Church Of St Mary

SP52SE CHESTERTON MANOR FARM LANE (North side) Great Chesterton

6/39 Church of St. Mary 07/12/66 (Formerly listed as Church of St. Mary Virgin)

GV II*

Church. Late C12, C13, C14 and C15; restored 1866 by F.C. Penrose. Limestone rubble, partly rendered, with ashlar dressings; lead roofs. Chancel, aisled nave, west tower and south porch. Chancel has two 2-light Decorated windows to south but has C13 lancet low-side windows, cusped to south, and a C13 priests' door with a renewed shouldered arch; east window is of 1852 and the parapet is probably C15. Narrow south aisle has a 2-light Decorated window with geometrical tracery and 3 square-headed C15 windows. South porch is probably C14 but the entrance arch has been rebuilt though retaining ancient doors; it shelters a simple C14 doorway. Rendered north aisle is restored, with C19 windows to east and west, but it retains a blocked chamfered doorway and 2 square-headed windows, one with Perpendicular tracery. C15 clerestory has square-headed windows of 2 trefoiled lights. 3-stage C14 tower has a 2-light west window with reticulated tracery, and has similar bell-chamber openings; the solid parapet has a frieze of quatrefoils. Interior: chancel has a C14 triple sedilia with free-standing shafts and ball-flower ornament plus traces of painted decoration; rectangular double-bowl piscina and aumbry, above, also have some painted patterning. Roof is dated 1857. Chancel arch has detached shafts with stiff-leaf capitals. Transitional north arcade of 3-bay nave has pointed arches on round piers with scalloped capitals; taller C13 south arcade has moulded capitals. Nave roof with moulded cambered beams and moulded purlins is probably C15/C16, but aisle roofs are C19. Fittings include a plain tub font with an elaborate C18 wrought-iron finial and arched crane, plus several pieces of C16 and C17 woodwork incorporated into furnishings and a fine C17 communion table with carved baluster legs. Memorials include a brass to William Maunde (died 1612) and his wife. Wrought-iron chandelliers have details similar to the font ironwork and may be contemporary. (V.C.H.; 0xfordshire, Vol. VI, p.102; Buildings of England: Oxfordshire, pp.617-8).

Listing NGR: SP5618821366