Church Of St Mary

HOLWELL SP20NW Church of St Mary 3/261

GV II

Parish church. The present church was rebuilt in 1895 by W.E. Mills of Banbury. Coursed rubble, concrete tile roof. The curvilinear style of c.1500, French in inspiration as well as English. 3-bay nave with octagonal stone bellcote to west and south porch; 2-bay chancel with south transept and matching organ Chamber/vestry to north. Moulded eaves cornice, impost and cill bands. Nave windows stilted with curvilinear tracery, also the east window and the south chapel window. The east and south gables have blind tracery ashlar panels, porch has traceried side lights. The west end has 2 stepped buttresses for the bellcote framing a transomed curvilinear window with an embattled cill above a thickening for the baptistery recess. Interior complete (bar the polychromy) and more attractive than the exterior. Tiled alleys, oak pews, moulded chancel and north and south arches, altar has riddell posts capped by angels, there is even a piscina. Arch-braced roof to nave, boarded ceiling to chancel and transepts, pulpit i corporates Flemish C17 carved panels. Glass in east window by H W Bryans. The small C13 church shown by Bucklet as a plain 2- cell church in 1825, was rebuilt in 1842 in the Italianate style with a delightful campanile, see drawing inside the church.

Listing NGR: SP2320609136