Church Of St Mary

SU 5332 ITCHEN VALLEY AVINGTON

14/32 Church of St Mary 5.12.55

GV I

Parish church. 1768 - 71. Brick with Portland stone dressings, old plain tile roof, with lead ridges. Single cell 3 bay church and W tower. Moulded brick plinth and bays divided by pilasters with plinth and cornice carried round, and at ends pilasters clasp round corners. Venetian E window and on N side a central door with window each side and on S door at W and 2 windows to E, all with arched opening of rubbed brick with stone key blocks and leaded glazing. Doorways with stone rustication of alternating sizes. Cornice all round with battlemented parapet. Tower of 3 stages with clasping corner buttress pilasters, moulded brick strings and battlemented cresting. Inside all features extremely well preserved. Plastered wall above panelled dado to height of the box pews, cornices and coved plaster ceiling. Reredos with open segmental pediment. Wrought iron or lead altar rails. Pulpit with domed tester in centre on S. W gallery dated 1771; on it barrel organ in Gothick case given in 1848 by Lady Shelley. Below grey marble baluster font and above royal coat of arms of George III. All furnishings of Spanish mahogany. C18 brass chandelier. Monuments: 1751 to George Bridges of yellow, grey and pink marble, inscribed base, above sarcophagus with urn in middle behind 2 columns supporting broken pediment; 1768 to Marchioness of carvarvon, who commissioned church, of pink and white marble with long inscription panel, above in middle obelisk, each side urn; 1786 to John Jeffreys; 1836 to Duke of Buckingham and Chandos; 1865 to Mrs. Peel, daughter of Shelley; 1866 Sir John Shelley.

Listing NGR: SU5321032083