Church Of St Mary The Virgin

FAWLEY FAWLEY GREEN SU 78 NE 6/25 Church of St. Mary the Virgin 21.6.55 GV II*

Parish church. Nave originally C12, altered; late C13 W. tower, raised C16; chancel rebuilt and dated 1748; 1883 transepts,N. vestry and restorations. Flint with stone dressings, tiled roofs. W. tower has moulded parapet with shallow gables to N. and S., original moulded corbel table, and C19 angle buttresses. C16 single lights with chamfered semi-circular heads above and below corbel table; partly restored 2-light traceried window of clunch to W. over C19 moulded doorway; lancets to N. and S., the S. C19, Nave has 2 bays of C19 2-light traceried windows. Transepts have single lights to E. or W. and 2-light traceried windows to N. and S., the S. transept with cusped S. window, sill course and buttresses. Chancel has blocked S. doorway with bonded surround of narrow bricks, semi-circular arch, and brick imposts and keyblock. Large E. window with semi-circular arch and off-set brick surround. Above window is date plaque with numbers in tile ends. C19 vestry to N. of chancel. Interior: double chamfered tower arch on semi-octagonal piers with painted texts; C19 double chamfered arches to transepts; semi-circular chancel arch with narrow chamfer and billet moulding. Chancel has modillion cornice and E. bay articulated with Ionic pilasters. Early C18 panelling from chapel at Canons, made for the Duke of Chandos, the E. bay panels enriched with mouldings. 4 panels along E. wall have carved gilt drops of fruit and flowers. Similar spray of trefoil foliage above altar. Communion rail with turned balusters is also from Canons, as are pulpit and reading desk. Pulpit has moulded raised and fielded panels, richly carved base and cornice, and corner drops with winged cherub heads. Simpler reading desk with richly carved frieze. Chair of same date in chancel, mid C17 chair in nave. Front pews in nave and S. transept pews have ornamental scrolls of c.1700. Late C19 nave seating and stained glass. Armorial glass of 1635 from Phyllis Court, Henley, in tower lancets. Memorial window in vestry by John Piper 1976. Monument to Sir James Whitelock d.1620 and wife Elizabeth d. 1631, in S. transept, with recumbent white marble effigies in surround with open pediment on Tuscan columns. Small carved figures of Fame and Peace on pediment. Cartouche in nave to Philip and Elizabeth Hilfiar c.1719. Chancel rebuilt by John Freeman of Fawley Court, transepts added by William Mackenzie, also of Fawley Court, both families with a mausoleum in churchyard. RCHM I p.155-6

Listing NGR: SU7535486716