Church Of St Mary

LYFORD THE GREEN SU39SE (South side) 7/133 Church of St. Mary 09/02/66

GV II*

Church. Early C13: early C16 clerestory: restored 1875 by Ewan Christian. Uncoursed limestone rubble: gabled nave roof of sheet lead, and chancel roof of old and C20 tiles. Nave and chancel. East lancet window of 1875: 2-bay chancel side walls have C13 pointed lancets, and C16 light to south and C13 trefoil-headed light to north. 2-bay south wall of nave has central C13 pointed chamfered blocked doorway flanked by C13 pointed lancets: two early C16 two- and 3-light round-arched clerestory windows. North wall: C13 lancet to east, C13 finial pointed chamfered doorway to C19 door; mid C19 timber porch has reset C15 oak archway to front; similar clerestory windows. Circled cross east on west gable: geometrical west window of 1875: west belfry has mid C19 weatherboarding and pyramidal Welsh slate roof. Interior: chancel has C13 piscina with foliate-carved credence shelf, C13 aumbry and mid C19 tile floor and benches. Chancel arch of 1875. Jacobean pulpit has stylised tulips set within blind arches. C15 octagonal font on shelf. Seven C17/C18 benches to north, similar C19 benches to south. 4-bay tie-beam roof with arch-braced posts supported on corbels. Heavy C15 oak posts strengthened by ogee scissor braces rise to support the belfry which is probably early C16 (dating from insertion of clerestory). Early C16 four-bay Perpendicular screens, originally rood screen moved to flank belfry posts at west end. (V.M. Howse, Lyford: A Parish Record, pp.12-17; Buildings of England: Berkshire, pp.172-3).

Listing NGR: SU3901194230