Church Of St Mary

STRATTON SY 69 SE DORCHESTER ROAD (South side)

7/108 Church of St Mary 26-1-56 GV I

Parish Church. C12 core to nave, refenestrated and extended west in C15. West Tower C15. Chancel rebuilt in 1891, and north porch. North Vestry. 1891, date of drastic restoration. Flint and dressed stone banded walls. Clay tile roofs. Nave, remains of 2 opposed C12 doorways. South doorway, now blocked, has chamfered jambs of 2 orders, round headed outer, and segmental-headed inner. Chamfered label. N. doorway, partly rebuilt, similar jambs and outer rounded head. Inner order, late C15, 4-centred. South wall has 3 C15 windows, each of three trefoiled ogee lights with panel tracery in a 2-centred head, moulded reveals and labels with head-stops. Internally, the jambs have stone brackets, C15, for statues. North wall has two C15 windows, both of 3 cinquefoiled lights, partly restored. West Tower: 3 stages with an embattled parapet and gargoyles. West window of 2 trefoiled lights with a quatrefoil in a 2-centred head with a label. Simple west doorway, pointed arch. Bell-chamber has windows of 2 trefoiled lights in a square head. Chancel: has foundation stone in north-east corner, Aug. 13th, 1891 by Elizabeth Mary Pope of Wrackleford House in this parish. East window, 5 lights, trefoil- cusped with Geometrical tracery in head, C19. South wall has string under 2-light windows with trefoil cusping, which stops up to run under east window.

Interior: North hall of chancel incorporates C12 chancel-arch re-erected, 2-centred of 2 continuous chamfered orders, with a label over. Chancel-arch, 1891, triple-filleted responds with continuously filleted outer-arch-mouldings, wide 2-centred arch. Nave roof, 6 bays, arch-braced collars carried on short hammers, with ogival bracing below. Castellated wall-plate and foliage scroll. Fittings: Font. Circular stone bowl with plain band at top and filleted under edge, c.C13. Stem, C19. Monuments, see RCHM. Staircase, in tower, 5 sided framed stair of oak, filled in with large linenfold panels, and resting on a moulded post which arries up in trumpet-form, early C16, with some repair. The window niches and staircase are important survivals. (RCHM Dorset I, p.226 (1))

Listing NGR: SY6511293776