Parish Church of St Mary

Details

TL 61 SW HIGH EASTER THE STREET (west side)

3/60 Parish Church of 20/2/67 St. Mary

GV I

Parish church. C12, C13, C14, C15, C16 and C19. Walls of flint rubble with some Roman brick and tiles in coursed herringbone work and as quoins. Dressings are mostly of Reigate stone and clunch. Clerestorey and south porch of red brick and roofs of lead behind battlemented parapets. Consists of nave, north aisle, chancel, south porch, tower and C19 vestry. The nave has a north arcade of c.1400 and of 4 bays inserted in the C12 wall. The columns are octagonal with moulded capitals and bases and the arches are 2 centred and of 2 hollow chamfered orders. The south wall has 3 c.1400 windows, largely rebuilt, and traces of a C12 window with semi-circular arch. The south doorway is C12 with plain jambs, semi-circular arch and grooved and hollow chamfered imposts. The door is C15 with plain battens and 3 strap-hinges and sexfoil scutchion. the early C16 clerestorey has 2 windows in the east wall and 4 in the north and south walls. They are of 3 trefoiled lights under 4 centred heads with moulded label. Some diapering on north exterior wall and pilaster buttresses with crow stepped tabling on south wall. The roof is of early C16 date and consists of 4 bays of low pitched queen post trusses with moulded and embattled tie beams carved with running foliage. The spandrels are traceried and 4 centred braces form 4 centred arches with carved bosses. There are similar bosses at the junctions of principal rafters and purlins. In each bay, over the clerestorey windows is a 4 centred arch with traceried spandrels. The north aisle has an embattled parapet and 3 windows in the north wall all much restored. The central window is of 2 cinquefoiled ogee lights under a 2 centred head, probably of the C14. The westernmost window is of 2 trefoiled lights under a 2-centred head probably of the early C14. Between the 2 westernmost windows is the C14 north doorway, which has moulded jambs, 2 centred arch and label and is built partly of reused C12 masonry. In the W wall is a restored window, of part C14 date but of C12 masonry. The roof is of C15 lean-to type, of 4 bays with curved chamfered braces to the wall posts. The chancel has quoins of Roman brick. In the E wall is a window with C15 remnants. In the north wall is a C15 doorway with moulded jambs and 2 centred arch under a square head having quartrefoil spandrels and a moulded internal label. In the S wall are 2 C15 windows, each of 2 restored lights under a 4 centred head with a rear arch of 2 chamfered orders. Between the windows are traces of a former window of the C13 and C14. Further E is a doorway with chamfered jambs and 2 centred arch, probably of the early C14. The chancel arch, possibly of the C14, is 2 centred and of 2 chamfered orders. The C12 respond survives and is of 2 square orders towards the nave and one to the chancel. The north respond is of reused C12 masonry. C14 piscina with octagonal drain in recess with cinquefoiled 2 centred head and moulded jambs and adjoining simple recessed sedilia under south east window. The W tower is of the C15 and of 3 stages. The moulded plinth has chequer work and below the embattled parapet is a string course with bosses carved with heads of beasts etc., and much weathered gargoyles. The moulded and 2-centred tower arch has moulded responds each with an attached shaft with moulded base and capital. The moulded label has angel stops. S of this is the stair turret door with moulded jambs and 4 centred arch. The door is C15. The west doorway has a moulded 2-centred arch in a square head with spandrels carved with a horseman and woodman on north side and a winged beast on the south with a bust of an angel with shield at the apex. The moulded jambs and each base have an attached shaft with moulded capital and base. The moulded label is mitred into a string course and has carved bosses and stops. The W window is restored but has external label-stops carved with figures playing musical instruments. The north west and south walls of the second stage have each a small cinquefoiled window with a square label. The bell chamber has in each wall a window of 2 transomed and cinquefoiled lights under a 2-centred head with a label having head stops. On the east wall of the tower are traces of the old high pitched roof of the nave. The early C16 south brick porch has a double chamfered plinth, a stepped gable and an embattled parapet. The outer archway has moulded jambs and 4-centred arch under a square head and moulded label. In the east wall is a window of 3 trefoiled lights in a square head with moulded label. In the west wall is a plain rectangular window. The C14 font has an octagonal bowl, the faces carved alternately with angels holding shields and with symbols of the Evangelists. Stem octagonal with shaped stops and lead lining with scratched inscription and date 1594. Fragments of C14 or C15 stained glass in south window of nave. Graded for architectural, historic and landscape value. RCHM 1.

Listing NGR: TL6200714740

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

121378

Legacy System:

LBS

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