Church Of Our Lady

SEATON DELAVAL A 190 NZ 3276 (South side, off) The Avenue 13/79 Church of Our Lady 28.7.50 GV I Parish Church, formerly manorial chapel. Early C12, probably incorporating earlier fabric; east end rebuilt c.1330, restoration and addition of west porch 1895. Squared stone except for roughly-coursed rubble on north of nave and tooled stone in west porch and upper part of south nave wall, C19 ashlar dressings; stone slate roofs. 3-cell plan with no external division between chancel and sanctuary.

Short but tall nave with 2 C19 lancets on south; blocked round-headed C12 or earlier loop on north, and slatted opening under small pointed arch in west gable. Coped gables, the eastern carrying C19 gabled bellcote with finial cross. Gabled porch with panelled double doors under re-set head of C14 east window with reticulated tracery; single-light window on each return. Lower chancel with 2 small C19 lights on south and one on north; and restored 3-light east window. Small blocked doors close to west end of north and south walls, the latter square- headed with a roll-moulded surround of C16 type.

Interior: Original west doorway, within porch, has plain square-headed opening beneath arched tympanum with head, probably from Tree of Life design, c.f. St. Bartholomew's Chapel at Croxdale, Co. Durham; arch above with zigzag and chamfered hood. Re-set over the doorway 3 shields in cusped panels, and above those a square-headed window. Near-identical chancel and sanctuary arches with soffit rolls between hollows, zig-zag and hoods with billet moulding and chip-carved ornament, on semicircular responds with cushion caps beneath chamfered impost string, continued along the chancel and sanctuary walls below a plain barrel vault. C14 piscina with trefoiled ogee arch and shelf on south of sanctuary; image bracket on south of east window. C18 coved plaster nave ceiling with dentil cornice; 5 shields in cusped panels, re-set above door.

In sanctuary C14 effigies of cross-legged knight, probably Sir Hugh Delaval, and late C14 or early C15 lady, on moulded plinths. 6 large C18 or early C19 hatchments of Delavals and Astleys in nave.

Listing NGR: NZ3218576416