Details
ST20NE WAMBROOK CP WAMBROOK VILLAGE
ILLAGE
7/127 Church of St Mary
4. 2,58
GV II*
Parish church. C13 in origin, C15 nave rebuilt and porches added, bell-tower extant by 1405, 1812 chancel rebuilt
except south wall, roof and upper walls of nave renewed, vestry added, church restored and refitted; 1932 south porch
roof restored to the design of Herbert Read, 1963 south porch converted to chapel, north porch closed and entrance via
west door of tower; tower undergoing restoration at time of survey (October 1985). Random rubble chert stone, west face
of tower squared and coursed chert banded and dressed limestone, Ham stone dressings, slate roofs, plain clay tile to
chancel, coped verges, west tower with north-east stair turret, 3-bay aisless nave, north and south porches now
blocked, entry via west tower, north-east vestry and chancel. Crenellated 3-stage tower with setback buttresses rising
almost to parapet, 2-light louvred bell-openings, continuous hoodmould to 3-light best window resting on Ham stone
pierces quatrefoil decorative string, Tudor arch head doorway; C19 door: on north face below bell-opening 2-light
trefoil- headed window with quatrefoil pierced panels, (one missing at tide of survey); polygonal stair turret rising
above tower. south front of nave 4-light Tudor arch head mullion window left of single storey gabled porch flanked by
stepped buttresses to nave wall, moulded arch head blocked doorway opening with inserted 3-light window, to right
3-light cinquefoil headed mullioned window, stepped buttress to nave, 2-light window and lancet to unbuttressed
chancel, 3-light east window, lancet on-north face, vestry with lancet on east face, 2-light window on north face with
chimney in gable end, door on west front, small rood stair light with 4-centred arch head, 3-light cinquefoil- headed
mullioned window left of former porch flanked by stepped buttresses against nave wall, hoodmould of original entrance
remains, inserted C20 2- light window, nave unlit to right. Handsome cast-iron rainwater pipes c1812, Interior:
rendered; remains of colour on jambs of north-east nave window. C19 Perpendicular-style chancel arch with low wall and
4 steps down to nave; hollow wave moulded chancel arch; former south doorway to nave with chamfered columns, mutilated
inmost and Norman arch; C19 arch to former north entrance.Unexplained infill with pointed top at junction of north
wall with stair turret. Chamfered Tudor arch head stiar turret door way. C19 roofs; very shallow wagon roof to chancel,
ribbed and boarded over sanctuary with moulded Ham stone wallplate; nave shallow ribbed wagon roof; south porch wagon
roof ribbed with wallplate and carved bosses restored 1932. West gallery in tower carried on cast iron columns with
decorative capitals, Cl9 wooden balustrade. Some C15 ends reset. Pulpit composed of liienfold panelling of uncertain
age. Octagonal C13 font with C17 flat ribbed cover. Painted latin inscriptions on pieces of wood in chancel, thought to
be cautions to medieval wallpaintings of the Passion now vanished. royal Coat of Arms (Queen Anne) dated 1703 and
subsequently repainted. Collection of C19 memorial tablets of members of the Beviss family, white marble and slate; 2
signed by Stephens of Exeter, one by Fentiman, Taunton. Decorative C19 leading to all windows, some medieval glass in
north wall of chancel, Wooden bier with rubber wheels in tower. Bells (i) and (ii) 1892 John Warner and Sons, London,
recast from the C15 tenor bell, (iii) and (iv) early C14 Bristol foundry, (v) early C16 Thomas Jeffries Bristol, the
church is mentioned as a chapel 1215-20, In the 1560s the roof was thatched and shingled but was leaded by 1613,
Proposals for a rebuilding of the fabric in 1860 was not executed. (VCH Vol IV, 1978)
Listing NGR: ST2939407707
