Church Of St Leonard

SU 24 SE GRATELEY GRATELEY

5/14 Church of St Leonard

I

Parish church. C12, C13, restoration of 1851. Aisleless nave and chancel, west tower and south porch. The nave is Norman with an original window, some lancets and a traceried (south) light of the mid C19; the chancel is C13 (slightly-wider than the nave) with 2 lancets on the north side and triple lancets at the east end; the tower is C13 with C15 diagonal buttresses; the porch is 1738 restored mid C19. Plain tile roof, walls of flint (with some stone rubble), coursed, knapped and squared to the chancel, with stone dressings. The tower has a small brick parapet and small corner pinnacles. The porch, with a simple Norman doorway within, has a sundial above the entrance, dated 1784. Within, the notable feature is the presence of stained glass (with brilliant reds and blues) rescued from Salisbury cathedral by William Benson Earle in 1787 and given to the church. The font is a plain Norman tub. The west wall of the nave has 4 painted prescription boards (with arched tops) and a bequest board. A small wrought-iron bracket fixed to the wall near the pulpit once held the hourglass (for timing the sermon). In front of the altar rail is a double row of 60 medieval inlaid tiles.

Listing NGR: SU2772141828