Church Of St Mary

ST 76 SE LIMPLEY STOKE CHURCH LANE ( south side) )

3/86 Church of St Mary

13-11-62

GV II *

Anglican parish church. C10, early C13, C15, restored and south aisle added c1920 by Sir Charles Nicholson. Dressed limestone, rendered rubble stone nave, stone slate roof with coped verges. Plan: west tower with spire, nave with south aisle, and east bellcote, north porch, chancel with south vestry. C13 gabled porch with moulded round arch on triple shafts with moulded capitals, hoodmould. Nave has two 2-light mullioned window with round arched lights and hoodmould, probably C17, wall tablet with scrolled pediment to right, gabled bellcote with round-arched openings. Chancel with C19 cusped lancet and blocked square-headed lancet, 3-light Perpendicular east window with hoodmould, south side has C19 cusped lancet. Early C20 south aisle has reset 3- light square-headed Perpendicular east window, 3-light and two 2- light south windows, roof pitch interrupted for 3-light C16 mullioned window with arched lights in south wall of nave. Vestry to left probably late C19 with 2-light C14-style window. Two-stage west tower with string courses, unbuttressed, chamfered arrowloops on west side, bellstage has pair of arrowloops with pierced stone louvres on north, west and east sides, recessed octagonal spire with roll-moulded ribs and bands, the lower brattished, moulded capping. Interior: Porch has fixed stone benches, restored depressed Tudor- arch with restored ledged and ribbed door, 1960s niche over with statue of The Virgin and Child. Three-bay nave with late C19 deep arched-braced collar truss roof, on stone corbels. West gallery for organ with reset C17 panels with lozenges and arches on front. South arcade incorporates fine Saxon arch with moulded imposts, formerly the south door, flanked by two double chamfered early C20 arches to west and one deep chamfered pointed arch to east, lean-to roof on stone corbels. Plastered double chamfered pointed chancel arch, chancel roof with braced collar rafters, C19. Plain chamfered pointed piscina on south wall, C19 reredos, communion rail and communion table. Other fittings: Nave has fine C15 stone pulpit with cusped panels and stone steps, set into segmental- pointed recess in north wall. C18 pedestal font in south aisle. 1771 Royal Arms of George III, over north door. Stained glass includes south east window in memory of Francis Kerr died 1932, signed by A.K. Nicholson of London. Monuments: In the chancel; oval black and white marble to John Morgan died 1786, early C19 grey marble tablet with four inscription panels to Fisher family, by Reeves of Bath. In the nave; two white marble tablets to Susanna Cooper died 1720 and Ann Dike died 1776, C19 marble to Fisher family by Sheppard of Bath. (N. Pevsner, The Buildings of England, Wiltshire, 1975; Church Guide)

Listing NGR: ST7836160343