Church Of St Bartholomew

Church of St Bartholomew, Penn

This is a church of considerable architectural importance, built in stages from the 14th century onwards. The earliest part is the north arcade, which dates from the 14th century, followed by work to the west in the 15th century. The tower, also 15th century, was encased in 1765. Later additions include a north-west annexe built in 1826, a south aisle added in 1845 by W. Evans, and substantial work in 1871 by E. G. Paley comprising the east bay of the south aisle, the chancel, a north organ loft, and a south vestry.

The building is constructed in ashlar with brick used for the tower and annexe. Roofs are tiled, with cresting to the east parts and coped gables. The chancel features a gable cross, a 5-light east window with intersecting tracery beneath a hood with headstops, and large offset angle buttresses. A 2-light north window lights the chancel further. The gabled organ loft displays a plaque with a Latin inscription naming J. Lavender as the architect. The chapel has a 3-light east window with intersecting tracery and a 2-light south window, again with large offset buttresses. The gabled vestry is lit by a 2-light window and has diagonal buttresses.

The north aisle is a gabled 5-bay structure of dressed squared stone. It contains 19th-century lancets with splayed reveals and preserves the head of a blocked round-headed window from an earlier phase. The south aisle has a 2-light west window with Decorated tracery, three cusped lancets with splayed reveals between offset buttresses, and a cornice. The east part has later lancets with headstops to the hoods; a rainwater head is dated 1871.

The four-stage tower stands on an ashlar plinth with platt bands. The top stage has an impost course, cornice, and embattled parapet with pinnacles and quoins. The pointed entrance is framed by a bolection-moulded architrave and has an oval panel above inscribed with the date of restoration, 1765, and a roundel to the south. The second stage contains a large pointed window with an ashlar architrave. The third stage has a clock face and inscribed panel with quatrefoils to the returns. The top stage features pointed louvred bell openings with engrailed aprons and an ogee hood. The annexe has rusticated quoins, a pointed window with leaded glazing, and an oval panel dated 1826 above. Its north elevation is constructed in ashlar.

Internally, the church retains arch-braced collar trusses. The chancel has an arch to the organ loft and a three-bay south arcade. A niche to the north has a shelf and an arch on enriched corbels, while the chancel arch is carried on filleted shafts. The chapel arch dies into the jambs, with a window opening to the vestry. The nave has five-bay arcades on octagonal piers. The tower contains 15th-century heavy chamfered beams and joists.

The chancel floor is laid with 19th-century encaustic tiles copied from medieval originals discovered at the church. A 19th-century alabaster reredos with mosaic arcading stands behind the chancel rail, which is constructed on a wrought-iron grid with scrolled enrichment. A similar screen divides the east bay of the chapel arcade. Stalls with traceried fronts occupy the chancel. The chapel contains a timber parclose screen of 1897 with open tracery and brattishing, with a matching screen to the west. Its reredos displays angels at the riddel posts. A panelled timber pulpit stands on an ashlar base. A timber west gallery of 1765 has fielded panels on posts with strapwork. A 15th-century octagonal font has roll mouldings on its panelled base with a squat shaft.

The church contains fine wall memorials of note. Eleanor Bradney, died 1817, is commemorated by J. Stephens with a relief of Hope. William Pershouse, died 1789, has a panel with concave pediment between urns and flanking drapes with an enriched apron. Thomas Bradney's memorial is similar to that of Pershouse. John Marsh, died 1802, was commemorated by J. Flaxman with a relief figure below double cameos. Ann Bache Sedgwick, undated, has a relief bust in a draped frame.

The church retains good stained glass throughout, particularly work possibly by Clayton and Bell to the south aisle and 1902 grisaille glass to the vestry north window. The church is notable for its fine tower and its outstanding collection of monuments and glass.