Church of St Werburgh

Details

HANBURY C.P. CHURCH LANE SK 12 NE 2/32 Church of St Werburgh 12.3.64 GV II*

Parish church. C13 work to C12-core and C15 facing. Rebuilt north and south aisles of 1824 and 1869 and chancel or 1862 by Hine and Evans of Nottingham. Coursed and finely dressed sandstone blocks; lead roofs to nave and aisles hidden behind parapets and Welsh slate to chancel with verge parapets. Tower, north and south aisles, chancel. Tower: C14 of 5 stages, the top stage entirely rebuilt to the Encumbent's design in 1883; strings define 2 upper stages; diagonal buttresses of 3 stages; pinnacles and gargoyles at angles, crenellated parapet with fretted arcade frieze of pointed arches below. Paired bell-chamber openings labelled and pointed of 2 lights and panel tracery over similar single windows to lower stage. West window pointed of 5 lights in 2 tiers with 4-centred arch doors below. Niche set in south side first stage of 1842 and containing a statue of St Werburgh, and pointed door below. South aisle mainly C19 of 4 unequal bays alternately short/long and divided by 3-stage buttresses finished as gabletted pinnacles above parapet. 3- light labelled pointed windows with panel tracery to all but right of centre bay of 2 lights; pointed labelled door to left. Clerestory: of 3 bays, inset from ends; 3 windows of 3 lights with panel tracery and 3-centred labelled heads. North aisle rebuilt 1824 and altered 1870, similar to south. Chancel: of significantly different style, most noticeable by the steeply-pitched roof and Decorated windows. 3 bays divided by 2-stage buttresses; 2-light pointed windows (with one single- light to south-west corner) to each bay; Priest door against inner buttress of east bay; 5-light pointed east window and flat-roofed vestry attached to north. Interior: nave of 4 bays; double-chamfered pointed arches and moulded capitals on round columns, Norman to north and replica to south, pointed chancel arch; nave roof of cambered and moulded ties with painted bosses apparently C15 but dated 1698. Chancel: one decorative scheme with painted diagonally boarded roof and painted walls depicting religious scenes, all in reasonably subdued colours. Pulpit: in the style of Street in stone and alabaster; circular on clustered columns; trefoil- headed blind arcade on marble columns around sides. Font: of coloured local alabaster and imported marble; square on 4 extended columns and built over the carved Norman font, still discernible within the present composition. Glass: in south aisle and south-east window, medieval remains. East and west window by Ward and Hughes of 1894. Lower part of tower walls covered in purpose-made glazed tiles of 1883 as a family memorial. 2 Saxon crosses are built into the west wall adjacent to the south door. Monuments: Sir John de Hanbury died 1303, in the east of the south aisle of alabaster. A recumbent effigy clasping sword and with crossed legs and dog; possibly a later attempt by the Hanbury family to add credibility to their lineage; otherwise this would be the earliest alabaster in England (B.o.E.). Ralph Adderley, died 1595, to north-east of sanctuary. A large alabaster chest tomb; 3 incised figures to top slab of Ralph and his 2 wives, moulded edge and sides with carved kneeling figures of children at the opposite end-or the sanctuary. Sir Charles Egerton, died 1624, alabaster; a reclining figure in a moulded segmental- arch canopied niche. Puritan bust plaques to Katherine Agard, died 1620, and her daughter, Ann Woollocke (south-west chancel), both with ruffs and steeple hats, and Dorothy Villiers, died 1665. East corner of north aisle: Sir John Egerton, died 1662, similar to Egerton monument of 1624, but with damaged canopy. Also in the north aisle to the west is monument to John Wilson, died 1839. Neo-classical low-relief plaque of marble depicting a seated woman in Architectonic Doric-surrounds by Hollins. Brass: under chancel steps, Sir John Cheyne, Rector, 1363-91. Much worn figure with cassock, surplice, almace and cope. There is also a low-relief carved cross plaque over the Adderley memorial. B.o.E; Notes on St Werburgh's Church.

Listing NGR: SK1708427921

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

273611

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Books and journals
Pevsner, N, The Buildings of England: Staffordshire, (1974)

Other
Notes on St Werburghs Church,

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