Church Of St Mary

TF 60 SE CRIMPLESHAM CHURCH ROAD

4/3 Church of St. Mary 8.7.59 - II*

Parish church. C12 nave, late C14 west tower, early C17 south porch, chancel rebuilt 1875 when church restored. Rendered carstone nave and flint chancel, Slate roofs. 3 stage tower with diagonal west buttresses displaying carstone flushwork. Cusped 3-light west window under 4-centred arch. Slit light to ringing chamber. 2-light cusped belfry windows blocked with honeycomb brick- work, that to east of one light. String course below ashlar crenellated parapet. Stair turret to south-east. C19 cusped lancet to west of brick south porch, now so extensively restored the bonding is indeterminate. Blocked square-headed side windows. Stepped diagonal buttresses frame 4-centred double hollow chamfered arch under hood mould. Polygonal capitals and responds. Statuary niche and gabled roof. South door of C12 : one order columns with cushion capitals and moulded bases. Square imposts support arch decorated with'cable, hollow and double billet mouldings. Tympanum blocked in C20. On east jamb an inscribed mass dial. South nave continues with one mid C14 2-light mouchette window and C19 2-light cusped Y window. Chancel pierced by 2 lancets north and south, priests' door to south and 3 stepped lancets to east wall. East gable of nave with C19 trefoil. C19 vestry over north nave door. One C12 lancet to east and 3-light C19 window to east again. Interior. Double chamfered tower arch. Late C15 tower screen : wide side bays and central gates. Dado with linenfold panelling of rudimentary form below inscription frieze (ORATE PRO BONO STATU THOME WYHER, DIACON which refers to Thomas Wyther of North Weald Basset, Essex, from where this screen was removed). Tracery in dado of gates. Upper tracery panels blocked but with pendant tracery head of late C17 origin. East coving of 3 4-centred arches with ribs and mouchette infill also late C15 but not originally part of this screen., North and south inner door arches and jambs of C12. C14 octagonal font. Thin C19 hammerbeam roof to nave with pierced arched braces to hammerbeams. 2 tiers of purlins. Chancel arch of early C13 origin but now largely C19. Scissor braced chancel roof.

Listing NGR: TF6553103729