Church Of St Matthew

COATES COATES VILLAGE SO 90 SE 2/9 Church of St. Matthew 26.11.58 II* Anglican parish church. Norman foundation with nave of C13 and tower of C15, restored 1861 by John Norton. Coursed rubble stone, stone slate roofs with coped verges and cross finials. West tower, nave with south aisle and projecting south porch, and north transept, chancel with small north vestry. Tower of 3 stages with string courses, with carved heads on top string course, stepped diagonal buttresses ending in pilaster strips and crocketed pinnacles at corners of embattled parapet. Louvred belfry windows with ogee crocketed arches and pinnacles. West face has square- headed doorway at base, 3-light Perpendicular window over and niche above on second stage. South west corner has anthropophagus and niche in buttress. Stair tower in south-east angle. Two-light Perpendicular windows with square hoodmould flanking south porch which has inner Norman doorway with chevron arch, and 3-light E.E. lancet at east end of south aisle. East window is Decorated with flowing tracery, also 2-light windows on north side of nave. Interior: 3-bay nave arcade with cylindrical columns with moulded round capitals with water-holding bases. Trefoiled piscina of C13 in south aisle. Tall arch into tower with quadri-partite vault and Tudor doorway to stair. Baptistery at south-west corner of aisle has stone seat around 2 walls and Norman font. Chancel has double- stepped round Norman arch on north wall and E.E. priest's door on south side. Tile and mosaic reredos of C19. Some Tudor woodwork survives in chancel screen. (David Verey, Buildings of England - Gloucestershire: The Cotswolds, 1979, and local information booklet in church).

Listing NGR: SO9726101000