Church Of St Mary Magdalene

LITTLE HEREFORD CP SO 56 NE 5/36 Church of St Mary Magdalene 11.6.59 II* Parish church. C12 and C13 nave and west tower, C14 chancel. C19 restoration. Sandstone rubble with dressings of the same material, Welsh slate roof. West tower, nave and chancel. West tower: three stages with two string courses and pyramidal roof, lancet windows to north and south with doorway to west with two-centred arched head of three orders, second stage has lancet to west and south, pairs of lancets to bell stage. Nave: C13 lancet to left and 2-light C19 window and early C14 window of two cinquefoil headed lights to right of C19 south porch; mid- to late C13 south doorway with two-centred arched head and of three orders, inner rounded and outer two are moulded. The north side of the nave has later C13 window with two trefoil-headed lights and quatrefoil, and 2-light C19 window to left end. Single C12 semi-circular headed light and C19 lancet to right. Chancel: south side has early C14 window with two cinque- foil headed lights to right and one trefoil-headed light to left of C13 or C14 doorway with chamfered jambs and segmental pointed head. North side of chancel has to the left early C14 window of two trefoiled ogee-headed lights and a quatrefoil and to the right late C13 window of trefoil-headed light, 3-light C19 window to east end. Interior: two-centred tower arch of three orders, outer plain and inner moulded orders, inner order carried on attached shafts with moulded capitals and bases, early C14 chancel arch with two chamfered ribs dying onto square responds. C15 rood loft stair has square headed lower door- way in the south respond of the arch and a similar upper doorway to west. Fittings: C12 or C13 font with circular bowl, plain capping and circular base, piscina in west wall of nave above chancel arch with trefoiled head, further piscina in chancel with trefoiled head. Early C14 sedilia in chancel; three recessed seats with trefoiled heads. Early C14 tomb recess in south wall of nave with moulded segmental arch, septfoiled and with sub-cusping, gabled and finialed label with ball flower ornament, recess flanked by tall pedestals each with trefoiled panels and gabled. Pair of similar recesses in north wall of chancel with moulded, crocketted and finialed labels, eastern recess retains slab with incised female figure with veiled headdress. (RCHM, Vol 3, p 65; BoE, p 236).

Listing NGR: SO5538968006