Church Of St Mary Magdalen

SU 18 NE 8/411

SOUTH MARSTON Church of St Mary Magdalen

26.1.55

I Small medieval parish church with west tower. Built of rubble with ashlar quoins and dressings. Stone tile roof. Crenellated parapet to nave. Four bay aisleless nave, mostly in Perpendicular style with flat headed 2-light windows; contemporary south porch retaining one pinnacle above a diagonal buttress and sundial over entrance. North and south doors plain C12 retained from earlier church. C13 2 bay chancel with stepped lancet east window. Two stage crenellated C15 tower with corbelled diagonal pinnacles (probably a C19 addition), south stair turret and diagonal buttresses to west. West door in Perpendicular style with large 3 light west window over. Above is a niche with C19 or modern statue of Christ. Unusual sanctus turret of octagonal shape with ogee decoration to openings and with weathervane. This with the south chapel (forming gabled transept) and crenellations are by John Belcher 1886. Vestry to north-east. Interior: chancel lancets have unusual rere-splays. Reredos and chancel arch with nodding ogee canopies date from 1886 restoration. Memorials: lies Charity luke (died 1719), in south chapel; Thomas Freke 1721; Anthony Southby 1759; Anne Southby (died 1770) small urn on angel corbel. Well stocked graveyard to south with head stones (some double) and table tombs - mostly C18 and C19.

Listing NGR: SU1953687991