Details
MERTON
SP5717
10/99 Church of St. Swithun
07/12/66
GV I
Church. C13 and C14, restored 1865-72 by C. Buckeridge. Limestone rubble, partly
rendered, with ashlar dressings; lead and Welsh-slate roofs. Nave, chancel,
south aisle, west tower and south porch. Rendered chancel has a large 3-light
east window, originally C14 but altered to have a 4-centred arch with
Perpendicular tracery; to south are 3 tall 2-light windows, with transoms and
Perpendicular tracery, plus a priest's door. Wide C14 south aisle, with a
moulded parapet, has a fine 3-light east window with flowing tracery and, to
south, 2 early C14 windows of 2 lights below quatrefoils and a 3-light
Perpendicular window with a shallow triangular arch; the C14 porch has an outer
arch with continuous moulding, and shelters a more elaborately moulded south
door below a C15 panel containing 3 image niches (identical to one in the same
position at Charlton-on-Otmoor). The north side of the nave has 2-light C14
windows, re-set following the demolition of the north aisle. The C13 tower of 3
stages with a C15 panelled parapet has stepped clasping buttresses to the bottom
stage, lancets, and 2-light bell-chamber openings with Y-tracery. Interior:
chancel has, to south, a fine C14 triple-sedilia and piscina with cusped ogee
canopies and crocketted pinnacles, plus a matching canopied recess to north; to
south also an ogee-headed tomb recess with pierced cusping. The elaborate carved
roof corbels are also C14 and match those on the chancel arch. 4-bay early C14
nave arcade has octagonal piers and round capitals with arches of 2 chamfered
orders and head stops; a similar 3-bay arcade is now built into the north wall.
The C13 tower arch is of 2 unchamfered orders. The south aisle contains a C14
sedile and piscina, elaborate image niches flanking the east window with
double-cusped canopies, and a canopied holy water stoup by the south door. 5-bay
C15 nave roof has curved braces with traceried spandrels, short posts from the
tie-beam to moulded purlins, and has one carved boss below each tie-beam.
Fittings include C17 bench pews, 2 C16/C17 communion tables, a C17 pedestal
pulpit with carved arched panels, and a fine set of C17 stalls with elaborate
poppyheads, brought from Exeter College Chapel and now in the south aisle.
Mahogany tower screen is from the priory Church of St. John, Clerkenwell. C12
tub font with C17 cover. Monuments include a large marble wall monument to John
Doyley (died 1593) with kneeling figures in a Renaissance arched recess, and a
painted monument with Tuscan columns, obelisk finials and mutilated strapwork
cresting to Elizabeth Poole (died 1621). Also in the chancel are various C17 and
C18 memorials, mostly ledgers, to members of the Harrington family, and, in the
tower, several small late C17 and early C18 wall monuments to members of the
Vaughan family.
V.C.H.: Oxfordshire, Vol.V, pp.231-3; Buildings of England: Oxfordshire,
pp.700-1).
Legacy
The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.
Legacy System number:
243341
Legacy System:
LBS
Sources
Books and journals
Legal
This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.
End of official list entry
