Church Of St Mary The Virgin

This List entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 24/05/2016.

NZ 27 NW 8/96 28.4.69

STANNINGTON (South side)

Church of St. Mary the Virgin

(Formerly listed as: CHURCH LANE)

II

GV

Parish Church. 1871 by R.J. Johnson of Newcastle, incorporating C13 north arcade of medieval church. Squared stone with ashlar dressings; Lakeland slate roofs. 4-bay aisled nave with west tower, south-west choir vestry and south porch; 3-bay chancel with organ chamber. Decorated Gothic style.

Tall 4-stage tower has 3-stepped angle buttresses, and south-west stair turret, string courses and embattled parapet with corner pinnacles. 3-light west window, paired 2-light belfry openings in square-headed panels. Body of church: plinth, sill string, eaves cornice, moulded parapets. South porch has double boarded doors, with external wooden grid, under pointed arch. 2-, 3- and 4-light windows; lancet clerestorey. Coped gables with finial crosses.

Interior: 4-bay nave arcades have pointed double-chamfered arches and round piers with moulded capitals and bases; both arcades have C13 waterleaf capitals to responds. Double-chamfered tower and chancel arches. Sanctuary has wall arcade with moulded arches on marble shafts.

Good late C19 glass and elaborate wall monument to Lady Ridley d.1899, on south of chancel. Monument to 1st Viscount Ridley d.1904, Secretary of State to Queen Victoria 1895-1900, at east end of north aisle: bronze effigy by Sir. W. Reynolds Stephens on cruciform marble tomb chest by D. Blow. Medieval heraldic glass in organ chamber window, presented to church in 1772 by 2nd Baronet Ridley; carved openwork pulpit, lectern and altar rails, stalls in similar style. Re-set in floor under tower 10 medieval cross-slab grave covers including two with unusual Celtic-style crosses, and late medieval limestone slab with marginal inscription. Also in tower stone with small dancing figure above skull and cable-moulded edges, possibly Pre-Christian.

Listing NGR: NZ2098879421