Church Of St Edwin

NZ 2215 HIGH CONISCLIFFE THE GREEN (South side, off) 18/122 Church of St. Edwin 20/3/67 GV II* Parish church. Circa 1170 west end of nave and western part of south nave wall; early-mid C13 nave, chancel and tower; c14 tower parapet and spire; C15 vestry; c.1860 porch rebuilt in 1964. Much rebuilding and refenestration in 1844 and during later C19. Coursed rubble; some rebuilt sections in snecked sandstone; green slate roofs. West tower with spire; nave with north aisle and north porch; chancel with north vestry. 4-stage tower with loops and 2-light pointed bell openings. Embattled parapet, on corbel table, with corner pinnacles. Thin octagonal stone spire. Largely-rebuilt nave, north aisle and chancel; long and low proportions. Mid C19 openings except where stated. 5-bay nave. Aisle has 4 lancets and gabled porch at west. 4 restored square clerestory windows with trefoiled heads under hoodmoulds. 2-order round-arched door within porch (moved from south side c.1870) has beakhead and moulded capitals, shafts missing ; carved relief of Agnus Dei above. South wall: narrow original window at west; 4 lancets to east; east section of wall breaks forward, possibly indicating an earlier aisle. Chancel: original lancet on north wall; lancets and Priest's door on south; chamfered plinth, sill band and 3 stepped lancets on east end. Low-pitched roofs hidden by parapet. 2-storey vestry: 2-light mullioned window and loop, with old iron grille, on east; projecting embattled parapet. Plastered interior. Shouldered tower doorway; medieval ladder stair. Grave slab with interlace used as lintel in third stage of tower. North arcade of 5 pointed, double-chamfered arches on squat circular piers and keeled responds with moulded octagonal capitals and bases; hoodmould with broach stops. Pointed chancel arch, with 2 chamfered and moulded orders and nailhead hoodmould, on keeled responds with foliage capitals. Round-arched chamfered doorway to vestry with chamfered fireplace and aumbry. Fitting and monuments: C13 font; aedicular wall monument to Sir Francis Bowes and family 1684 on north chancel wall; some C17 choir stalls with poppyheads and similar reading desk; 1973 south window by L.C. Evetts. Several C16 and C17 memorial floor slabs, one with brass. (Rev. J.F. Hodgson, "Coniscliffe Church", Transactions of the Architectural and Archaeological Society of Durham and Northumberland, Volume I, 1868-70).

Listing NGR: NZ2257815234