Church Of St Philip And St James

CROOK AND WILLINGTON HIGH STREET NZ 1431 (North side) Witton-le-Wear 41/31 Church of St.Philip and St. James

GV II

Parish church. 1896-1902 rebuilding of medieval church by C. Hodgson Fowler. Snecked sandstone with ashlar dressings; roof of plain tiles has stone gable copings, cross finials and bellcote. Porch roof of Welsh slates. Nave, north aisle and south porch; chancel and north vestry. Open 2-centred arch with hollow-moulded broach-stopped reveal contains moulded arch on half-octagonal shafts. Perpendicular tracery in 3-light window to left of porch and two 2- light windows to right; 3-light and 2-light chancel windows also traceried; all square-headed. 2-centred-arched paired 2-light west windows separated by large buttress and 3-light east window on stepped string with drip-mould; 2-light aisle windows. Roof with overlapping nave gable copings and flat chancel gable coping on gabled kneelers; west gabled bellcote.

Interior: plaster with ashlar dressings; nave has king-post barrel-vaulted boarded roof; chancel has painted wood barrel vault. 3-bay arcade has double- chamfered C13 arches on round piers with octagonal capitals; high square plinths inserted to accommodate change in floor level. Circa 1900 chancel arch with Tudor flowers on outer chamfer; battlemented capitals on hollow-chamfered half- columns. Similar chamfers to 2-centred organ chamber and vestry door. Tiled sanctuary floor. Low segmental arches, rere arches and alternate-block jambs to north and south windows; 2-centred rere arch to east and west windows. C19 Frosterley marble octagonal font. Gothic-style memorial in stone on north chancel wall to Rev. George Newby, died 1846, signed W.D. Keyworth, Hull. White marble memorial slab on south chancel wall to Elizabeth Jane Wilkinson of Harperley Hall, died 1842, with 2 stanzas of verse. Windows, most said to have been designed by Rev. Hodgson, include portraits of donors; one has Hodgson and his wife with house and church in background. Medieval grave slabs set in porch: one a cross on triangular base;one half-slab a leafy cross; one with 2 crosses and sword and shears.

Source H. Conyers Surtees, The History of the Parish of Witton-le-Wear, 1924.

Listing NGR: NZ1478431286