Church Of St Matthew

HARWELL CHURCH LANE SU4989 (North side) 9/96 Church of Saint Matthew 24/11/66 GV I Church. Early C13, nave transepts, tower and aisles; late C13 chancel, aisles raised and south porch Pebbledash on clunch rubble, with stone dressings; old plain-tile roofs to nave and transepts; lead roofs to aisles; stone slate roof to chancel roof of tower not visible. 3-bay chancel 2-bay north and south transepts 4-bay aisled nave and west tower plan. Late C13 south porch to left of centre of south aisle. Cl9 plank double outer doors to 2-centred archway. C19 plank inner door to 2-centred inner doorway. Y-tracery window to left of south aisle. 2-light geometrical tracery windows to centre and right of south aisle, 2 lancets to south end of south transept and to east side. 2-light geometrical tracery window to left of chancel; 2-light reticulated tracery windows to centre and right of chancel, 5-light rectilinear tracery window to east end of chancel. North side; two 3-light intersecting tracery windows to north aisle. 2 lancets to north end of north transept. 3-light stone mullion window with cusped lights to east side of north transept. 2-light geometrical tracery window to right of chancel. 2-light reticulated tracery windows to centre and left of chancel. 2-centre arched doorway with plank door to left of centre of chancel. Tower: blocked doorway to west face of first stage of tower, with 2-light plate tracery window above. Louvred lancet to each face of second stage of tower. 2-light plate tracery louvred opening to each face of third stage of tower. Battlemented parapet on corbels. Interior: chancel; 3-bay crown-post roof, the crown posts being octagonal and having moulded bases and capitals; 2-chamber piscina with cusped heads on columns and ogee-headed sedilia to right; early C18 wood altar rail of barley-sugar twist balusters with moulded hand rail; C19 choirstalls and panelling; 2-centred chancel arch with carved imposts: C13 chancel screen with C15 alterations and Perpendicular wood tracery. North transept: 2-bay C16 collar-truss roof with wind-braces. South transept, now vestry: 2-bay crown-post roof. Nave: 4-bay crown-post roof; C19 wood octagonal pulpit to left of chancel arch. North and south arcades of four 2-centred arches, those to aisles on columns. 2-centred arch to tower. Chandelier to nave of 1766. Romanesque stone font to south aisle with C17 wood cover. Lean-to roofs to aisles. Extension to north of c.1976 is not of special architectural interest. (Buildings of England; Berkshire: 1975, p152-3; St. Matthews, Harwell, by J. Fletcher and P. Spokes, 1980)

Listing NGR: SU4928289014