early C13 nave and aisles; later C13
chancel and aisles; early C14 north transept; late C14 aisle
roofs; C15 clerestories to nave and north transept, and
crossing tower; extensively restored, and chancel south aisle,
south transept and crossing rebuilt by Sir Gilbert Scott,
1841-4.
MATERIALS: coursed squared stone with ashlar dressings; tile
roofs with fishscale bands and cresting to chancel south aisle
and south transept.
EXTERIOR: chancel has aisles under gabled roofs; deep plinth
and sill courses; shafted windows with hoods with stops; coped
gables with gargoyle to valley to left; C19 five-light east
window with Geometrical tracery. 4-bay chancel north aisle
cornice and coped parapet with gargoyles; 3-light windows with
Perpendicular tracery between offset buttresses and C19
four-light Early English east window. 4-bay chancel south
aisle has large gabled buttresses rising above cornice and
coped parapet; two C19 three-light Early English windows and
two 3-light windows with Geometrical tracery, one C19; end
turret with small broach spire; C19 three-light
segmental-pointed east window.
Tower has quatrefoils in square recesses and drip moulds with
large beast stops; angle gargoyles and C19 crocketed
pinnacles; octagonal top stage has paired 2-light louvred
bell-openings; tracery frieze, cornice with gargoyles and
panelled parapet with crocketed pinnacles, mostly C19. North
transept has deep plinth and shallow gabled roof, large
diagonal buttresses with short pinnacles to ends; C14 entrance
of four orders with ballflower and Tudor flower, 7-light north
window and 4-light west window with Decorated tracery; 3-light
east window with Perpendicular tracery; 3-bay clerestory with
3-light windows between Perpendicular panelling; cornice with
gargoyles and embattled parapet.
South transept has deep plinth and coped gable with cross,
large offset angle buttresses; stepped triplet of lancets with
narrow buttresses between lights and roundel to gable; C13
west lancet over low entrance. Nave has 5-bay clerestory with
3-light windows: details as to north transept; C13 shallow
buttresses; west entrance of 3 orders, hood with stops;
4-light west window. 4-bay north aisle has three C14
three-light windows between gabled buttresses and blocked C13
entrance, missing shafts; cornice with gargoyles and embattled
parapet; west lancet. 4-bay south aisle has similar cornice
and parapet; three C14 three-light windows; gabled buttress
and C19 gabled porch with gabled buttresses; entrance of 3
orders with foliate capitals, niche above with nodding ogee
canopy and statue of St Mary; 2-light straight-headed side
windows; inner entrance of two orders with stiff-leaf capitals.
INTERIOR: 5-bay chancel arcades on keeled quatrefoil columns;
C19 arch-braced roofs; chancel south aisle has west arch with
foliate capitals; restored double piscina. Crossing has
rebuilt arches of three orders with transitional capitals; C19
ceiling beams with dog-tooth moulding. North transept has
blind arcading with four diagonally set pinnacles to north wall;
C19 roof; arch to east filled with organ.
South transept has west arch with stiff-leaf capitals, three
lights to wall passage above and canted inner angle to right;
inner west lancet with passage between outer and inner
windows. Nave has 5-bay arcades on piers with demi-shafts,
with renewed Transitional capitals, C19 stenciling over
arches; rich C15 roof with moulded elements and bosses; over
east arch a blind arcade with two trefoil-headed lights and
opening above; former roof lines visible.
FITTINGS: chancel has Minton tiles; C19 stalls and rail; altar
and riddel posts; tiled east wall; C19 timber sedilia; north
aisle has C19 vestry partition to east and 1909 organ to west.
North transept has C15 octagonal stoup. Nave has c1200 font on
C19 base, quatrefoil form on plinth with lions and crouching
figures, figures to re-entrant angles and inscription to rim
and plinth; C19 pews with rich fleuron finials; C19 hexagonal
pulpit on post, with cusped ogee panels; organ to west end of
1789-90, extended, 1909 and moved to present position, 1974.
MONUMENTS: many C18 and C19 wall tablets, some floor slabs,
including two iron plates to Ann Gollins, d.1791, and John
Gollins, d.1805. North transept has ex-situ chest tomb to Sir
Edward Aston, d.1568, and wife Joan, twisted colonnettes and
figures to sides, 2 recumbent effigies, one damaged, and wall
tablet with inscription and armorial bearing; large wall
tablet in Gothick recess to Barbara Clifford, d.1786, and
husband Thomas, d.1787, by JF More, tablet with sarcophagus
above and obelisk with armorial bearing; a group of brass wall
tablets to north wall. South transept has rich wall tablet to
Humphrey Hodgetts, d.1730, with apron with cherubs and obelisk
with armorial bearing above. North aisle has 1878 wall tablet
to Izaak Walton, d.1683, in blocked entrance, with bust on
ledge by RC Bett.
STAINED GLASS: east window, 1844; north transept east window
by CE Kempe; very good nave west window, 1850, by Gerente;
north aisle west window, 1846, by Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin;
other C19 and C20 glass in north transept and south aisle.
A good example of a large parish church with important
restoration/rebuilding work by Sir Gilbert Scott and many good
memorials; the font is a notable example.
(Buildings of England: Pevsner N and Nairn J: Staffordshire:
London: 1974, 240-3; Victoria County History of
Staffordshire: Greenslade M W: A History of Stafford: London:
1979-: 242-5; Shell Guides: Henry Thorold: Staffordshire:
London: 1978-: 152-3; Fisher M J M.A. Rev: A Guide to St
Mary's: Stafford).
Listing NGR: SJ9213523203
