Church of St. Mary

TG 32 NE 7/32

EAST RUSTON STALHAM ROAD Church of St. Mary

16.4.55

II*

Redundant parish church. C14, remodelled C15, north aisle removed 1778, chancel restored 1887, font restored 1884, tower restored 1985-86. Flint (Quaternary) with Lincolnshire Limestone ashlar dressings and some brick. Pantiled nave roof, lead south aisle and chancel.

Three stage west tower with angle buttresses. Blocked cusped ground floor light. Above string course a further blocked window. Cusped lancets to ringing chamber, that to north blocked. Two-light cusped belfry windows with central mullions removed. Crenellated parapet.

West window of south aisle blocked, was two-light ogeed of c.1340. Aisle with angle corner buttresses, stepped buttresses to flanks. Gabled south porch with diagonal buttresses. Wave moulded archway below ogeed statuary niche. Porch bites into earlier nave buttress. Three three-light Perpendicular aisle windows under depressed arches and one two-light Y traceried window, the former C15, the latter C18. String course runs below windows and round buttresses. Three-light C15 east window to aisle under pointed arch. Two two-light south chancel windows separated by stepped buttress. Diagonal east buttresses. Five-light cusped intersecting chancel east window. North chancel wall with one stepped buttress and one window blocked with brick. Brick north nave wall supported by stepped buttresses, all of 1778, reusing three C15 Perpendicular arched windows.

Interior. Five bay south arcade of octagonal piers on moulded polygonal bases and with similar capitals. Double chamfered arches. Low tower arch. Double chamfered chancel arch contemporary with and identical to nave arcade details. Slightly barrelled boarded and plastered nave roof. Unpretentious south aisle roof of principals and one tier butt purlins. South aisle chapel boasts two steps up to a pedestal and a cusped piscina. Chancel screen of two bays right and left of arched opening. Traceried dado panels with paintings of Angels and St. Gregory, St. Ambrose, St. Augustine and St. Gerome. Arched tracery panels above are multiply cusped and carried on moulded and painted muntins. On the east side the inner muntins bear carved lions. Chancel roof retains two C15 bays: ties on arched braces and three tiers butt purlins, all relocated 1887 to form flat roof and boarded above tie beams. Cusped piscina in south chancel wall. Octagonal C15 font altered in 1884 restoration. Traceried stem with demons at foot and angel heads at top supporting bowl. Bowl with heads and symbols of four Evangelists.

Listing NGR: TG3642528670