Church Of St Mary The Virgin

ST 8892-8992 TETBURY CHURCH STREET (east side)

8/158 Church of St. Mary the Virgin

I

Anglican parish church. 1781 by Francis Hiorn of Warwick, tower rebuilt 1890/1 by Waller, on site of medieval church. Ashlar, hipped slate and Cotswold stone slate roof with embattled parapet. Elegant Gothic Revival. Large 7-bay rectangular hall church with single storey additional "aisles" on either side, giving access to the box pews at the outer edges of the nave, and with single central projecting chancel bay at east end and tower bay at west end. West tower is the rebuilt medieval tower of 5 stages with pinnacles and recessed spire. Rounded stair well with slit openings projecting in north east corner and stepped diagonal buttresses to remaining corners. 2-light belfry louvres on each face, with gargoyles to west and south, clock face to north only, elaborate ogee louvres to lowest stage of spire to north, west and south. West wall has tall 4-light window and large arched doorway. North and south "aisles" with 3 single trefoil lights to each bay and embattled parapet. Nave has very tall windows of 4 lights with Perpendicular-type tracery and shields in spandrels. Chancel bay has 3 tall blind lancets to north and south and 5-light east window, with clasped buttresses. Interior: sexpartite rib vault supported by very slender clustered colonettes in wood around central wooden core, with smaller version supporting U-shape gallery at west end with narrow trefoil head panelled front. Nave retains original box pews with carved panelled doors, with access to side pews through pointed arch panelled doors from side aisle passages. Original reredos flanks an altarpiece by Benjamin West. 2 contemporary brass chandeliers hang in nave. Stained glass by Wailes, except one by Clayton and Bell. Some original fittings were removed in 1900. Very fine collection of wall monuments in white and grey marble, grouped mainly in north east corner and in gallery. Tower contains monuments to Paul family; in west passage by north west door, monument to Saunders family of Upton Grove (q.v.). Some remnants of medieval effigies from original church in north aisle passage. (David Verey, Buildings of England; Gloucestershire - The Cotswolds, 1979).

Listing NGR: ST8905292957