Church Of St Mary

SP 73 NE BEACHAMPTON 4/35 THORNTON ROAD

13/7/66 Church of St. Mary

II*

Parish Church. C14 with C15 aisles, much restored by G.E. Street 1873-74. C19 porch, N. vestry and organ chamber. Coursed rubble stone, lead roofs to nave and aisles, tiled chancel. W. tower of three C14 stages with diagonal buttresses and round C19 traceried light to second stage of S. side, and top stage by Street with open balustrade to bell-chamber and shingled, spire above. Nave has parapet and clerestory of three 2-light traceried windows. Aisles have 2 and 3-light restored Perpendicular windows with flat hood- moulds. Chancel has C19 3-light Decorated E. window, 2-light Decorated windows to E. of side walls, one C19, and one C19 Perpendicular window and restored C14 doorway to W. of S. wall. Interior: tower and chancel arches are double chamfered on corbels with labels over. Nave of three bays has similar arches on quatrefoil piers with moulded caps. N. wall of chancel has arch to organ and segmental arch containing large monument to Simon Benet. Restored piscina in S. wall. C19 glass and fittings include carved stone reredos with figures in niches. Monuments: wall tablet of stone around brass inscription to Matthew Pigot 1598 has primitive imagery of skull, bones and shrouded figures with meandering inscription; Baroque marble wall monument to Simon Benet (died 1682) has inscription on plinth with flanking festoons and volutes, bust and heraldic panel in broken segmental pediment, all in surround of Ionic columns and outer segmental pediment. Brasses: to William Bawdyn, blacksmith, 1600 in N. aisle; to Ales Baldwyn 1611 in S. aisle, and small plaque to William Elmor 1652 in nave.

RCHM II pp 60-61

Listing NGR: SP7705337069