Church Of St Mary

CUBBINGTON Church Hill (west side)

23/147 Church of St Mary

11.7.67

GV I

Parish church. Consists of chancel, flanked by modern organ chamber and vest- ries, clerestoried nave with north and south aisles, south porch and west tower. Earliest part of existing fabric is south arcade of nave dating from early C12. About end of C12 tower added at west. Aisles rebuilt during C13, to which period the south doorway belongs, but windows belong to C14 when chancel rebuilt. In 1885 north arcade rebuilt, both aisles extended eastwards to form vestries, and porch rebuilt. Nave and chancel roofs renewed in 1899. External masonry of medieval portions is of red sandstone ashlar, extensions to aisles, top courses of tower, battlements, and wall of south aisle in grey sandstone. In chancel modern east window of three lights with reticulated tracery. Windows on north and south are modern, each of two trefoiled lights with a quatrefoil in head. In south wall an aumbry, a piscina and three sedilia. In north wall a tomb recess or Easter Sepulchre. Chancel arch is two-centred, of two hollow chamfered orders which are continuous without imposts. In the nave the clere- story windows of which there are two on each side are of late C15 type. South arcade which is of early C12 date is of three semicircular arches of two plain orders carried on circular shafts and responds. Cushion capitals carved with scalloping. North arcade rebuilt in 1885 is of three two-centred arches carried on two octagonal columns and responds. In north wall of north aisle are modern windows of two-trefoiled lights, a door of plain chamfered jambs and two-centred head, and a square aumbrey recess. In south wall of south aisle the windows are modern but door has elaborate mouldings typical of C13. Also a double recess with moulded two-centred head one of which is a piscina. Tower is set slightly to south of axis of body of church. It is entered from nave by a two-centred arch of three-chamfered orders. Externally the tower is of two stages with clasping buttresses on west angles. West window is a narrow lancet deeply splayed and belfry windows are of two-lights with four-centred heads. C15 embattled parapet with crocketted pinnacles. Interior: C12 flower-pot shaped font on modern base standing in tower. On east wall of nave, an oval carved wooded monument to Captain Abraham Murcott, drowned off Scilly Isles in 1702. Rich foilage and at foot a boat supported by a sailor and Neptune. Mid C19 communion rails in heavy brasswork by Skidmore of Coventry. Royal Coat of Arms - oval late C18.

Listing NGR: SP3439268339