Church Of St Mary

ST 82 NW MOTCOMBE MOTCOMBE VILLAGE

3/209 Church of St Mary 16.8.60. GV II*

Parish Church, 1846 by G Alexander. Greensand ashlar with chamfered plinth, diagonal buttresses, and a string course. Gable-ended, tiled roofs with stone copings. Plan: nave, chancel, north and south aisles, south porch, west tower. In the 'Perpendicular' style. Tower: 2 stage, embattled with diagonal buttresses to the lower stage and pilaster strips above; octagonal vice turret with loops; west window of 3-lights with 2-centred head under returned label; higher in the first stage is a 2-light square headed window with a returned label; 2-light belfrey windows with 2-centred heads and returned labels. North aisle: 5-bay; north wall west window of 3 lights with square head under returned label; other north wall-windows of 2-lights under 2-centred heads with returned labels; east and west wall windows of 3-lights with 2-centred heads and returned labels. South aisle: south wall has 2 2-light windows under 2-centred heads and to the east a 3-light, square headed window with returned label; east and west wall windows of 3-lights under 2-centred heads with returned labels. Chancel: north wall has a 2-light, 2-centred window with a returned label; south wall has 2 similar windows and west is a 2-centred chamfered door in a square surround with the string stepped up over as label; original ribbed plank door; east window of 4-lights under a 2-centred head with a stopped label. South porch: gabled with 2-centred, moulded head, continuous jambs and stopped label; reset tablet dated 1636 over inner door. Interior features: 5 bay arcades with 2-centred arches of 2 chamfered orders on octagonal piers with capitals and bases; chancel and tower arches are 2-centred and moulded with continuous jambs; roofs are arch- braced collar trusses springing from corbels; trefoiled piscina in chancel; C15 reset niche with ogee head and ribbed soffit between pinnacles, containing fragment of sculpture. Round, C13 font on cylindrical stem with round roll moulded base; C17 font cover; various C17, C18 and C19 monuments, notably to Elizabeth (Branthwayte) Webb 1627 with broken pediment, marble columns and Corinthian capitals; C19 pews; C19 stone pulpit with ballflower and cross and Lombardic lettering in marble; C17 Royal arms on wood panel; C19 glass. (RCHM, Dorset, vol IV, p 48-49, no I. Newman J and Pevsner N: The Buildings of England: Dorset, 1972, p 302).

Listing NGR: ST8490925238