Church Of St George

Church of St George

Anglican parish church, originally consecrated in 1142, rebuilt in the 14th century, and altered and restored around 1847. The building is constructed of coursed squared and dressed limestone with an ashlar tower. It comprises a nave with a south porch, south transept, and north aisle, with the tower positioned at the junction of the nave and chancel. A vestry stands on the north side of the tower, with a 20th-century prefabricated extension that is not of special interest.

The projecting gabled porch, probably rebuilt in the 19th century, has diagonal buttresses and a pointed entrance with a double-chamfered pointed-arched head with a moulded hood and head stops. A monument to Elizabeth, wife of Peter Herbert of Hucclecote, and other family members is positioned on the left-hand return of the porch. The south transept features a restored pointed two-light window with a moulded hood and carved head stops to its south-facing gable.

The three-stage tower has 12th-century lower stages with an upper stage rebuilt in the 19th century. An external buttressed stair turret contains a studded plank door within a flat-chamfered pointed-arched surround. To the right of the stair turret is a two-light window with reticulated tracery and a moulded hood with carved head stops, alongside a buttress with offsets. The upper stage displays two-light belfry windows with hoods featuring carved head stops and a battlemented parapet, set within rectangular recesses with corbelled decoration at the top.

The chancel has diagonal buttresses and displays two two-light pointed windows with hoods and carved head stops flanking a small studded priest's door within a moulded surround. A three-light 14th-century east window with reticulated tracery and a hood with carved head stops occupies the east wall. The north side has two-light pointed windows with quatrefoils. A moulded eaves cornice runs along the chancel. The lean-to vestry features a plank door at the east end within a pointed-arched surround with a hood and head stops, now concealed by the 20th-century prefabricated extension. A projecting stack is flanked by 19th-century trefoil-headed lancets.

The north wall of the north aisle displays two two-light windows with hollow-moulded mullions and surrounds featuring double cavetto and quirked mouldings with quatrefoils, flanking a studded plank north door with fillets within a moulded surround matching that around the windows. A larger two-light window with a quatrefoil within a deep flat-chamfered surround is positioned at the far left. The wall has stepped coping with roll-cross saddles and an upright cross finial at the east end of the chancel.

The interior is plastered throughout. The nave comprises four bays with 19th-century queen post roof trusses with curved bracing; the north aisle has a wagon roof. The south transept retains a probably early 16th-century flat panelled roof with bosses and a frieze featuring vine scroll ornament. A flat plank ceiling spans the crossing. The chancel has a 19th-century wagon roof with a casement-moulded wallplate bearing ballflower ornament.

The four-bay nave arcade dates to the 14th century with octagonal piers and bases on square plinths and moulded capitals with ballflower ornament, connected by double-chamfered pointed arches. A double-chamfered pointed arch serves the south transept. At the crossing stands a 12th-century round-headed arch of three orders with engaged columns featuring scalloped capitals; the outer arches display chevron decoration and the inner arch is roll-moulded. A plank door with a roll pointed arch connects the north wall of the crossing to the vestry. The 12th-century chancel arch comprises two orders with chevron and roll mouldings rising from massive circular piers with scalloped capitals and imposts with inset corners. A 19th-century wrought iron screen occupies the archway.

A 14th-century column piscina with a moulded arched head stands in the south wall of the chancel. The lower half of the sanctuary walls are faced with marble, with statues of St. George topped by a crocketed canopy to the right of the altar and a similar statue to the left. A piscina with a flat-chamfered pointed head is situated within the south transept. A 12th-century tub font stands inside the south door. A 19th-century organ occupies the crossing.

Interior fittings include two 19th-century chairs in 17th-century style and a 19th-century Neo-Norman wooden altar featuring three round-headed blind arches with chevroned decoration; a figure of Christ surrounded by cherubim and seraphim is painted on the central arch with figures of two women in the arches either side. Flagged floors cover the nave and crossing, with decorative encaustic tiling in the chancel.

Monuments on the nave south wall include a Baroque monument to John Jones (died 1747) and Sarah his wife (died 1776), featuring a lugged inscription panel, gadrooning across the bottom, egg and tongue moulding at the top, and a pair of winged cherubs with heraldic shield at the top. A white and grey marble monument stands to the right for John Jones of Coopers Hill (died 1793), with another white and grey marble monument nearby for John Jones of Coopers Hill (died 1828). Below these are three 20th-century memorials. A white and grey monument commemorates Elizabeth, wife of Henry Yates Jones of Droy's Court (died 1840), and other family members.

Monuments on the nave north wall include one to William Young (died 1762), with two early 20th-century examples on the east wall of the nave. The north aisle contains a monument to Susannah, wife of John Lawrence (died 1724), and three children, featuring three heads at the top representing the deceased, a bolstered inscription panel with swags and flowers and scrollwork either side, and four skulls at the base. Five 19th-century simple marble monuments occupy the chancel, alongside a fine marble monument to Christopher Guise (died 1670) with an inscription in Latin, featuring a bust of the deceased inset into the wall surrounded by fruit and foliage, a heraldic shield, a crowned swan, and cherubs at the top.

Two commandment boards, probably 18th-century in date, with inset segmental heads are positioned within the crossing.

Stained glass includes 19th-century work by Wailes in the east window, with additional 19th-century stained glass in the west window of the nave, one window in the nave south wall, and one window in the north aisle.