Details
WHITCHURCH
SP24NW Church of St Mary
1912-1/6/175
02/08/72
(Formerly Listed as:
ALDERMINSTER
Church of St Mary)
II*
Church. Late C11 nave with early C12 eastern half; late C12
chancel, lengthened in early C13 and remodelled c1500. C17
bellcote, repairs and shortening of nave; C18 and C19
restorations.
MATERIALS: rubble, including some late C11 herringbone to nave
western half, and coursed squared stone; ashlar dressings;
slate roofs and shingled bellcote. Coped gables.
EXTERIOR: chancel has offset plinth; c1500 5-light east window
with 2 king mullions between 2 shallow buttresses; 3 shields
to gable. North side has C12 round-headed light altered to
lancet in C13, and 2:1:2-light straight-headed c1500 window to
east with part of blocked entrance below. South side has 2
similar windows, one partly raised over C13 priest's entrance;
traces of blocked windows.
Nave north side has rubble and ashlar, offset buttress, eaves
corbels and C12 round-headed light to east half, some
herringbone masonry to west half. South side of nave is
similar, of ashlar, and has probably C18 straight-headed
window with 3 elliptical-headed lights to east, some
contemporary ashlar and buttress; west half has late C13
window and re-set C12 round-headed entrance of single order,
C17 ashlar above incorporates relief of Paschal Lamb with worn
painted sundial to left dated 1646.
C17 west wall including straight-headed window of 3
elliptical-headed lights, small shuttered light above and
timber-framed square bellcote with shingling to walls and
pyramid roof; 3-light louvred bell openings with enriched
heads.
INTERIOR: chancel has C19 waggon roof, north and south walls
slope outwards; wide hollow-chamfered reveals of east window
have hacked-off image plinths on octagonal shafts and
mutilated canopies; north side has C15 tomb recess, jambs to 2
removed C12 windows and jambs of blocked opening; south side
has blocked C12 window and signs of another, rectangular
recess with piscina bowl to left; east end has shallow recess
rebated for door to right. Chancel arch has C12 responds with
paired shafts and C13 triple-stop-chamfered arch.
Nave has C17 roof trusses with queen struts to collars, and
earlier arch-braced timber posts supporting bellcote; re-set
panel of Anglo-Danish interlace to west wall.
FITTINGS: chancel has enriched panelling to east wall with
cornice and cresting, recess to right has open-work door; 2
housel benches, one C17 and one dated 1923. Nave has pulpit
with early C17 panels to 3 sides; early C17 painted Royal Arms
in nowy-headed frame, altered c1714; C18 plain octagonal font;
screened-in vestry to north-west angle and screen by entrance.
STAINED GLASS: C15 chancel side windows have late C15 glass,
sacred monograms, armorial bearings and flowers in tracery,
with decorative C19 quarries below; C19 glass in tracery of
east window, and figure to central light; C19 figure in north
wall west window; nave west window has 1989 panel.
MONUMENTS: William Smyth, rector, d.1442: chest tomb to north
side of chancel has white marble slab with moulded edge and
incised with cross, chalice and book; black-letter inscription
to border; later graffiti including outline of foot and R W
1759. 2 floor slabs to Lucy Ann and Hester, d.1681 and 1686,
wives of Thomas Mariett. Floor slab to members of Richard
Marriett's family, d.1701, 1702, 1704. Sculpture: re-set stone
to right of west window has Anglo-Danish interlace panel to
one end.
The church stands on the site of a medieval village deserted
by the mid C16; only a barn and cottage dated 1826 stand near.
(Buildings of England: Pevsner N: Warwickshire: Harmondsworth:
1966-: 471-2; Victoria County Histories: Styles P: Victoria
History of the County of Warwickshire: 1945-: 211-3; St Mary
the Virgin, Whitchurch (4-page leaflet)).
Listing NGR: SP2265448622