Church Of St George

DEAN PRIOR - SX 76 SW

6/6 Church of St George

9-2-61

GV I

Parish church. Circa C13 or early C14 west tower, remainder C15 with C17 alterations and heavily restored in late C19 when south porch was built. Stone rubble with granite dressings, tower roughcast. Slate roofs. Nave and chancel in one. Long north and south aisles not full length. Three C15 perpendicular four-light east windows to chancel and aisles. Late C19 rudimentary perpendicular four-centred arch three-light north and south aisle windows. Windows at west ends of the aisles are C15/16. West tower in two stages, with slight batter, unbuttressed. Embattled parapet slightly corbelled out. Single two-light bell- openings. On south side single-light bell-openings on either side of polygonal stair turret which also has battlements and small loops and a moulded two-centred arch external doorway. Three-light perpendicular west window and moulded two- centred arch west doorway in rectangular frame converted into a window. Late C19 granite ashlar south porch with large diagonal buttresses and C19 inner doorway with round arched and nail studded panelled door. Interior: Plastered walls. Four bay north and south arcades with low monolithic granite octagonal piers, crude uncarved octagonal capitals and double-chamfered two-centred arches. Tall unmoulded round-headed tower and with imposts. Arch-braced nave and aisle roofs appear to be C19. Late C19 to early C20 furnishings including:- painted wooden reredos and wainscoting in chancel, carved choir stall ends and carved octagonal pulpit. C12 round font with frieze crosses saltire and another frieze with two long dragons. C17 conical wooden font cover. Monuments in north aisle Furze family C17 with convex oval tablet flanked by pilasters with angel capitals and broken pediment with urn. John Taylor 1803 with draped urn. In south aisle Sir Edward Giles of Dean Court qv 1637 and wife Mary 1642, wall monument with three kneeling figures with Corinthian columns and entablature, panel below bearing epitaph by Robert Herrick. Herrick was vicar here 1629-47 and 1662- 74. He is buried in an unmarked grave in the churchyard.

Listing NGR: SX7302563543