Church Of St Edmund

DOLTON CHURCH STREET, Dolton SS 5612 + 5712 13 + 14/64 Church of St Edmund 4.10.60 GV II* Parish church. C13 with early C16 additions restored and apparently partially rebuilt in 1888. Coursed rubble walls, rendered to top stage of tower. Gable-ended slate roof. Plan: nave, chancel, north and south aisles, west tower and south porch. The evidence of a C13 date is in the 2 lancets to the chancel and the early form of the arcades although they may have been partially rebuilt. Tower added in circa early C16 and porch probably at the same time but rebuilt in C19. Kelly's Directory records that the greater part of the church was rebuilt during the restoration of 1888 but it is difficult to discern the extent of this from its fabric. Exterior: 3 stage west tower with diagonal buttreses, crenellations and chamfered plinth. Granite west doorway has Tudor arch, roll moulded, with recessed spandrels and square hoodmould. Rebuilt 2-light trefoil-headed window above it. Square slits to stair turret on north side of tower. West end of each aisle has C19 Decorated style windows. North aisle has small Tudor headed doorway towards west end and 2 3- light Decorated style windows with a similar 2-light one at the east end. North side of chancel has 2 probably C13 lancets. East window is a large C19 copy of a C14 window. 3-light Perpendicular style window at east end of south aisle. On its south side it has 2 similar Decorated style C19 windows to the north aisle. Small Tudor-headed priest's door. Rebuilt south porch has pointed arch and small lancet on either side wall. Interior: porch has C19 arch-braced collar beam roof. Possibly original pointed arch chamfered sandstone south doorway to Church. Both arcades have very wide pointed arches which are chamfered resting on massive chamfered piers with stopped capitals. Pointed and chamfered tower arch. Old wagon roofs to nave and aisles with chamfered ribs and carved bosses. Carved wall-plate to chancel and south aisle. Chancel roof renewed in 1862. Some old bench ends survive in the south aisle of Renaissance style with the initials I. S. and date 1581 commemorating John Stafford. In the east window some old glass has been preserved also with the Stafford arms. On the north chancel wall is a memorial to Barbara Lister dated 1696 consisting of a marble plaque with elaborately carved decoration around it. The font is particularly interesting because it consists of 2 intricately carved Saxon stones, the original purpose of which is unclear although it is suggested they may have been formed a cross. Sources: Kelly's Directory 1906; Beatrix Cresswell - Churches in the Deanery of Torrington

Listing NGR: SS5700312012