Church Of St Mary

TF 8342 BURNHAM MARKET CHURCH WALK (north)

12/13 Church of St. 5.6.53. Mary, Burnham West gate.

G.V. I

Parish church of Burnham Westgate. Largely C14, with a heavy restoration of 1872 accounting for most exterior details. Flint with stone dressings, lead roofs, slated chancel,pantiled porch. West tower, 4 bay north and south aisles, south porch, 3 bay chancel. 2 bay north chapel. West tower either C14 with 4 crude "Y" tracery belfry windows, south face earlier work : blocked lower window and a blocked lancet.Angle quoins, south-west and south-east angle and massive stepped C18 brick buttresses. C19 3-light west window and set-off buttress at north-east angle. Fine traceried and figured battlements, dateable on heraldic evidence to c.1500 with arms of William Lexham, Lord of the Manor ob. 1500 and arms of Lady Calthorpe ob. 1511, possibly principal donors. North side : figure of woman in adoration (Blessed Virgin?); God in Glory; Portcullis shield; Death; a King; Shield with M(aria); Adam and Eve; shield with 3 ciboria(?) Executioner with head; St. John the Baptist; Southside: Crucifixion; figure in a Habit (Stigmata of St. Francis?) : shield with Griffin : Abbess with crozier; Abbot with crozier; "M" shield; 2 saints; shield with lion; 2 saints; west side; Attendant with Baptist's head, "M" shield; Herod, Herodias and her daughter dancing; SS Peter and Andrew; "M" shield; S John the Evangelist; S James; shield with IHS; Knights; St. Thomas a Becket saying Mass; East side: Blessed Virgin and Christ child on ass; St. Joseph (the Flight into Egypt); shield with rose; 2 figures (Salutation of St. Elizabeth); "M" shield: Confession of the St. Thomas, Risen Christ; fleur-de-lys shield; Annunciation to the Blessed Virgin. Nave and aisles with C19 tracery. C15 south porch, 2 storeys, set off angle buttresses, arch with hood moulds north and south windows, blocked first floor Perpendicular window with inserted tracery panel and built-in 2 light window, ogee tracery. Nave clere- storey south side has 4 2-light Perpendicular windows with brick stitching to heads, north side 4 windows alternating quatrefoils and trefoils in circles. 3 bay chancel with C19 tracery, except for blocked rectangular squint opening at junction with south aisles. Interior: 3 bay north and south arcades, octagonal piers, double hollow chamfered arches, tower and chancel arches, C14. C18 rococo wall tablet inserted into north clerestorey. C19 roofs. 2 bays C19 north chancel chapel addition. South aisle window 1869 by Powell. Chancel, brass 1523. In tower, a detached C14 stone monumental stone effigy, removed from north aisle 1823.Included grade I for tower battlement sculpture.

Listing NGR: TF8302242092