Church Of St Catherine

SU 55 NE BAUGHURST WOLVERTON 9/17 16.5.66

Church of St Catherine

I

Medieval, 1717, with a Gothic restoration of 1872. A classical design, being a rebuilding of 1717, of regular form and symmetrical end elevations; nave of 5 bays, north and south transepts, chancel, western porch (south side) and vestry (north side), and a large western tower. The walling is in red brickwork Flemish bond, with brindle brick features; band below the parapet, quoins and plain pilasters, plain architraves to openings (which have cambered heads with stone keys and impost blocks), plinth (raised as an apron below the windows). The deep parapet has a stone coping, stepped at the transept gables, with semi-circular tops to gables and the raised east end centrepiece. Within the window openings are coupled round- headed lights framed in red brickwork (of the last date). The prominent west tower has 3 stages: a stone coping to the tall parapet (raised by curves at each corner), stone pedestals at each corner, a stone modillion cornice, quoins having white chamfered stone blocks alternating with narrower brindle brickwork, brindle bands and plinth. The upper-stage has an opening with cornice, pulvinated frieze and architrave surround, the middle stage (on the west side) has an arched opening with keystone, the lower with a west doorway (now filled) of an arch formed by massive rusticated blocks. The tiled roof is partly masked by the tall parapets and high gables. The interior has plain classical features and many period details, the east wall is panelled and framed in an Ionic Order of ¾ columns and pilasters, there are wrought-iron altar rails and the remains (of 2 gilded side pieces) of a taller wrought-iron chancel screen, the pulpit and reading desk are identical panelled rostra, approached through archways, the nave and south chancel retain their panelled pews, the north and south doorways have architraves and 8-panelled doors, and there is a stone baluster font. The nave roof has arch braced trusses and arched wind braces, constituting a survival from the medieval church. Other features include a brass candelabra at the crossing, black and white marble diagonal paving to the chancel, and a painted Royal Coat of Arms of 1846. The Victorian Gothic changes, mainly the replacement of windows by brick-framed round-head lights and the removal of the west gallery, have not greatly altered the Georgian styling.

Listing NGR: SU5518458572