Church Of St Clement Including Gates And Railings To The West

WORCESTER

SO8454NW HENWICK ROAD 620-1/15/331 (East side) 19/08/99 Church of St Clement including gates and railings to the west

GV II

Church. 1822-3 by Thomas Lee junior, but also said to be to a design by an otherwise unknown Thomas Ingleman. Chancel enlarged by local architect Preedy in 1879 (ref. also St. Stephens and St. Mary Magdalene (qqv)). Unpainted stucco over brick with ashlar detailing all on red sandstone plinth; slate roof. Neo-Norman style. West elevation: Central three-storey tower with clasping buttresses having stopped scroll detail to arrisses. Flanked N. and S. by two-storey ranges, also with clasping buttresses but with plain arrisses, under pitched roofs with parapeted gables. All openings are semi-circular headed and enriched with a variety of mouldings including billet, zig-zag, and bead-and-reel. Engaged columns with scalloped cushion capitals to all doorways, columns to main door are paired. Panel of blind arcading to tower beneath clock. Window openings to tower are paired, otherwise single-light; two rows of windows to N. and S. elevations apart from those to gable ends of flanking ranges which are full height; diamond pattern leaded-light glazing, open lattice work to bell stage of tower. Extension to E. end of sandstone ashlar on a basement storey (because of sloping site) of coursed rock-faced sandstone. INTERIOR: 3 white-painted galleries. Corbels carved with angels to Norman-style chancel arch. Interior redecorated and altered in 1920s by Charles Nicholson, covering the chancel-wall decoration by Forsyth and Preedy. Font of 1885 and reredos of 890 by Forsyth and pulpit of 1879 by Preedy. Norman-style screen. Stained glass includes E window of 1890 by Hardman and Co and memorial windows. C19 memorial tablets. SUBSIDIARY FEATURES: One of the few churches in Worcester to have retained its railings and gates to the west facade. Gates and railings of matching design of vertical square-section wrought-iron bars with arrow-head finials to top and bottom rails. Partially renewed 'skeleton' gate pillars linked by arch over-throw incorporating lantern bracket. An exceptional example of the Neo-Norman style, predating its more widespread adoption in the 1840's. (Buildings of England: Pevsner N: Worcestershire: Harmondsworth: 1968-1985: 318; Colvin H: A Biographical Dictionary of British Architects 1600-1840: London: 1978-: 509 & 510; Bridges T: Churches of Worcestershire: Worcester: 2000-: 230-231).

Listing NGR: SO8411054741