Church Of St Mary Magdalene

HART BUTTS LANE NZ 43 NE (off east side) 1/34 Church of St. Mary Magdalene 16.11.67

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Church, having Anglo Saxon nave, C12 north arcade, chancel arch and tower; C13 south aisle, C15 north aisle and piers and responds of north arcade and chancel arch; south arcade and porch of c.1600; chancel of 1806. Restored in late C19, 1927/34 and 1977/80; roofs renewed c.1930. Squared random limestone rubble, coursed to chancel, south aisle and tower; squared quoins. Late C20 stainless steel nave roof; Lakeland slate to chancel and porch roofs. Nave with aisles, south porch, chancel and west tower. Tower of 3 stages with chamfered step-backs has c.1800 straight parapet stepped out at eaves and ogee angle finials. Louvred rectangular belfry openings to west and south faces; other tower openings are lancets. C13 and C15 windows in east and west walls of nave; other windows altered 1806 and in late C19. Round-headed south doorway of 2 moulded orders. Coved cornice below straight aisle parapets; angle and diagonal buttresses. Gabled porch has segmental-arched doorway with double hollow chamfer. Carving of St. George and Dragon of c.1500 to south face of chancel. Off-centre semi-circular tower arch has roll mouldings, impost bands and nook shafts. 2-bay north arcade has semi-circular triple-chamfered arches; 4-bay, slightly pointed double-chamfered south arcade. Both arcades have octagonal piers and responds with moulded caps and bases. North face of north arcade has remains of Anglo-Saxon window in spandrel,and mask rafter corbels. Semi-circular chancel arch of 3 chamfered orders on ½-octagonal responds. Remains of Anglo-Saxon arch in wall above, and contemporary opening higher above. Window in north aisle has stained glass of c.1898 by K. Ayll & Co., (Leeds). Square C12 font with angle shafts and plain sides. Octagonal C14 font has figures and emblems of saints, the Crucifixion and Resurrection, in panels around the bowl, and figures of saints in ogee niches in the stem; putti heads at angles of plinth. Pre-Reformation altar mensa. Monument of c.1783 on south wall of chancel, possibly of Coade stone, painted: aedicule with reeded pilasters, broken pediment and flaming urns as acroteria. Saxon sundial, fragments of grave slabs and other carved stones in north-west corner of nave, below pulpit, and built into west wall. C13 piscina in south aisle. 6 carved masks built into porch walls. V.C.H., Durham, Vol. 3, 1928, pp. 259-62.

Listing NGR: NZ4704735107