Church Of St Lawrence

Church of St Lawrence

A parish church with Norman origins, incorporating some 13th and 15th century work but substantially rebuilt during the 19th century. The south aisle was added in 1821, the chancel in 1854, and a general restoration undertaken in 1881. The church is constructed from local stone and flint rubble with Beerstone quoins and detail, and is roofed in slate. The plan comprises a nave and chancel under a continuous roof.

The most significant medieval survival is the west tower, the only substantial element remaining from the original church. This low two-storey structure features low diagonal buttresses and an embattled parapet, with an internal stair in the north-west corner. The belfry windows are square-headed two-light openings with trefoil heads. The west doorway is a two-centred arch with broad moulded surround, and directly above it sits a three-light window with Perpendicular tracery.

Both the nave and chancel, and the south aisle, are finished with shaped kneelers and coping topped with ball apex finials. The south aisle, which is not quite full length, comprises four bays along the south side. A gabled south porch positioned left of centre contains a possibly reused Norman round-headed arch. The south doorway is a reused Norman arch with broad bead-moulded surround. The aisle windows are two-light openings with Decorated tracery, with a three-light version at the east end. The chancel's east end displays a triple lancet window in Early English style containing plate tracery and a continuous hoodmould, with an oculus set in the gable above. A vestry projects from the north side of the chancel. The north side of the nave contains three Decorated style windows matching those in the aisle.

The interior features open arch-braced truss roofs throughout the nave, chancel and aisle. The tower arch dates to the 15th century and has a moulded surround. The 19th-century chancel arch, possibly based on a 13th-century original, features an ogee moulding springing from moulded imposts on double vaulting shafts. The four-bay arcade is constructed from Beerstone, with one arch overlapping into the chancel. The arcade responds are semi-octagonal with circular section piers, moulded caps and double-chamfered arch rings. The chancel window inner arches are moulded with shafts and caps. The walls are plastered and the floor laid with 19th-century red and black tiles.

All furniture and fittings date to the 19th century and are generally plain with some Gothic decoration. These include an oak altar rail on pairs of turned balusters, oak prayer desk, stalls, lectern and drum pulpit, pine stalls, and a Gothic style oak tower screen. The font is Norman-style Beerstone on a Purbeck marble base.

The church contains several monuments. The oldest is north of the sanctuary, commemorating Robert Drake (died 1600), with a Beerstone rectangular niche flanked by Ionic columns supporting a moulded entablature over a strapwork frieze, carved armorial bearings on the sides and a strapwork cartouche with Latin inscription. In the chancel is a marble memorial with urn to members of the How family who died between 1813 and 1817. The tower contains a marble plaque to John Rose (died 1705) and an undated early 19th-century plaque in memory of Thomas and Cholmondely Vickers. A painted board displaying the arms of George II is also present. The east window and one window in the nave contain stained glass.