Church Of St Mary

BACTON CHURCH ROAD TM 06 NE

2/10 Church of St Mary

29.7.55

GV I

Parish church, mainly C14 and C15. Mainly flint rubble walling (the chancel is plastered) with freestone dressings. Nave clerestory of flushed flint with good flushwork emblems in panels of freestone. Mainly slated roofs; the aisle roofs leaded and low-pitched. Nave, chancel, west tower, north and south aisles, north vestry. The mid C14 tower incorporates a reset round-arched west doorway of perhaps C12 origin with later hoodmould. Y-traceried and dagger-traceried belfry windows, grotesque gargoyles and pinnacles. A freestone-quoined red brick stair turret was added to the south side in C16. Mid/late C14 aisles in 5 bays: octagonal columns with moulded capitals; eastern side windows with early Perpendicular tracery (but east end windows with net tracery of Decorated form). The chancel also has late C14 side windows with square heads. South chancel doorway of c1300, the hoodmould stopped upon a pair of carved crowns. Remodelling of the west end of both aisles and construction of south porch both perhaps early C15. Early C16 east window. Circa 1500 the aisles were raised and clerestories added to the nave. In the side walls at high level are two inscriptions carved in a limestone panel, one requesting prayer for Sir James Hobart, Attorney-General under Henry VII. A fine hammerbeam roof of 10 bays in the nave: the upper tier of hammerbeams support arch braces up to collars and short kingposts. Wallposts are in the form of pinnacled canopies, beneath which there must once have been carved figures between the clerestory windows. The whole roof is greatly enriched, and the canopy of honour is brightly painted. The lean-to aisle roofs are contemporary, with carved bosses and moulded wallplates. The chancel roof is cambered with arch bracing, and is also fully coloured. The rood screen has good tracery, but the lower panels were removed in C19. On the south side are rood loft stairs and doorway. Roofs and screen restored 1860 and 1864 by W Butterfield. Octagonal font of c1500; angels bearing shields on some faces, roses on others, and beneath the bowl are more supporting angels. Two good C15 benches with poppyhead ends and figures upon the buttresses; traceried ends and backs. Two sets of late C16/early C17 benches with plain poppyheads. Over the chancel arch is a doom wall painting. Two wall tablets with cartouches to George Pretyman (1732) and his widow (1738). A painted memorial behind the pulpit to Thomas Smyth (1702). In the south aisle are at least 7 marble C18 floor slabs.

Listing NGR: TM0531867199