Church of St Laurence is a Grade I listed building in the Birmingham local planning authority area, England. First listed on 25 April 1952. A N/A Church. 3 related planning applications.

Church of St Laurence

WRENN ID
outer-barrel-ridge
Grade
I
Local Planning Authority
Birmingham
Constituency
Birmingham Northfield MP: Laurence Turner (Lab)
Country
England
Date first listed
25 April 1952
Type
Church
Period
N/A
Address
Church of St Laurence, Church Hill, Northfield B31
OS grid reference
SP 025 793
Coordinates
52.4121, -1.96401
Source
Historic England listing

Also on this page: sale history · EPC · related consents · flood risk · radon risk · weather exposure · detailed attributes ↓

Description

The Church of St Laurence is a sandstone church with origins in the 12th century, and subsequent alterations and additions through the 13th, 14th, and 15th centuries. A north aisle was added in 1900, designed in the 14th century style by G F Bodley.

The church consists of aisles, a nave, a chancel, and a west tower, reflecting the 12th-century original construction. A round-arched doorway, dating to circa 1170, is set into the Bodley north aisle. This doorway features a double order, with zigzag decoration on the inner order and two break heads. The 12th-century tower has lights with carved animal heads on its north and south faces.

The most significant 13th-century feature is the chancel, which has a triple group of lancet windows forming the east window. These windows have moulded heads, double shafted jambs, and a moulded drip to the outer arch. Further groups of three lancets are found in the south chancel wall, and two in the north wall, all under segmental arches springing from shafts. A single lancet at the west end of the south wall originally linked to a building which has since been demolished, with traces evident on the outside. The 13th-century south aisle replaced an earlier aisle. The lower stage of the west tower also dates to the 13th century. A four-bay octagonal pier arcade separates the south aisle.

The upper stage of the tower was rebuilt in the 15th century, and a half-timbered porch was added upon a sandstone base. The north arcade and aisle are a notable addition, executed in matching 14th century style by Bodley in 1900. Unusually, instead of a chancel arch, the church possesses four separate but contiguous trusses, with a tympanum in situ in the second truss from the nave end. This tympanum is framed and wattle and daubed, likely originally painted with a depiction of the Last Judgement. This roof structure represents a late 15th-century alteration to the 13th-century chancel roof, concurrent with the replacement of the nave roof. The pulpit incorporates reused elements from a former screen. A set of Royal Arms, Hanoverian, is displayed above the tower arch.

Local climate

Church of St Laurence receives an average of 770 mm of rain a year. This makes it drier than 62% of listed buildings in the UK. Its exposure to wind-driven rain is lower than that of 74% of listed buildings.

It experiences an average of 39 freeze-thaw cycles a year, more than 75% of listed buildings. Of these, 19 follow at least 1 mm of rain in the preceding 48 hours. Average temperatures at this location have risen by 0.3°C per decade since 1991.

Averages for 1991–2020; temperature trend 1991–2025. Figures describe the wider area (a grid cell of roughly 10 km), not the individual site. Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information 2026.

More on this building

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  • Full EPC report — heating system, energy costs, size, glazing, construction etc.
  • Sale history — 9 transactions since 1996
  • Related listed building consents — 3 applications
  • Detailed attributes — period, style, materials, features
  • Flood risk assessment
  • Radon risk assessment
  • Weather exposure and heating demand — rain and frost month by month and year by year, wind direction, solar and humidity
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  1. The Great Stone Public House Grade II 45 m
  2. Village Pound Grade II 51 m
  3. Churchyard Wall to the Church of St Laurence Grade II 56 m
  4. 6, Church Hill B31 Grade II 65 m
  5. Outhouse to the Rectory (Now Garages) Between the Rectory and the Pastoral Centre Grade II 71 m
  6. St Laurence Church of England Infant School Grade II 79 m
  7. Rose Cottage Grade II 621 m
  8. The Black Horse public house Grade II* 647 m
  9. 5, Bell Lane B31 Grade II 683 m
  10. 7, Bell Lane B31 Grade II 692 m