Church Of St Helen

SK 7634-7734 REDMILE BARKESTONE LANE (North side) 46/304 Plungar 1.1.68 Church of St Helen

GV II*

Parish church. C14 tower, the rest C15. West tower, nave, south aisle with chapel, and chancel. Aisle rebuilt and chapel added 1855-56. Ironstone with limestone dressings and lead roofs. 3 stage tower without buttresses. Arched west lancet with generous mouldings to jambs. Storeys divided by string courses. Plain ringing chamber stage and belfry with 2- light cusped and ogeed windows. Crenellated parapet. Central gabled porch leading into aisle is flanked by one 3-light Perpendicular window each side, both under triangular heads. Stepped buttress to east of aisle separates chapel, which has a similar window.. Short chancel lit through one 2-light south window and a 3-light Perpendicular east window. Gabled vestry to north chancel wall. Interior. 3 bay south arcade on cruciform piers with polygonal bases and capitals. Double chamfered arches. Triple chamfered tower arch with the inner order hollow and decorated with fleurons, ballflower and ballflower being consumed in a dragon' s mouth. One ballflower has a face inside. Other grotesques and a lizard, all rather good quality. Nave roof of tie beams on arched braces, dropping on wall posts to angel corbels. Moulded ridge piece and one pair moulded purlins. 4 fine bench ends in chancel of c. 1500: 2 tiers of arcading, geometric tracery and poppyheads.

Listing NGR: SK7693434043