Stoke Climsland Church

Details

STOKE CLIMSLAND SX 37 SE 8/175 Stoke Climsland Church (dedication unknown) 22.11.60 (Formerly listed as Parish Church of All Saints)

GV II Anglican Parish Church. C15 remodelling of C13 church with later alterations restored 1860. Mainly granite blocks with some slate shale slab rebuilding to west end of north aisle and regularly coursed and dressed grey stone rubble to 2 centre bays of north aisle, graded slate roofs with coped verges, small Maltese crosses to several gables and C19 foliated cross to east gable end of south aisle. Nave; aisles; west tower and south porch. Tower: very similar to that at Church of St Brochus. Lezant CP (qv) . Late C15 in 3 stages with moulded plinth, chamfered string courses and set-back buttresses. Moulded cornice, embattled parapet and octagonal corner turrets with crocketed corner pinnacles rising above false battle- ments. Belfry has slate-louvred 4-centred window with 3 cinquefoil headed lights and cusped apexes to each side; diamond-shaped clock to second stage on south. West side has 4-light window with intersecting panel tracery and directly above moulded pointed doorway with quatrefoils to spandrels and dripmould. South aisle: Buttressed in 6 bays, 2 eastern windows closely spaced, 4-centred arches with 3 cinquefoil-headed lights and cusped apexes. Canted staircase projection for former rood screen, lit by narrow rectangular slit opening, to west has three C19 windows to left, 2 to right with panel tracery in 3 lights and one to left with intersecting tracery, all with hoodmoulds. Gabled porch to left has double chamfered pointed outer arch with slate sun-dial above, inscribed "T H BRII4ACOMBE/A KELLY/CHURCH WARDENS/1834." Richly moulded pointed inner doorway has nail-studded and panelled door. Grave slab to Thomas Calvert (d 1781), who in 1746 "first introduced into this church four part Psalmody." Fixed to internal west wall. Ceiled waggon roof with bosses at intersections. West wall of aisle has C19 three-light Decorated-style window and east wall has C15 window with intersecting panel tracery and hoodmould. North aisle: also buttressed in 6 bays with 2 casement windows similar to those in 2 east bays of south aisle; 2 centre windows are C16 of 3 segmental-headed lights/those to west rather more pointed) with hollow spandrels and dripstones. 2 west bays are blind. 3-light C19 Decorated-style window in rebuilt west wall and C15 window with intersecting panel tracery in 5-lights to east end. Chancel. South side has C19 square-headed 3-light window. Infilled round-headed double arch in angle with south aisle, possibly marking the position of a former squint between them, is moulded to chancel. C19 Decorated-style east window with hoodmould and head-stops. North side has C16 three-light segmental-headed window like those in north aisle but with blind quatrefoils to spandrels; cuts through infilled doorway beneath. Interior: Ceiled waggon roof with bosses at intersections has 5 rails to nave and 3 to chancel, junction marked by C19 angels to billet-moulded wall-plate although there is no structural division, chancel comprising 2 eastern bays of arcades plus sanctuary. Roof painted to chancel. Ceiled waggon roofs to aisles, painted to east end. Arcades in 6 bays, east responds mid-C13 with moulded polyphant capitals and bases; 2 eastern bays late C15 with granite moulded segmental arches on clustered columns with moulded capitals and bases, similar to those at church of St Brochus, Lezant CP and Church of St Michael, Lawhitton Rural CP (qv). 4 western bays are double-chamfered and probably early C15; square piers with 4 attached demi-shafts having moulded capitals and bases. Whole 4 bays of polyphant on south side, of granite to north, except for capitals and bases of polyphant. 4-centred tower arch has clustered responds with moulded capitals and bases; segmental-headed doorway to internal stair turret in north-west corner. Cinquefoil- headed piscina and credence shelf in south wall of chancel and aumbry to left of high altar in east wall. Ledged recess directly below south chancel window. Doorways to staircase (surviving) and loft of former rood screen in south aisle. Fittings and furnishings late C19 and later, including plain octagonal font. Mid-C19 stained glass in chancel. Monuments: 2 rustic wall memorials in classical style at west end of arcades, north to John Hawton (d. 1651), south to Robert Kniht (d. 1651). North aisle, north wall: George Lampen (d. 1724); Corinthian pilasters marking inscription panel with segmental pediment surmounted by armorial device: 2 late C17 wall memorials, one in the form of acartouche commemorating John Knapman (d. 1689). Also 3 substantial slate memorial slabs, possibly originally from one monument, one commemorating John Bagwell, Rector of Stoke Climsland and chaplain to James I, (d. 1623): he is represented kneeling with hands clasped on a lectern on which is an open Bible or Prayer Book. Behind him Death, depicted as a skeleton with a scythe, is about to shoot a dart into him, both figures set within a round-headed arch; armorial device to centre and inscription to left. Another without inscription of date shows husband and wife and 2 kneeling children and third commemorates Clara and Maria Harington (d. 1605): 2 kneeling figures, one to each arch of 2-bay round-headed pilastered arcade. Figure of Death (skeleton with darts) in spandrel with armorial shield above. BOE p.216.

Listing NGR: SX3605174386

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

394362

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Pevsner, N, The Buildings of England: Gloucestershire: The Cotswolds, (1970), 216

End of official list entry

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