Church of St Catherine

Church of St Catherine, Hoarwithy

This is a remarkable church comprising a circa 1840 nave that was greatly enlarged around 1885 by the architect J P Seddon, with decoration by George Fox, for Prebendary William Poole, Vicar of Hentland parish. The building is constructed of sandstone ashlar, with the earlier 1840 nave encased in the same material, and has Roman tile roofs throughout.

The plan is rectangular with a south-east campanile (bell tower) and a north-east vestry and organ chamber occupying the positions where short transepts might be expected. There is a short apsidal chancel with two flanking half-apses, a three-bay nave, and a western three-bay narthex (entrance porch) which leads respectively to a north porch and to a loggia in the form of a single cloister walk along the south wall of the nave. This cloister walk terminates as a porch beneath the campanile. The architectural style is an eclectic Rundbogenstil (round-arched style) drawing on Byzantine, French, Venetian, Lombardic, Tuscan and Sicilian Romanesque influences.

The campanile rises in four stages with a deep Lombard frieze and pyramidal roof. On its east (entrance) side, the ground stage features a round archway of two orders with cushion capitals. Above this are two unfinished projecting rock-faced blocks, with an extremely thin loop window on the south side. The second stage has one small central round-headed opening to each visible face. The third and fourth stages have large recessed panels, each topped with a Lombard frieze. The third stage has two arched openings to each side divided by a single column with cushion capital, whilst the fourth stage has three such openings with two columns to each side.

The cloisters consist of three groups of four bays, separated by two buttresses with off-sets rising to a roll-moulded frieze. Each group is divided into bays by paired columns carrying coupled capitals, each with different grotesque and foliated carvings. The round bases of the columns are clasped by square corner projections from the pedestals. At the west end, the cloisters terminate in two bays of similar openings but with labels and a Lombard frieze above. Facing south at the west end is a projection with an archway of two orders and plain cushion capitals aligned on the south end of the narthex. Above the cloisters are the narrow arched south windows of the nave, arranged in the pattern 1:2:2:1, which does not correspond with the rhythm of the cloister bays below. These sit beneath a deep moulded eaves cornice. The west gable has a coped verge.

The west elevation is symmetrical, with three central arched windows, each with a label and head stops, separated by two weathered buttresses to the narthex. This composition is flanked by the west end of the cloister (already described) and a corresponding projection to the left formed by the north porch. There is a moulded frieze and cornice. The nave gable above the narthex has a small recessed quatrefoil just under the apex, below which are arranged one central arched window, then a row of three, and a bottom row of seven such windows. Corresponding with the ends of three purlins to each roof slope are sculptured panels decorated with grotesques and interlace designs.

The north elevation of the nave has three pairs of chamfered round-arched windows. The north wall of the north porch is plain, but its eastern return has paired columns with richly carved common capitals and moulded imposts beneath a round arch with label and stops. These stops are carved on the north side to represent a clenched fist and on the south side, a snail. At the east end of the nave, beneath a gable with an oculus corresponding to an abbreviated north transept, projects the hipped-roofed single-storey vestry. This has a chamfered arched west doorway containing a ledged door with elaborate strap hinges, and on its east wall a raised panel on plain corbels projecting down between and below the cills of a pair of chamfered round-headed windows.

The east elevation has a gable behind the central apse and lower half-apses of the chancel. The fenestration is at high level, with five arched windows to the main apse and three to each half-apse. In the centre of each apse is a plain pilaster rising from a high chamfered plinth. The half-apses have a dentilled eaves cornice with a Lombard frieze beneath. The main apse has large corbels beneath a dentilled eaves, and below the corbels is a band of interlaced blind arches with circular motifs between.

The interior of the campanile has an arched and chamfered doorway into the north side of its south wall, containing an oak door with enriched strap hinges and escutcheon. The cloisters have a gabled planked roof with transverse round arches on columns with cushion capitals (one unfinished) dividing the main bays. The arch at the west end has double columns and capitals decorated with birds, grotesques and centaurs. There is a marble tessellated pavement with a sweeping design in red, blue and white, which changes in front of the south door to the narthex into a circular pattern in brown, grey and red, its design resembling that in the north porch. The south doorway of the narthex has no tympanum but features a lozenge frieze around the archway and an inner band of interlace and birds. Single attached columns have capitals decorated with monsters and interlace. The door has enriched strap hinges. Against the rear wall are three pine benches, one to each main bay, in a similar style to the pews in the nave.

