Church Of St Mary

TF 81 NE, 6/3

BEESTON-WITH-BITTERING, CHURCH ROAD, Beeston, Church of St.Mary

30.5.60

I

Parish church. C13 to C15. Flint with ashlar dressings and slate and lead roofs. West tower, 4-bay aisled nave with north porch and chancel. Late C13 west tower heightened in C15 with diagonal buttresses and clasped by aisles. 2-light Y-traceried west window and former bell-openings. Present bell stage C15 with 2-light Perpendicular openings, crenellated parapet and octagonal spire of 1873 with banded slate covering. Nave C14 heightened in C15. Moulded doorways to north and south with filletted rolls. Eight aisle windows (blocked to south west) each of two lights in Decorated style with central soufflet filled with pair of mouchettes and dagger. Eastern aisle windows of three lights in similar style with three soufflets. Six former quatrefoil clerestorey windows replaced by 3-light Perpendicular windows with 4-centred arches. One similar east-gable window. C14 chancel with very fine 5-light reticulated east window. Three contemporary 2-light windows to sides (two to north) with Priest's door and former vestry to south. C14 north porch with diagonal buttresses and chequered flushwork to facade. Moulded entrance arch with filletted half-shafts.

INTERIOR. Small C13 tower arch with roofline to former church above. C14 filletted quatrefoil nave piers with intermediate filletted rolls, polygonal capitals and bases. C15 hammerbeam nave and north-aisle roofs with carved figures beneath nodding ogees on wall posts. These are supported by angels with shields to aisle. Arched wall braces, intermediate hammers with carved figures above windows and traceried spandrels. Aisle chapels with piscinas and two complete parclose screens with intricate tracery and crocketted ogee arches to north. C15 chancel screen with remains of painted dado panels. C14 chancel arch. 2-bay C17 arch-braced chancel roof with wind bracing. Complete set of in situ C15 nave benches with carved poppy heads and arm rests and traceried backs. Blind arcading to front bench with different form of flamboyant tracery to each of eight arches. Western benches splayed out to accommodate plain C14 octagonal font on original pedestal and with contemporary conical cover with crocketted angles. Painted quatrefoil above tower arch and some painted consecration crosses. C17 painted strapwork volutes above tower arch. Several surviving medieval floor tiles in aisles and on font pedestal. Fragments of medieval stained glass in east window. Pulpit of 1592.

Listing NGR: TF8939015289