Church Of St Mary

CHARLETON CHARLETON (WEST) SX 74 SE 6/3 Church of St. Mary 26.1.67 G.V. II

Parish Church. C15 heavily restored in 1849 - 50. Slatestone rubble walls; windows largely of Caen stone. Gabled slate roofs. Plan: nave, north aisle, south transept, chapel and porch, and west tower. The church appears to be basically C15 throughout but in a heavy restoration of 1849- 50 the nave and aisle were apparently largely rebuilt and most of the windows renewed. Exterior: simple 3-stage west tower with diagonal buttresses. The crenellated parapet is set on a corbel table. 2-light roundarched belfry openings. Simple 2-centred arched west doorway with restored 3-light window above and probably original single arched light on 2nd stage of tower. Rectangular stair projection on north side. North aisle has 4 bays of restored Perpendicular style windows with buttresses between. 5-sided rood stair turret with conical stone roof. C19 vestry under catslide roof on north side of chancel. Chancel has a lower roofline and a restored 4-light window at its east end and 2 2-light windows to the south with a priest's doorway between. Transept has a restored 3-light window on its end wall and there are 2 more on the nave wall which, however, are in a C14 style with reticulated tracery. Large single storey gabled porch probably a complete C19 rebuild with pointed rubble arch. Interior: simple 4-centred chamfered south doorway. 4 bay granite arcade of Pevsner A-type piers with cup capitals and moulded 4-centred arches. Simple 4- centred voussoir tower arch. C19 arches to transept, chancel and chapel. Cinquefoiled piscina in transept and squint to chancel with ogee arch above. On the north chancel is a 2-seat granite sedilia with cinquefoiled heads. Internal walls are rendered and joint-lined apart from the plastered chancel and exposed stonework at the west end. The fittings are all Victorian and the octagonal font, pulpit and desk are also of Caen stone.

Source: S.P. Fox: Kingsbridge and Its Surroundings

Listing NGR: SX7500542626