Church Of St Mary

ASHWELL

SK 81 SE COTTESMORE ROAD (South side)

6/5 Church of St. Mary

14.6.54

GV I

Church of C12, mainly C14, and 1851 restoration refacing C14 work. Restored by W. Butterfield. Squared rubble stone, some with rusticated and ashlar striping, stone coped gables and Welsh slate and leaded roof. Stone dressings including hood moulds, label stops and ballflower decoration together with plinth and buttresses with set-offs (excepting tower). W tower, nave, N and S aisles, chancel, N and S chancel chapels, and S porch. C14 tower of 3 stages with restored W window, slits in next stage, 4 Dec bell openings, and battlements. Slate pyramid roof with weathercock. Nave has C19 roof of 5½ bays, curved braces on stone corbels rising to collars. W arch double chamfered, one dying into curved respond. N arcade of 3 bays, double chamfered arches, first bay of C12 round arched, others pointed. Nail-head decoration and circular piers. S arcade of 4 bays, double chamfered arches on octagonal piers and keeled responds. Hood moulds and label stops. N aisle windows restored Reticulated and Curvilinear tracery, one flat-topped. S aisle windows with Reticulated tracery, one flat-topped. S porch rebuilt by Butterfield. Chancel has C19 painted common rafter roof with Eastern part rafters curved to form cusped outline. E window with restored Reticulated tracery and ballflower decoration. Part of bottom lights blocked. In N chancel chapel NE window with simple tracery. In S chancel chapel a flat-topped window with Reticulated tracery, small S door and 2 further windows with simple tracery. 2 bay chancel arcades with octagonal piers and keeled responds. Double chamfered arches. Hood moulds and label stops to S. On S side of chancel a sedilia with 3 niches and piscina with central jamb. Hood moulds, label stops and ballflower decoration. On N side of chancel a recess, probably for an Easter Sepulchre. 3 Late Perp lantern like niches within, probably later. On N side of N chancel chapel a double niche, possibly sedilia with central jamb, rounded heads cusped, gable overall and moulded sides with pinnacles. Hood moulds, label stops and ballflower decoration. Further higher cusped headed niche to left of NE window, corbel to right, and tiny piscina basin protruding from pier. Here a fine alabaster recumbent effigy c1500 of John Vernam, Rector of Ashwell, on stone plinth. In S chancel chapel an oak recumbent cross-legged effigy of a Knight, member of Tuchet family, c1320 and double incised slab to John and Rose Vernam, c1480. In S aisle a small piscina with cusped head. C19 wall monument above. Otherwise C19 woodwork including pews, low chancel screen and altar rail. C19 pulpit, brass lectern and octagonal font and cover. C19 stained glass overall, the E and W windows by O'Connor. Kelly's Rutland Director , 1864, and Pevsner.

Listing NGR: SK8657213744