Church of St Mary

Details

ST BRIAVELS CHURCH STREET SO 50 SE (north side) 6/133 Church of St Mary (previously listed as 7.8.54 Church of St Briavel) GV I Anglican parish church. C12, C13 and C19. Mainly sandstone rubble, but tower and chancel in coursed and dressed sandstone, stone tile roofs to coped verges, but south aisle lead covered. Nave, north and south aisles, tower over south porch, north and south transepts and chancel. Tower of 1830 to designs of John Briggs, a builder, in 3 stages with diagonal offset buttresses, the northern two of which break through the wall of the south aisle and appear partly within that aisle, central pointed south door, with commemorative panel of 1904 over, 2-light Y-tracery opening over string, then square stone clock-face flanked by lancets under 2-light belfry opening with Y-tracery and louvres, simple crenellation, other faces similar but no clock. South side has lancets over 2-light and 1-light windows, ogee cusped light to rood stair; 3-light to south transept, the C19 chancel rebuilt with 1-light and 2-light with plate tracery to south, 3-light plate tracery with sexfoil and small quatrefoils, east; north side with 2-light plate tracery and a lean-to vestry. North transept has battered strengthening to the north wall, and a 3-light window similar to that in south transept. North aisle with 3 windows of C14 pattern, between 2 buttresses, the roof swept to that of nave; west front, a 2-light C19 window with cinquefoil over. Interior: 5-bay Norman south arcade with round columns to square abaci, 4-bay early English north arcade with octagonal columns and moulded caps to a hollow necking, double chamfer arches, C19 scissors roof, south triforium has 4 small deep-splayed lancets - the triforium wall running behind and clear of the rebuilt tower. South aisle has two diagonal buttresses from base of tower, and a glazed opening, of 1971, giving to rood stair, north aisle is very narrow. The heavy Norman crossing remains, although the tower has disappeared, with attached Norman columns, 4 of which have plain caps, and 4 with carved decoration; arches with double roll mould and heavily chamfered inner order. Arches from aisles to transepts richly moulded, the south transept has a cinquefoil cusped early C14 tomb recess with coffin in recess with early tall-flower decoration and several other monuments; north transept is mainly filled by the organ. Chancel, rebuilt 1861, has 2-seat sedilia in inner arch, and a stopped scissor roof truss; chancel approached by 2 + 3 steps. Floors generally stone, but some concrete slab in nave and aisles and tile to chancel. At the west end of the south aisle is a free-standing monument with 2 recumbent Elizabethan figures, 3 kneeling children, and some loose classical fragments. The font is of unusual design, with a round bowl on 16 horizontal extended lobes, set to moulding over a shaft and octagonal base; a Norman design. (D Verey, Gloucestershire: the Vale and the Forest of Dean, 1970).

Listing NGR: SO5586204648

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

354490

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Verey, D, The Buildings of England: Gloucestershire 2 The Vale and The Forest of Dean, (1970)

End of official list entry

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