Church of St Mary

SO 8449-8549 9/16

KEMPSEY CP CHURCH LANE Church of St Mary

25.03.68

GV I Church. C13, with C12 remains, C14 and C15 additions and alterations, and C19 restoration. Stone ashlar and rubble with slate roofs. Comprises a west tower, nave, north and south aisles and transepts, north porch, and lower chancel.

The west tower, rebuilt in the later C15, is of three stages with diagonal buttresses and embattled parapet with corner pinnacles. The bell openings are each of two cinquefoiled lights under a pierced pointed head. The middle stage is lit on three sides by windows of two trefoiled lights under a pointed head. The west window is of four cinquefoiled lights under a pointed head with Perpendicular tracery.

The west window of the north aisle is of three trefoiled lights with tracery. The north aisle has two windows of three trefoiled ogee lights with tracery. Between them is a C19 gabled porch which has a moulded pointed outer arch with angle shafts. The west wall of the south aisle contains a single lancet light. The two south windows are of three trefoiled ogee lights with tracery under a pointed head. Between them is a C19 moulded pointed doorway. The north window of the north transept is of five cinquefoiled lights with transom and Perpendicular tracery. The east and west windows of the transept are of three trefoiled lights with tracery. The south window of the south transept is C19 and of five lights with tracery.

The north wall of the chancel is of three bays separated by buttresses and has C13 windows of two lancet lights within an outer pointed arch. The south wall of the chancel is of two bays, with similar windows, and has a moulded pointed doorway to the west. The east window is of five stepped lancets under an outer arch.

INTERIOR: the pointed tower arch has panelled reveals. The three-bay arcades have pointed arches of alternate green and white stone, chamfered in two orders on the north side and moulded on the south side. They spring from quatrefoil piers, those on the north and south sides differing in their details. The chancel arch is C19 and has engaged columns with foliated caps as responds. The nave roof is C19 and has a ribbed ceiling above moulded raised tie beams.

In the east wall of the south transept is a C13 piscina with trefoiled head. On the south side of the chancel is an organ within a pointed arch. To the east are C13 triple sedilia and a piscina, moulded with trefoiled heads. The chancel has a collar-rafter roof.

Monuments under the tower include one to Elizabeth Eaton (died 1790) with sarcophagus and urn, by Stephens of Worcester. On the north wall of the chancel is an altar tomb with effigy of Sir Edmund Wylde (died 1620) against a shallow arch with columns, with balustrading and an achievement above. Re-set in window on the north and south sides of the chancel are fragments of C14 glass.

Listing NGR: SO8482549062