Church Of St Mary

SP5318 WESTON ON THE GREEN CHURCH LANE (North side)

18/140 Church of St. Mary

07/12/66

GV II*

Church. Pre-Conquest, early C13, 1743 for Norreys Bertie, restored 1885 by R. Phene Spiers. Limestone rubble with ashlar dressings. Nave, south porch and west tower. Wide 4-bay nave, with plinth and plain parapet rising from an ashlar band, has round-arched side windows with C19 plate tracery. Lead rainwater heads have elaborate cartouches of arms and are inscribed "NB/1743". The east wall of the nave is blank, except for a shield of arms, but retains traces of the former chancel, demolished early C19; much of the nave stonework appears to be re-used. C19 south porch with a round-arched entrance below an unglazed rose window, shelters the large south door with its very fine stone doorcase consisting of an eared architrave, a pulvinated oakleaf frieze with a lion mask, and outer guilloche strips rising to lion-mask consoles supporting an enriched triangular pediment. The lower stages of the 3-stage tower are probably pre-Conquest and include a blocked doorway on the south and, to west, a similar doorway and small window above (now cut by a lancet) plus a small opening at the second stage; bell-chamber stage has paired lancets within semi-circular outer arches and a C15 parapet of blind quatrefoils with angle gargoyles and the bases of pinnacles. Interior: the plaster doorcase has an egg-and-dart architrave, a frieze of arabesques springing from a scallop shell, and has consoles supporting a modillion cornice; it corresponds with the date of the nave whereas the outer case seems late C17. The plasterwork has affinities with exactly contemporary work at Kirtlington Park and may be by Roberts of Oxford. Chamfered Transitional tower arch has a C19 hood mould. C12 tub font with arcaded sides. Fittings include a large altarpiece by Pompeo Battoni, a large wrought-iron cross, (possibly C17 Spanish), and, below the tower, 2 carved medieval bench ends in a redundant C19 reredos and 2 detached carved stone heads. Monuments include a small brass of 1743 and a fine series of black marble C17 and C18 ledgers to members of the Norreys Bertie family, all with heraldic cartouches. (V.C.H.: Oxfordshire, Vol.VI, pp.325-2; Buildings of England: Oxfordshire, p.833).

Listing NGR: SP5311018580