Church Of St Mary

ASHBURY SU28SE 8/9 Church of St. Mary. 21/11/66

GV I

Church. Late C12 features, mainly late C13 with early C15 porch. Squared and coursed chalk on sarsen base with limestone quoins and dressings; roughcast walls to tower; stone slate roof. Cruciform plan with side aisles to nave and a west tower. Decorated and Perpendicular styles. 5-light late C13 east window of intersecting tracery. 2-light late C13 windows to south chancel, one 2-light late C13 window and late C19 pointed arch to planked door in north chancel wall. North transept has two 2-light early C15 windows and one 2-light late C13 window; circular flue to stack projecting from south wall. North wall of nave has one 2-light late C13 window and early C15 two-storey porch which has 4- centered arch with moulded architrave to porch and main entry with planked door. Simple lancets to side walls. South wall of nave has two 2-light and two 3-light late C13 windows, and one round-headed lancet: late C12 door has semi- circular arch with nail head and dog tooth ornament, capitals have acanthus leaves carved in low relief. Gabled roofs. Late C13 west tower with corner buttresses and 2-light louvred windows and one late C19 Perpendicular style west window: crenellated parapet. Interior: chancel has late C19 reredos, plain trefoiled piscina of c.1300, late C19 carved seats, and also 3 brasses (John de Walden c.1350: Thomas de Bushbury, c.1409: William Skelton c.1448): 3-bay C17 roof, king post with lateral braces to ridge beam, floral bosses at beam intersections. South transept has Lady Chapel, dedicated in c.1926 to Evelyn, Countess of Craven, with screen, fine reredos and stained glass window depicting pastoral scene from Durer: two-bay C17 roof, collar and arched struts with king-post. North transept has C15 planked and studded chest, large cinquefoiled tomb-recess in wall and trefoiled aumbry; late C19 stained glass: 3-bay roof same as chancel roof. Nave has late C19 limestone pulpit, a memorial to the Rev. W. Matthew who died preaching here in c.1870; 5-bay roof same as chancel roof and benches installed c.1884. North aisle has aumbry next to door; late C15 fireplace and font; late C19 stained glass and C15 stained glass removed here from Ashdown House c.1920; C15 lean-to roof with moulded beams and late C19 carved corbels. South aisle has same roof but with original corbels. Vestry in tower has late C19 screen and wall tablets also 5 lead plaques commemorating C18 church wardens. At the top of the south aisle is a late C12 engaged half-column with scalloped capitals and a moulded impost with the springing for an arch: identical engaged column in north aisle. Porch has Perpendicular responds and capitals to tierceron star vault with carved central boss. (Buildings of England, Berkshire, pp 70-71.)

Listing NGR: SU2653284916