Church Of Saints Cosmas And Damian

SO 45 NW; 4/86

STRETFORD CP, STRETFORD

Church of St Cosmas and St Damian

02.09.66

I

Former parish church. C12, extended C13, partly rebuilt C14, restored.1875 and 1922. Coursed rubble with ashlar dressings under a machine-tile roof. Shingled bell-cote to west end has a small broach spire. Two naves and two chancels, under one roof, with a south porch.

North nave and chancel in one, C12, have to north wall a large lancet and a small C12 window with semi- circular head. Towards west end a blocked door of C12 with semi-circular head and chamfered jambs. West window is of two trefoiled lights with a circular window above. East window of two pointed lights under a two-centred head. South nave and chancel in one, C13, with-two lancets. South porch is of timber and C15. Outer entrance has an arch-braced tie-beam. The south door has chamfered jambs and a two-centred head. The west window is of two trefoiled lights under a square head, the east window is of three pointed lights with intersecting tracery under a two-centred head with an ogee point.

INTERIOR has a central arcade of three bays. This has two-centred arches of two chamfered orders on circular piers with moulded capitals and base. The eastern respond rebuilt in C15 has a rectangular stone structure with crenellated cornice over a recess with moulded jambs and square head. Two tomb recesses in north wall. That to east has a moulded ogee arch with label and head stops. Set in recess effigies of a knight and his wife, probably early C14. The recess to the west has a segmental pointed arch, over mid-C14 stone effigies. Roof is probably C15 of two bays with wall posts reaching to floor and intermediate trusses. Western truss has a tie beam, and arch-braced collar which forms a part of the bellcote structure. The intermediate truss is supported on corbels. The collar is arch-braced and is further supported by a crown post resting on the top of the arcade. The central truss is similar with moulded tie beam, and the screens are framed into the wall-posts. The second intermediate truss is similar to the other. The eastern truss has tie beam, arch-braced collar, crown post and V-struts in apex. Four tiers of purlins, the upper two with curved wind-braces, the lower two with cusped wind braces. The second purlin up is square-set, not in the slope of the roof, and the principal rafter stops at the collar, in the manner of a base cruck, although the principals are straight. The screens each have three bays, the central one containing the door, the outer bays having three openings with ogee trefoil heads and tracery. In the care of the Redundant Churches Fund.

Listing NGR: SO4435055748