Parish Church Of St Mary

ST 5814-5914 11/2

BRADFORD ABBAS, CHURCH STREET (North side), Parish Church of St Mary

31.7.61

GV

I

Parish Church. c. C12 chancel. C15, nave rebuilt and lengthened south chapel and south porch added, two east bays of the north aisle and arcade built. Shortly after, the aisle and arcade were continued west, and west tower added. South vestry added late C15. Stone wall above the screen removed, and chancel arch inserted in 1858. Roofs restored in 1890 and tower in 1906. Organ chamber added in 1911. Local rubble walls, ashlar-faced, and dressings of Ham Hill stone. Roofs of stone slates and lead. Chancel projects one short by now beyond vestries. C14 east window, with restored tracery. N wall: C15 window of 2 cinquefoiled ogee lights in a square head. S wall: window with late C14 jambs and splays. Nave, of 5 bays built on 2 stages, with north aisle and south chapel, 2 bays. West of S doorway is a C15 window of 3 cinquefoiled lights with panel tracery in a 2.centred head. South doorway has moulded jambs and 2-centred arch. South chapel, mid C15, buttressed, with an embattled parapet continued along the walls of porch and nave. S. wall has 3 windows, eastermost late C14 reset, of 2 trefoiled ogee lights in a pointed head with moulded reveals. S porch, continuous with south chapel. Outer archway, similar detail to south arcade of nave. Above, niche with carved bracket. West tower, mid C15, of 3 stages with octagonal angle-turrets, moulded plinth and embattled parapet, pinnacled and with an octagonal NE turret. West doorway: shallow porch, heavily ornamented (see RCHM). West window is of 4 cinquefoiled lights with vertical tracery in a pointed head. Moulded reveals and label, flanked by niches. West wall, 3 large niches with foliated brackets, 2 with statues. Bell-chamber, has a pair of windows in each wall. INTERIOR: nave north arcade of moulded pointed arches from shafted piers. S wall, C15 arcade of 2 bays of similar detail, east of it is passage and steps to former rood-loft. West tower, tower-arch is two-centred and moulded, springing from moulded and shafted responds with foliated caps. Reveals and soffit panelled. Roof: C15 restored, low pitch, 6 bays with moulded principals, purlins, brattished plates and moulded stone cornices, see RCHM. N and S aisles with C15 pent-roofs, (RCHM). Font: C15, very ornamental design based on octagonal bowl, stemmed, and free-standing corner piers, carved corner figures. Stone screen with central doorway (septfoiled head). Side bays. Bench-ends and 2 pew backs carved, early C16. Pulpit: oak, hexagonal, dated 1632 P.G., R.M. Sounding-boards. Chests, medieval and C17. Piscinae, 4. Monuments and floor slabs, C18 and C19, numerous. (RCHM Dorset I, p.31(2))

Listing NGR: ST5874214280