Details
SK 57 SE CUCKNEY NORTON LANE
(West side)
8/56 Church of St.Mary
30.11.66
G.V. I
Parish church. C12, C13, mid C13, C15, C16, restored 1667, 1892
and 1907. Dressed coursed rubble and ashlar, some brick. Slate
roofs. Stone coped nave with kneelers and single ridge cross.
Tower, nave, north aisle, north vestry, chancel and south porch.
The embattled tower with 4 crocketted pinnacles and 7 worn
gargoyles is set on a plinth with a heavy moulded band over.
There is a string course at the juncture of the 2 stages, the top
stage being ashlar. The first C12 stage with ashlar quoins has a
clasping stair turret at the south west corner with single
rectangular lights and single round tie plates to the west and
south. The arched west doorway with inner chamfered arch and
wooden door has a hood mould. Above, under a flat head, is a C16
2-light window with single stone mullion, probably replacing an
arched opening. There is a single round tie plate with 2 similar
tie plates on the north side. Above, to south and west, are
single C20 clock faces. In the bell chamber are 4 arched, mid
C13, double 2-light openings with hood moulds. The south and
east have single decorative shaped openings in the spandrel. Over
all the bell chamber openings are single cross tie plates.
Abutting the west wall of the north aisle is a lean-to with
ashlar quoins and arched doorway with wooden door in the north
wall. The buttressed north aisle with stone coping and kneelers
to the west and east has a single C16 window under a flat head.
To the left is a single C16 2-light window with flush quoin
surround, single stone mullion and flat head, a single part
blocked opening now containing a casement with traceried head and
hood mould over and 3 C16 2-light windows with flush quoin
surrounds, single stone mullions and flat heads. The clerestorey
has 6 similar, smaller 2-light windows. The vestry has some red
brick and a single protruding ashlar stack. There is a single
window with 3 arched lights with stone mullions under a flat
head. The stone coped east wall with kneeler has a single
similar window. The stone coped chancel with kneelers is set on
a plinth and has clasping buttresses. In a larger, now blocked
opening, is a single arched window with 4 arched lights, panel
tracery and hood mould. Under is a string course which extends
around the north and south chancel walls. Inscribed over the
window is "Rebuilt 1892" and above, "1667". The south chancel
wall has a central doorway with chamfered arch and hood mould
flanked by single arched C15 windows each with 3 arched lights,
panel tracery and hood mould. There is evidence of an earlier
opening to the right. The south nave wall is buttressed and set
on a plinth with heavy moulded band over. There are 3 C15 arched
windows each with 3 lights, tracery and hood mould. There are 5
round tie plates and 3 gargoyles. Between the western most
windows is the C13 porch set on a plinth with clasping
buttresses, decorative eaves band and impost band. The arched
entrance has 2 engaged columns with worn and restored stiff leaf
capitals. The arch over is decorated with remnants of nailhead,
there is a similarly decorated hood mould with worn head label
stops. Over is a sundial. The inner C12 doorway has an inner
order of chevron to jambs and arch and an outer order of thick
cable motif, with hood mould and mythical head label stops.
Over is an incised circle and cross. There is a double wooden
door. The west wall has remnants of a decorated capital. In the
north east corner is a stone stoup. Interior. The C13 6 bay
nave arcade with double chamfered semi-circular arches with C20
steel supports, has at the west a circular respond and a single
circular column, both with octagonal capitals, to the east are 2
quatrefoil plan columns with moulded capitals and finally 2
octagonal columns and respond with moulded capitals. The double
chamfered tower arch with inner arch supported on corbels has a
restored screen under with remnants of C15 panel tracery. Above
is evidence of heightening. The arch is flanked by single round
tie plates. The chamfered chancel arch is supported on octagonal
responds. The chancel/organ chamber has a double chamfered arch,
with inner arch supported on corbels decorated with billet type
moulding. The north vestry doorway has a chamfered arch. The
south chancel wall has a piscina with dog tooth and nailhead
moulding to jambs and arch. Under the east window is a string
course with evidence of different window openings. The south
doorway has remnants of label stops. The interior north aisle
windows are arched. In the north aisle is a stone stoup
decorated with dog tooth. In the nave is a C17 oak chest with
iron fittings. The font and furniture are early C20. On the
east and south nave walls are single floral design C18 candle
holders. In the nave floor is a worn slab of black marble,
reputed to be the tomb of Robert Pierrepont, c.1643.
Listing NGR: SK5663071392