Church Of St Nicholas

MARSTON ELSFIELD ROAD SP50NW (North side) Old Marston 4/133 Church of St. Nicholas 18/07/63

GV I

Church. C13; externally C15 and Cl6. Limestone rubble and ashlar; stone-siate and lead roofs. Aisled nave, chancel, west tower and south porch. C15 chancel, with moulded plinth, has side windows of 2 cinquefoil lights under labels with carved square stops, a Tudor-arched priests door with carved foliage in the spandrels, and a 3-light east window with Perpendicular tracery. The south aisle, with steep-pitched roof, was rebuilt in 1562 and has a moulded string under the eaves, a re-set C15 window in the ashlar south wall, and 2 uncusped 2-light windows. The porch has a 4-centre arched entrance, with wrought-iron gates, and shelters a re-set Decorated doorway. The manopitch-roofed north aisle has 2-light windows and, to east, 3 graduated cinquefoil lights. Clerestory has 2-light windows. C15 tower has 2-light belfry openings and corner gargoyles below a crenellated parapet; 3-light west window has Perpendicular tracery. Interior: C13 chancel arch and nave arcades of 4 bays to north and 3 to south. Chancel has elaborate C19 arch-braced collar-truss roof; C15 nave roof has cambered tie beams and moulded purlins; north aisle roof is of similar character; 5-bay south aisle roof has queen-post trusses, moulded tie beams and curved windbraces; porch has coupled-rafter roof. Medieval encaustic tiles in chancel floor. Fittings include many C15 and C16 bench pews in nave, and return stalls in chancel with medieval poppy-head bench ends; C17 communion table and turned rails; C17 hexagonal pulpit on single stem with arched panels and tester; C17 screen in tower arch with pierced flat balusters. Stained glass includes many C15 fragments in the heads of lights and some old geometrical glazing in one chancel light, plus C15 panels inserted into east window. Traces of medieval wall painting over the chancel arch. Monuments include a large alabaster wall monument to Richard Croke (died 1683) with an elaborate frame and double pediment. (V.C.H. Oxfordshire, Vol.V.; Buildings of England: Oxfordshire, pp.699-700).

Listing NGR: SP5272208881