Church Of St Helen

HEMSWORTH CROSS HILL SE41SW (north side) 5/50 Church of St, Helen 7.12.1966 - II

Parish church. Mostly 1867 by J. L. Pearson (2nd rebuilding), but with some medieval fabric. West tower, nave with north and south aisles, chancel with south chapel and north vestry. Coursed dressed sandstone, roof of composition tiles (nave) and some stone slate. Simple unbuttressed 4-stage tower with prominent dripbands on 3 levels, has 2-centred-arched west window of 3 cusped lights with a multifoil in the head, a looplight to the 3rd stage, 2-light belfry windows like the west window, plain parapet, and flagmast rising from centre of roof. Buttressed full-height south aisle, of 4 bays externally, has gabled porch to 1st bay, with 2-centred-arched outer and inner doorways, roof of 3 transverse chamfered arches; other bays have large 2-centred-arched windows of 3 cusped lights with coupled quatrefoils in the heads and hoodmoulds. Three-bay chapel, under parallel roof, has central 2-centred-arched doorway with moulded surround and hoodmould, and 3 deeply- recessed square-headed windows each of 2 foiled round-headed lights with hollow spandrels, with chamfered reveal and hoodmould, that in the centre square (because it is above the door); and large 2-centred-arched east window of 3 lights with reticulated tracery, double-chamfered surround, and hoodmould (all these elements being of limestone). East wall of chancel has butttresses, and very large Decorated 5-light east window with flowing tracery, moulded surround, and hoodmould; (both these east windows may be substantially medieval, though probably restored). North aisle, under parallel roof, has three 2-centred-arched windows of 2 trefoil-headed lights, and rose window at east end. Interior: 3-bay nave arcades of octagonal columns with moulded caps, double- chamfered arches; wagon roof to nave; 2-centred chancel arch is offset to north side; above it, a panel painted with the Arms of George III (letters G. R. visible); chancel has scissor-truss roof, 2-bay chapel arcade of double- chamfered arches; chapel has 3 figured corbels on north side (worn), and tapered octagonal tub font. Various wall monuments, principally: on south wall of chancel, a carved marble cartouche commemorating Robert Wrightson (d.1720), and on north wall a tablet commemorating Barbara Wrightson (d.1783); in north aisle, an aediculed C17 monument to Catherine, wife of Thomas Gargrave (d.1631), with detached Corinthian colums, shields of arms on corbels, and elaborate crown including a large shield in moulded surround; and a wall obelisk tablet to Joseph Stocks of Kinsley (d.1791) dated 1808 on apron.

Listing NGR: SE4288613262