Church Of St Martin

DESFORD CHURCH LANE SK 40 SE (South side) 6/6 Church of St Martin 7.ll.66 II*

Parish Church. Late C13, C14, restored and extended in 1884 by Stockdale Harrison. Randomly coursed Mount Sorrel rubble, ashlar dressings, slate roofs with decorative tile ridges. Western tower and spire, nave, south aisle, porch, chancel with C19 vestry on north side. 3 stage tower with diagonal buttresses, chamfered string courses, embattled parapet, set back crocketed octagonal spire with 2 sets of lucarnes in the principal directions. In the tower west wall a 2 light C14 window with cusped heads to the lights in pointed moulded surround and hood mould. To the belfry stage are similar smaller windows to each direction. The north side of the nave has lancet windows and a further lancet has been reset in the north wall of the vestry. The C19 east windows of the chancel and south aisle are of five lights with intersecting tracery. C19 gabled south porch and pointed 3 light west window of south aisle with intersecting tracery. Interior: Late C13 south nave arcade, with short octagonal piers on high square bases, with moulded octagonal capitals one with nail head decoration and double chamfered arches. C19 chancel arch and roofs. Plain 3 arched sedilia and piscina in south wall of chancel. Low tomb or easter sepulchre arched recess in north wall with slight ogee crown and aumbry to east. Font: possible C11 circular bowl with one band of beads, on C19 base. Monument : Elizabeth Muxloe died 1723. Slate mural tablet carved as an open book with inscription below an angels head with spread wings.

Listing NGR: SK4786203469