Church Of St Andrew

Church of St Andrew, Quatt Malvern

A village church of more than special interest, sited opposite an early 18th-century former dower house of the Wolryche family, whose monuments dominate the interior. The building originates from the 12th century, with a 15th-century north arcade and a thorough rebuilding in 1763 that included the nave, outer wall of the north aisle, and the tower. The north chapel was largely rebuilt in the 1950s to designs by Stephen Dykes Bower, who also designed the altar rails, pews, and organ loft.

The church comprises a nave, chancel, north aisle, northeast chapel, and west tower with porch incorporating a stair to the organ gallery. Roofs are tiled throughout.

The chancel is constructed of rubble masonry, partly squared, while the northeast chapel is ashlar. The 1760s phase is executed in Flemish bond brick with rusticated stone quoins.

Externally, the chancel features angle buttresses and a 3-light east window with Perpendicular tracery. Two 3-light south windows with cusped lights illuminate the chancel. A narrow round-headed doorway and blocked round-headed window are evident on the south side. The northeast chapel has a northeast buttress flush with the north church wall, a 1950s east window, two Decorated style traceried windows, and a tall 3-light window with cusped lights matching those of the chancel. The remainder is brick with windows featuring freestone frames, keyblocks, and sill brackets. The north aisle and south nave have opposed blind doorways to the west. Two round-headed windows light the north aisle and nave, while the west end of the aisle contains an oculus window. A platband extends from the west aisle wall around the three-stage tower, which has a moulded stone eaves cornice below a parapet with pinnacles topped by ball finials. Each tower face has oculus belfry windows. The north face carries a clock face, and the west face has a combined doorway and round-headed window with a plain oculus above.

Internally, plastered walls dominate. A plain round-headed chancel arch of 1760s character rests on responds with capitals. A similar arch connects the north aisle to the north chapel. The 3-bay north arcade comprises hollow-chamfered octagonal piers with capitals and double quadrant mouldings to the 4-centred arches. The easternmost pier, cut back and reduced in width, has an unusual abutment with the chancel west wall that provides a hagioscope between the nave and northeast chapel. The nave roof is a 4-bay structure with 3 trusses, king posts, two tiers of purlins, and no ridge—substantial and surprisingly early in appearance for 1763. The chancel roof, very fine and dated to the 14th century, is uncollared with deeply moulded rafters, a moulded wallplate, and divisions into panels by moulded cross ribs and sub-panels by moulded sub-ribs. The north chapel roof is a medieval lean-to. The north aisle has a flat plastered ceiling.

Fittings and monuments are exceptionally rich. A reredos comprises pieces from a late medieval rood screen. Late 17th-century communion rails feature turned balusters. The chancel contains 1860 encaustic tiles and a choir dado of 17th-century panelling. Choir stalls with poppyhead ends and traceried frontals date to the 19th century. A large 12th-century font has a circular bowl and cable moulding above the stem. An early 17th-century polygonal pulpit displays carved text and blind round-headed arches. A freestanding timber lectern incorporates Jacobean woodwork, including an inscription dated 1639. Nave benches of fine 1950s quality and a fine Neo-classical west gallery with fielded panel frontal complete the principal furnishings.

The Wolryche monuments are of outstanding quality. A monument to Francis Wolryche (died 1614) and his wife occupies the north side of the chancel, featuring recumbent alabaster effigies on a chest decorated with kneeling children. A spectacular monument to Mary Wolryche (died 1678) in the north aisle shows a reclining female figure holding a lute on a chest beneath an inscription panel flanked by barleysugar columns and an open segmental pediment. Two large stone chests with black marble lids in the north aisle commemorate Sir Thomas Wolryche (died 1668) and Sir Francis (died 1689). A marble Wolryche monument of circa 1707 in the northeast chapel displays an inscription panel beneath a sarcophagus, crowned with a pediment. An unusual late 1920s plaque to Henry Bazeley Wolryche-Whitmore in the chancel, inspired by illuminated manuscripts, is framed with gilded gesso. Numerous other wall plaques commemorate the family.

Stained glass includes a Kempe window in the choir, an east window by Clayton and Bell, and two matching early 20th-century nave windows with classical detail complementing the window architecture.