Church Of St George The Martyr

SD 5329 941-1/11/145

PRESTON GEORGE'S ROAD (South side ) Church of St George the Martyr

27/09/79

II* Church. 1725-6 (as-chapel-of-ease), enlarged 1799 (probably by addition of transepts), cased in stone 1843-4 (and tower probably added at this time), chancel added 1848, nave raised and remodelled 1884-5 by Garlick, Park & Sykes. Sandstone ashlar with slate roofs. Nave with north and south aisles, north and south transepts, apsidal chancel, and a porch in the form of a small 3-stage tower attached to the .west end of the south aisle. Simple Romanesque style (developed from plain Georgian style of original). The nave and aisles were in one vessel before 1884, the transepts and chancel then being of full height, but the nave now has an added clerestory with pilaster strips and corbel table, a large circular multifoil in each bay, and at the west front a small added baptistry and a wheel window. Otherwise, the exterior is almost as it was in the mid C19, with round-headed openings throughout. The tower/porch has a doorway with moulded surround in a gabled doorcase, a pilastered 2nd stage with one window and a corbel table, and a slightly set back belfry stage with 2 narrow louvred windows and a corbel table in each side, and a parapet with a pierced roundel in the centre and simple corner pinnacles. The south aisle has 3 bays with corbel tables (and buttresses replacing pilaster strips), and one tall window with much stepped reveal in each bay; the north aisle has 4 bays in matching style but with a doorway in the 1st bay matching that of the tower. The transepts have pilaster strips and corbel tables, and broad 2-bay gable walls with matching windows, and roundels in the gables. The small apsidal chancel also has pilaster strips and corbel tables, and 3 windows. INTERIOR: 6-bay aisle arcades (1884, replacing galleries) with square waterleaf capitals to the columns and roll-moulded 2-centred arches; tall wall-shafts to semicircular arched trusses under a flat ceiling with painted panels; painted murals throughout, by C Alnquist of Sweden (recently restored); C20 gallery inserted in south transept.

Listing NGR: SD5377429441