Church Of St Lawrence

WINCHESTER

869/6/262 THE SQUARE 24-MAR-50 (North side) CHURCH OF ST LAWRENCE

GV II Town church, just off the High Street, the exterior almost wholly obscured by adjacent buildings. C13 doorway. Rebuilding of the church is recorded in 1475-7. It was used as a school in the C17 and restored to use as a church in 1672. Thorough refurbishment following a serious fire in 1978. MATERIALS: Knapped flint with freestone quoins, partly rendered, tiled roofs. PLAN: Nave and chancel in one; W tower/porch.

EXTERIOR: Externally all that can be seen of the church is part of the W face of the tower, the upper stage of the S face can be seen from The Square and is an important element in the townscape close to Winchester Cathedral. The upper parts are rendered with ashlar quoins exposed. The porch tower has a moulded W doorway with a 2-light Decorated style traceried window above. The upper windows of the tower are 2-light and chamfered in square-headed frames. The tower has an embattled parapet and a SW stair turret rising above the tower roof as an octagonal turret with embattled parapet.

INTERIOR: The interior is an almost square single space dominated by a large stained glass east window and the unusual vernacular roof with a completely plain finish, dating from c1672. The roof has 4 tie beam trusses with a king post with diagonal and horizontal struts, and 2 tiers of purlins. Organ gallery in the tower. C13 doorway in N wall. Remains of small slit window in the W wall. Three puzzling high-set blind arches in the E wall, all ogee-headed, one cusped. The S wall has a chamfered aumbrey with pyramid stops. 1860 Caen stone font with carved octagonal stone bowl with fleurons carved under the bowl and an octagonal stem. Panelled dado to walls, mostly C20, with C17 style dado to the N and S walls at the E end commemorating individuals who died in World War I. Choir stalls with poppyhead ends. The church also has a number of wall monuments, including some of C18 date.

SUMMARY OF IMPORTANCE: The Church of St Lawrence has special interest as a small town church with medieval origins and an unusual vernacular roof, with completely plain finish, dating from c1672. A number of wall monuments also add significance as they testify to the continuing importance of the church to its community. A C17 style dado also functions as a memorial to individuals who died in the First World War.

SOURCES: Pevsner, The Buildings of England, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, 1967, p692 The Rector and Churchwardens, The Church of Lawrence-in-the Square,Winchester, n.d.