Church Of St Helen

BENSON CHURCH ROAD SU6191 (North side) 7/39 Church of St. Helen 18/07/63

GV II*

Church. C12 nave and chancel; C13 aisles; nave re-roofed probably late C15; west tower rebuilding started c.1765 in classical style, finished c.1781 by Stephen Townsend in Gothick style; chancel rebuilt 1862 by Charles Buckeridge. Render, probably on limestone rubble to nave; flint with stone dressings to chancel; ashlar limestone to tower; sheet aluminium roof to nave; sheet coppper roofs to aisles; old plain-tile roof to chancel; roof to tower not visible. 3-bay aisled nave, chancel and west tower plan. Ribbed double doors with 2-centred stone arched surround to gabled porch to left of aisle. Two 2-light windows of Reticulated tracery to aisle, with hood moulds. Three 2-light stone mullioned windows with leaded lights to clerestory of nave. Chancel to right has two C19 Romanesque lancets flanking a round-topped plank door. Tower to left of 3 stages. Central plank door to first stage with 2-centre arched top with stone surround in tall round-topped shallow recess. Angled corner buttresses. String course between first and second stage. Round window with plain surround to second stage of tower. String course between second and third stage of tower. 2-light Y-tracery louvred opening to third stage. Battlemented parapet with fluted finials with pyramidal caps to each corner. Left return and rear of tower the same except round-topped window to centre of first stage of left return and round-topped blind panel to first stage of the rear. Rear: 3 two-centred arch topped windows to aisle with central mullions. 2 dormer windows to aisle roof. 2 paired trefoil topped lancets to probable former Lady chapel to left, now the vestry and organ chamber. 3 lancets under common 2-centred arched hood mould to right return of chancel. Interior: C12 font with C17 cover to left of chancel arch. C13 chancel arch of one chamfered order with a roll mould. Nave roof of square panels with carved bosses, some with the Tudor rose. C19 stained glass to the chancel. (Buildings of England: Oxfordshire, p.450-1; E.M.R. Ditmas: A Short History of Benson Church).

Listing NGR: SU6150691637