Parish Church Of St Mary

This List entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 22/02/2017

SU 2483, 28/6

BISHOPSTONE, CHURCH WALK, Parish Church of St Mary

26.01.55

I

Heavily restored 1868 and 1883 (see rainwater heads). Mostly perpendicular in style with vestiges of Norman and Decorated periods. West tower, 3-bay aisled nave with stepped buttresses, lower 2-bay chancel with stepped diagonal buttresses. Built of random rubble and ashlar on moulded plinth. Lead roofs. Two and three-light square headed windows with labels and foiled heads. Two-light clerestory (possibly rebuilt 1883) to south. Quatrefoil parapet to aisles (of St Michael's Highworth). To north: aisle windows have set-back chamfer surrounds; north porch entrance appears circa 1200 and probably reset. In the chancel a very ornate, reset small Norman doorway with horizontal chevron ornament. East window of south aisle has early C14 reticulated tracery. Crenellated west tower with diagonal buttresses and three set offs above plinth level; angled stair turret to south-east. Gargoyles to cornice. Two-light and trefoil belfry windows. Clock to south. West door 1883 with usual Tudor arch trimmings and large 3-light perpendicular style window over.

INTERIOR: 3-bay 4-centred arcade, (one bay shorter to north for porch), undulating section to shafts. Organ over steep 4-centred chancel arch. C14 head stop reset to east of north arcade. Three C12 (probably) masks formerly on an order around a doorway reset above south door. Late Norman font with tongued scallops forming bowl on dog-tooth fillet; clustered shafts form the stem. The lectern, pulpit, parclose screens to east of aisles and to tower are good examples of Gothic (C19) carving. Marble tablet to Edith and Chris Willoughby (died 1673) with broken segmental pediment in chancel. Fragments of mediaeval stained glass. In the churchyard a number of C18 and early C19 headstones and a few early C19 chest tombs.

Listing NGR: SU2436683728