Church Of St Mary

SO 53 SE; 7/45

FOWNHOPE CP, FOWNHOPE

Church of St Mary

26.01.67

GV

I

Parish church. C12 core with additions of mid-C13 and early C14, restored 1881, early C20 north porch. Coursed sandstone rubble with ashlar dressings, tiled roof, shingled spire. Nave, south aisle and north porch, central tower and south chapel (now vestry), chancel.

North front: four-bay nave with buttressing and raised verge, two windows with two trefoiled ogee-headed lights and irregular quatrefoil to left of C20 gabled porch; central tower, three stages with moulded string course and band of chevron ornament below base of splay-footed spire. Semicircular-headed window with two semicircular-headed lights to third stage, partly obscured by clock face, similar smaller window situated slightly to right of centre to second stage, large 2-light traceried window to ground stage with doorway to left: chancel, raised verge, two 2-light Y-tracery windows.

INTERIOR: nave, restored C15 or early C16 trussed rafter roof; west wall, re-set C12 tympanum of former doorway with seated figure of Virgin and Child surrounded by elaborate decorative animal and scrolled motifs, south arcade of four bays in two pairs with central double respond, eastern pair mid-C13 and C14 western pair, C12 western tower arch of two semicircular-headed orders, eastern arch of two orders. Fittings: font, c1670, with octagonal bowl, stem and base, blank arches to stem and fleur-de-lis in panels of bowl, extensively restored. C18 font with circular bowl supported on elegant baluster shaped stem. Large oak chest toward west wall of south aisle.

Monuments in chancel in north wall, wall tablet commemorating Nicholas Lechmere, 1711, and Martha his wife, 1763, stone tablet flanked by weepers, broken pediment with coat of arms; south wall wall tablet commemorating Johanna Lechmere, died 1692, tablet with open segmental pediment with putti and scroll and foliage ornament. Chancel contains many monuments commemorating members of Lechmere family, formerly of Fownhope Court (qv).

Listing NGR: SO5810034274