Church of St Catherine

Details

SO 82 NE LEIGH CHURCH LANE (north side) 3/71 Church of St Catherine 4.7.60 GV I Parish Church. C13, C14, late C15, for Deerhurst Priory, minor alterations early C18, early C19, restored 1885. Random rubble blue lias, ashlar dressings; west face tower and base ashlar, ashlar bands at string courses; vestry plain render lined as ashlar; stone slate roof. Nave and chancel undivided, south transept, south porch, west tower, north vestry. South facade: 3-stage tower on left, diagonal buttresses, heavily-moulded plinth; moulded string course, blocked window, flat head, hoodmould with square stops, opening infilled rendered brick, covered diamond-set clock face. Moulded string course above: 2-light Perpendicular tracery window, stone louvres, hoodmould with circular stops, moulded string course with grotesques at corners and centre, crenellated parapet. Plinth returned on west wall of nave. Open, gabled porch a little to right, corner posts and cambered tie beam form 3-centred arch, curved struts over, decorative bargeboards. Sides framing below backed boarding on inside, open mullions above. Behind arched doorway, nook shafts, hoodmould, boarded door. Wall disturbed over porch. To right..2-light Perpendicular-tracery window, above jambs of blocked doorway. Slightly-projecting eaves course. Transept projects right: low plinth, left return disturbance from possibly blocked door, lancet with cinquefoil head in single stone; 2-light reticulated-tracery window in gable, parapet gable over with cross-gablet apex. Lancet with ogee head right return. Chancel south wall on right, blocked doorway, steeply-cambered head from single stone; blocked flat-headed window; buttress; window with ogee head and pierced spandrels. To right memorial tablet, to Rev. R. Huntington, died 1664, scrolled top; related to headstone below (q.v.). Heavy timber eaves. East end angled buttresses each side, low plinth, better squared stone. Three-light Perpendicular-tracery window, hoodmould; wall monument each side; parapet gable, cross on cross-gablet apex. North side: on left 2-light Perpendicular- tracery window, flat head; 2 buttresses forming part of vestry walls: boarded door on left return vestry, stone lintel, reset C13 lancet with trefoil head in gable. To right wide buttress with canted ashlar courses. Two 2-light Perpendicular windows, second with jamb of blocked doorway below. Between windows wall memorial to W. Lane, died 1726, rococo decoration, swept top, cherub's head below. Relates to Lane headstones adjoining, (q.v.). Eaves as south side. Tower as south, but with 2 slits to spiral stair, no other opening in second stage, carved heads as stops to hoodmould to belfry window. West face: plinth, boarded door with blind Perpendicular tracery to head, in moulded opening, 4-centred arch with rounded apex, hoodmould with large, square stops, decorated leaf and rose carving. Above 2-light window, Perpendicular tracery, angel stops to hoodmould: moulded string over, niche with headless figure of St. Catherine under projecting head, crocketed finial. Top stage as south. Interior: nave/chancel, walls plastered; with arches to transept and tower, former without capitals; 1885 glazed, traceried wooden screen in tower arch. Collar rafter roof, collar purlin, straight braces, ashlar pieces, isolated tie beams. Piscina in chancel, crocketed ogee head; plain head to that in transept. Corbels either side east window in transept, roof 1885 cross-braced collar rafter. Octagonal stone pulpit, blind tracery to sides, brass handrail to steps. Octagonal C15 stone font, quatrefoils on sides of bowl, plain stem. A little medieval glass in north window. Decalogue on 2 boards with bolection-moulded frames (1738), benefactions board (1773) in tower base. Rear pews C17, moulded top rail, plain ends, panelled backs. C17 and 1742 chests in vestry. Four marble monuments of early-mid C19 in chancel, one by Physick of London. C13 oldest remains, nave/chancel roof C13 or C14; transept added C14 (Decorated), tower late C15. Gallery inserted by 1735. 1885 restoration gallery and plaster ceiling removed (plaster forming barrel vault), transept reroofed, doors either side of nave blocked, new door cut and porch erected using C15 end of former north porch. (V.C.H. Gloucestershire, Vol VIII, 1968; D. Verey, Gloucestershire, The Vale and the Forest of Dean, 1970)

Listing NGR: SO8658725749

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

126612

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Verey, D, The Buildings of England: Gloucestershire 2 The Vale and The Forest of Dean, (1970)
Page, W, The Victoria History of the County of Gloucester, (1969)

End of official list entry

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