Details
NOTTINGHAM
SK5739NE ST MARY'S GATE
646-1/21/604 (East side)
11/08/52 Church of St Mary
GV I
Parish church. C15, retaining late C14 fragments. Ashlar with
lead roofs. South aisle restored and crossing vault replaced
c1818-1820 by William Stretton. Rainwater head dated 1812.
West end rebuilt in facsimile, and clerestory windows renewed
1845-1853 by WB Moffatt. Crossing piers restored 1843-1848 by
Scott & Moffatt. Chancel reroofed 1872 by Scott. Chapter house
to north-east 1890 by GF Bodley. Chapel to south-east
1912-1913 by Temple Moore. Choir vestry to north-west 1940.
Restoration and cleaning of exterior stonework 1992-1993.
Perpendicular style.
PLAN: cruciform plan, with crossing tower and transepts.
Aisleless chancel with vestry and chapter house to north, and
chapel to south. Aisled nave with single storey choir vestry
to north and porch to south.
EXTERIOR: plinth, sill band, buttresses, crenellation and
corner pinnacles.
Chancel, 4 bays, has a 9-light east window with 3 transoms. To
north two 4-light windows with double transoms, and to south a
similar window. Vestry has an ogee gable with finial and a
4-light traceried window. Chapter house, single storey, has 4
flat-headed windows.
South chapel, 4 bays, has 4-light windows with double transoms
to east and south, with a smaller 2-light window to south
west. Octagonal stair turret with spire to south-west.
Crossing tower, 3 stages, has angle buttresses, string courses
and 8 pinnacles. Second stage has a 4-light opening on each
side, with double transoms. Clock below openings to east and
west. Bell stage has on each side a pair of 2-light openings
with transoms, flanked by identical blanks.
North and south transepts, 4 bays, have panelled crenellation
and huge segment-arched gable windows, 12 lights, divided by
major mullions and 3 transoms. Pointed arched side windows on
2 storeys, 4 lights, with major mullions, some to east covered
by additions. On the west sides, an octagonal stair turret
with spire, the south one dated 1811.
Nave clerestory has 12 windows with tracery, 4 lights, on each
side.
North aisle has 11 similar larger windows with plainer
tracery. Vestry, single storey, has 4 flat-headed windows.
Adjoining corridor has doorway and 2 similar windows.
South aisle has 11 windows, 3 lights, with intersecting
tracery and transoms. Both aisles have a 2-light window to
east.
South porch, restored 1983, has a shallow gable with blind
tracery, angle and side buttresses, and a heavily cusped
doorway with double shafts. Inside, a stone vault with moulded
ribs, triangular arched doorway flanked by niches, and
voussoirs with large square fleurons. Sculpted bronze doors
and tympanum, 1904, by Henry Wilson.
West end has a shallow gabled porch flanked by buttresses, and
above it, a 12-light window similar to the east end, with
several lower lights blocked. On either side, two 4-light
windows with a pointed arched door below them.
INTERIOR has rectangular stone panelling throughout, with roll
moulded frames. Chancel has a truss roof with arch braces on
angle corbels. South arcade 1912, 3 bays, with screens.
Canopied wooden screen and reredos, Decorated style, 1885, by
Bodley & Garner. Vestry has early C18 panelling and fireplace,
modillion cornice and scalloped half-dome over the north
window. Chapter house has panelling, cross beam ceiling and
ashlar corner doorway. South chapel has piscina and triple
sedilia. Fragments of C15 stained glass in the windows.
Crossing has composite piers and fan vault, and moulded arches
without shafts. North and south transepts have canopied tomb
niches in the gable ends, that to south early C15, that to
north c1473 by Thomas Thurland. Aisles have moulded eastern
arches and west doors flanked by single windows. Restored
north door with ogee gable and flanking piers. Roll moulded
south door. Nave arcades, 6 bays, have slender lozenge-section
piers without capitals, and simple arches with roll hood
moulds. Mainly C19 king post roof with traceried spandrels,
and arch braces on angel corbels.
Stained glass by major C19 designers including Hardman,
1865-1878, Heaton, Butler & Bayne, 1867, Clayton & Bell,
1873-1891, Ward & Hughes, 1868, Burlison & Grylls, 1882 &
1903, Kempe, 1895-1905.
Fittings include octagonal traceried panelled font, C15.
Octagonal skeleton pulpit and brass eagle lectern, C19.
Traceried panelled stalls, 1872, by Scott. Freestanding lion &
unicorn, c1710. Bracket clock in north aisle, c1800.
Memorials include C14 alabaster effigy, effigy in niche in
south transept, c1413, to John Samon. Alabaster tomb chest in
niche in north transept, c1414, to John de Tannesley, with
resited mid C14 slab and late C15 figure. Some notable wall
monuments, late C17-early C18. Many wall tablets, late C18-mid
C19.
(The Buildings of England: Pevsner N: Nottinghamshire: London:
1979-: 219-223).
Listing NGR: SK5767339653