Details
SP 0315 WITHINGTON WITHINGTON VILLAGE
8/170 Church of St. Michael
26.1.61
GV I
Anglican parish church. C12, C13, early C14, C15, restoration and
minor additions by David Brandon 1872. Coursed squared and
dressed limestone. Vestry; ashlar, stone slate roof. Plan;
nave with projecting porch on south, central tower with chapel on
south chancel with vestry on north. Chancel rebuilt C13. C12
corbel table reused from former nave, with grotesque animal and
beast's heads on north and south sides. South wall (from left to
right) trefoil-headed lancet, C19 plank priest's door with
decorative hinges within flat-chamfered pointed surround, scroll-
moulded hood. Three-light hollow-chamfered stone-mullioned window
with cinquefoil headed lights and Tudor-arched head with rosette
stops right. Perpendicular 5-light east window. Trefoil-headed
lancet in nave north wall. Vestry lit by C19 trefoil-headed
lancets, trefoil light towards apex of gable,. Three stage tower,
lower stage C12, second (containing clock) C13, third stage C15.
North side of tower buttressed and rebuilt at bottom c1840.
Former access to tower from inside tower altered to external access
via plank door up 5 stone steps within buttressing. Tall round-
headed light to left of doorway. Pointed window with hood to
second stage; now blocked with lancet inserted in blocking,
similar lancets in 3 other faces of tower. Five-light belfry
windows with stone louvres and Perpendicular tracery to third stage
each with crocketted ogee head. Corner pilasters with sunken
panelling continued up to form pinnacles. Strings between stages
and below embattlemented parapet. Nave C13 with C15 clerestorey.
Stepped plinth to nave north wall. C12 north door with chevron
moulding over plain tympanum. Five 3-light clerestorey windows
with cinquefoil heads to each light, pilasters between windows
continued up through parapet with finials. Three-light
Perpendicular west window replacing C12 round headed windows (still
visible either side of present window) and cutting C12 sill course.
Nave south wall; 3-light Perpendicular window with stepped
mullions far right, remains of moulded plinth below, incorporating
slatestone monument to Robert Whitterne died 1667 and Robert
Whitterne, died 1712. Remains of lid from infant's stone coffin
with carved cross left. Clerestorey as on north side. C13 south
porch with angle buttresses and pointed flat-chamfered entrance
with C19 double doors with balusters. C14 south transept with
small angle buttresses. Decorated 3-light south window with
trefoil-headed lights, trefoils and dagger tracery. Hollow-
moulded, stone-mullioned trefoil-headed light with carved spandrels
in left-hand wall, similar 2-light window in right-hand wall.
Moulded capping to nave parapet, stepped gable end coping to nave
and south chapel with cross finials.
Interior inside porch; flat-chamfered stone bench seats, C20 plank
door within fine C12 round-headed surround with 3 orders of
chevron, one enriched with flowers and a hoodmould with daisies
ending in beast-head stops, two jamb shafts with carved and
scalloped capitals. Scraped interior. Blocked round headed C12
north door opposite. Pointed west tower arch of 3 orders with
restored or rebuilt C12 piers comprising 3 engaged columns. South
and east tower arches with double chamfered arches. Two blocked
pointed windows visible in nave north wall above mutilated string,
one similar opening visible in south wall. Blocked flat-chamfered
doorway to former rood screen upper left of chancel arch. Blocked
doorway with shouldered surround to former tower stairs at north-
west corner of tower. C12 chevron ornament reused to form rere-
arch, trefoil-headed lancet left of altar within chancel. Five-
bay roof to nave with C19 roof trusses comprising tie beam with
brattishing and 4 petal flower decoration, braced from below from
foliate stone corbels. King post from centre of tie beam. C19-C2a
roof to chancel with multiple collar beam trusses with curving
arch-like bracing. Cl9-C20 scissor-braced roof to south chapel.
Restored C14 niche, probably an Easter sepulchre within south wall
of nave with pierced cusping to opening, ballflower ornament and
pinnacles either side, crocketted gable and engaged finial.
Headstone, removed from churchyard within recess to 'HONEST JHON
STOCKWELL WHO DIED OF THE PLAGUE, 1665'. Small defaced C15 piscina
with credence shelf left, indicating former presence of nave altar.
Defaced piscina with pointed arched recess in south chapel.
Recess to hold small lead cistern with hole to draw water in north
wall of chancel left of altar. C19 coloured mosaic frieze under
east window. Furniture and fittings; octagonal font (probably
post Reformation) inside south door. C19 stone pulpit with blind
cinquefoil-headed panels at north-west corner of nave. C19 pews.
Monuments: fine monument to Sir John Howe of Cassey Compton (q.v.)
and his wife by Edward Marshall in south wall of nave towards west
end; marble with 3 painted heraldic shields at top, 2-bay niche
containing half-length figures of Sir John and his wife flanked by
Corinthian columns. Effigies of 5 sons and 3 daughters kneeling
in prayer below. Inscription plaque below. Stone monument to
Gilbert Osborne, Rector of Withington, died 1656; limestone,
formerly with highlights in gold and black, single female figures
either side of inscription plaque, segmental pediment above with
mourning figures either side of heraldic shield. Putti either
side of urn at bottom. Monuments within tower; monument to
Gilbert Osborne, died 1646. Limestone with scrollwork around
tablet and heraldic shield at top. Simple limestone monument to
Thomas Musto, died 1684. Brass plaque to Elizabeth Thornburgh,
died 1627 at south-west corner. Four C19 marble monuments. C15
stone effigy of priest in full vestments on south side of chancel.
C19 stained glass in east window and in south chapel. Fragments of
C15 coloured glass in nave west window. (David Verey, The
Buildings of England: The Cotswolds, (1979).
Listing NGR: SP0311415623