The narthex has a panelled pine roof curving west down from the nave wall to a moulded frieze. There are three pairs of west windows, the inner arches of which have foliated capitals on three-quarter columns on bases with spurs. Roll mouldings surround the north and south doorways. A central hanging lantern with coloured glass is suspended, and the tessellated marble pavement is divided into three squares, one for each bay. The central square bears the inscription: "KEEP THY FOOT/ WHEN THOU GOEST/ TO THE HOUSE/ OF GOD". The west doorway has a tympanum depicting Christ giving the sign of benediction surrounded by symbols of the four Evangelists. The deeply moulded arch is supported by pilasters with flat enriched capitals. The double-leaved ledged doors have elaborate strap hinges.

The nave has an open roof supported by three king-post trusses with three pairs of raking struts decorated by George Fox. At its east end is an uncomplete truss with no tie beam, resting on two undecorated brackets projecting from the north and south walls. The north windows have inner arches supported on three-quarter columns.

The chancel features a high chancel arch comprising two large grey marble columns on polychrome pedestals with white bases. These support large richly carved Byzantine-style capitals which in turn carry attached columns with cushion capitals from which springs the austere arch. Two similar arches spring at a lower level from the Byzantine-style capitals to the north and south walls. This arrangement is repeated in the chancel but with greatly enriched upper capitals. The transeptual area is dominated by four large columns and capitals beneath a central saucer-dome, with transverse barrel vaults to the sides. Below the south vault is a small shouldered arched opening with two colonnettes leading into the campanile. Beyond the east columns, a barrel vault leads to the main apse which has a hemi-dome occupied by a gold mosaic of the Pantocrator (Christ in Majesty). To south-east and north-east are quarter-domes to the half-apses beyond splayed arches. The inner arches of the apses have roll-mouldings and are carried on Byzantine-style capitals, the five of the main apse being larger.

Under the east window is a brass plaque with red and black lettering inscribed:

"To the Church of God and in memory of William Poole MA Prebendary of Hereford Cathedral and Vicar of Hentland with Hoarwithy for forty-six years The above five windows are dedicated by his personal friends in token of their affection and esteem He restored and beautified this Church at his sole cost and devoted his energies and talents to promote the best and highest interests of those living in the parish October 1903"

The five windows of the main apse were possibly designed by Seddon and depict Christ as Lux Mundi (Light of the World) flanked by the four apostles. The marble altar has a brown cross between lapis lazuli panels and five consecration crosses on the mensa (altar top). The chancel has a tessellated floor. The organ on the north side is inscribed "NICHOLSON & CO/ ORGAN BUILDERS/ WORCESTER; ERECTED BY/ INGRAM & COMPANY/ ORGAN BUILDERS/ HEREFORD".

Among the furnishings is an early 17th-century chair with recessed arcade on the back, guilloche ornament, caryatids to back and arms, and a central panel with a gryphon. The choir stalls to north and south are of oak, with the inner desks having Ionic capitals. The north set in front of the organ comprises two combined benches and desks with scrolled end panels. On the south side is one combined seat and desk behind which is a six-seater with gabled hemi-domed niches, palmette frieze in the niches, and fluted pilasters dividing each niche. The westernmost seat has arm rests, one with a female head. On and between the gables are carved figures of saints arranged as follows:

RHAWIN TYDFYL S REYNA AMPHIBALLUS WINEFRED RHUN CYNOG TYGSILIO JUNABRIE DUBRICIUS DEINIOL WEONARD DAVID

The westernmost seat has in front of it an elaborately carved individual desk with two front panels containing niches similar to those of the stalls. These niches contain two scenes depicting "S Dubricius, Archbishop of Llandaff" and the "Birth of St Dubricius", separated by twisted columns. The end panels are scrolled with further scenes: to the west "S DUBRICIUS casting out the devil" and to the east "S DUBRICIUS & the miracle of the wine" with a cask inscribed:

"HARRY HEMS Carver Exeter 1884"

Seven brass hanging oil lamps are distributed around the chancel, each with three chains and winged lions.

The nave contains a pulpit with ramped sides in the form of an ambo, made of white marble with three maroon porphyry panels divided by plain pilasters beneath an acanthus frieze and moulded cornice. The lectern is brass in the form of a tripod with twisted shafts and finials, with a central shaft rising up to the book-rest. The communion rails beneath the chancel arch are oak in two separate parts, each with five short Ionic columns and egg-and-dart frieze. In the centre of the south wall is a marble wall monument for the 15 men of the parish who fell in the 1914-18 War.

The font stands on one step up to a low chamfered square base with spurs to the corners. Four marble columns and a central drain form the stem. The octagonal bowl has chamfered lower edges, with each face having a recessed quatrefoil panel. Designs in the panels include daffodils, leaves and the Star of David.

The stained glass in the centre window of the north side depicts two martial figures, one holding his sword, the other a censer. In the west gable are saints, angels and St Dubricius. Beneath, towards the south, is a copy of the painting "Madonna Della Secciola/ Raphael/ Pitt". The inner side of the west door has a roll moulding and tympanum containing two crosses and an interlace design.