Church Of St Mary

Church of St Mary, Car Colston

Parish church dating from the 13th to 16th centuries, with the tower restored in 1911. The building is constructed in coursed and squared rubble and ashlar with plain tile roofs, chamfered plinth and eaves, and coped gables. A single 20th-century external gable stack is present. The plan comprises a west tower, nave, chancel, north and south aisles, and a south porch.

The west tower is dated to the 13th and 14th centuries and rises two stages. It has a deep moulded plinth, string course, and coved eaves with two gargoyles on each side. A crenellated parapet crowns the tower, set with four crenellated square pinnacles and four intermediate crocketed pinnacles. Above sits a squat setback octagonal spire with a crocketed finial and weather-vane. To the west are two diagonal buttresses with two setoffs; to the east, a pair of plain buttresses. The south elevation of the first stage features a small 13th-century trefoiled lancet and a clock. The west elevation has a chamfered lancet with, above it, a trefoiled lancet and clock. The second stage has four transomed 15th-century double lancets with panel tracery and hood moulds. The nave clerestory to the south comprises three 19th-century double lancets with cusped heads.

The north aisle dates to the mid-14th century and consists of three bays with a restored sill band. The north side has four buttresses with two setoffs each; the north-east corner has an additional single buttress with two setoffs. A central ogee-headed blocked doorway with a crocketed finial, hood mould, and mask stops adorns the north side. To its left is a 19th-century ogee-headed triple lancet with Decorated tracery, hood mould, and foliate stops. To its right stands a 14th-century double lancet with ogee heads, flowing tracery, hood mould, and restored foliate stops. The east end has a 14th-century double lancet with Decorated tracery and hood mould.

The chancel is dated to the mid-14th century and also consists of three bays. The north side features two triple lancets with reticulated tracery and plain hood moulds. The east end has a restored five-light lancet with complex reticulated tracery, hood mould, and a mask stop. The south side is flanked by two gabled buttresses with two setoffs each. To the left is a small double lancet with cusped ogee heads. To its right is a cove and roll moulded doorway with hood mould and mask stops. Further right are two restored triple lancets similar to those on the north side.

The south aisle comprises four bays, dated to the mid-14th century but restored in the 19th century. It has a moulded sill band. The south side features a single buttress with two setoffs, plus a half-gabled diagonal buttress at each corner; the eastern buttress carries carved arms and a tablet with a Latin inscription to the Thoroton family. To the west is a 16th-century double lancet with round heads, a square-headed reveal, and hood mould. To the right of the south porch are two 19th-century Decorated double lancets with hood moulds and stops.

The south porch has a coped gable with kneelers and a cross. To the south are two setback buttresses with two setoffs and plinths. The restored south doorway has a moulded and rebated reveal, impost band, and hood mould. A 19th-century scissor-braced principal rafter roof covers the porch. The inner south door features a shallow cove mould and impost band, with a chamfered outer reveal and restored shafts with capitals bearing nailhead bands. The hood mould has stops. A weather-stripped 14th-century plank door with double ogee head and original furniture including a timber-cased lock inscribed '1674 W B. T W.' is preserved.

Interior

The nave arcades, dated to the mid-14th century, consist of four bays with three octagonal piers and matching responds in each. These have chamfered square plinths and octagonal bases, with octagonal capitals. The arches are double chamfered and rebated with hood moulds and uncarved stops. A 19th-century scissor-braced roof with moulded tie beams and curved brackets covers the nave. The tower arch is 13th-century with triple chamfering and rebating, hood mould, and a mask stop. A 19th-century plank screen is present. The tower chamber has a doorway with a 16th-century single plank door. The north aisle has a 19th-century lean-to roof with collars and arch braces; its easternmost window contains late 19th-century stained glass. The south aisle has a similar roof with three 14th-century corbels. A small 14th-century ogee-headed piscina is located on the east side of the south elevation.

The chancel arch is 14th-century, restored, with double chamfering and rebating and simple chamfered responds. Remains of a rood loft door survive to the south-east. The chancel's north side has a square plain aumbry to the east, above which is a foliate 14th-century bracket and a 20th-century figure. The east end features a large 20th-century oak reredos with naturalistic ornament. The south side has, to the east, a restored 14th-century piscina with an angel corbel, nodding ogee hood with crocketed finial and mask stops. To its right stands a large 14th-century triple sedilia with cusped ogee heads, crocketed finials and pinnacles, and clustered shafts with foliate imposts. Further right is a 18th-century plank door and a lancet with patterned stained glass. Above, the easternmost window contains stained glass by Heaton, Butler and Bayne, dated 1872. The chancel roof is 19th-century principal rafter with arch braces; 20th-century shields are attached to corbels.

Fittings include a plain 13th-century tub font on a round base and a 17th-century octagonal panelled oak pulpit with chip-carved band. A 19th-century clustered-shaft timber lectern, 19th-century benches, and 20th-century choir stalls with shaped ends and decorated fleur-de-lys finials are present. Seven benches with shaped ends date to the 16th century, and a single bench with shaped ends and lozenge finials to the 15th century. An early 19th-century chest with bracket feet, a small 18th-century table with turned legs, and a poor box made from a moulded and chamfered 15th-century beam end are also notable. Two clergy desks are made from 15th-century benches with armrest ends and lozenge finials. A notable 18th-century altar rail features a projecting semi-circular central bay and turned and barley sugar balusters.

Memorials comprise a stamped brass to Gregorius Henson dated 1613 with doggerel verse, a brass to the Blagg family from 1876, and a brass to Robert Thoroton signed 'Gawthorp Sc. London' from 1905. Two repainted hatchments, probably to the Blagg family, are present. A marble and slate tablet with apron, pilasters, cornice, and urn commemorates Thomas Blagg, 1795. A classical tablet to Francis Blagg from 1814 is signed 'wood'. Stone tablets to the Blagg family from both the 19th and 20th centuries are displayed. A canopied timber war memorial tablet with curved brackets to a tiled hood completes the memorial collection.