Church Of Saint Mary

ST41SE EAST CHINNOCK CP HIGH STREET (South side)

3/51 Church of Saint Mary

19.4.61

GV II

Church. C14 origins, now mostly C15 and C19 work. Ham stone ashlar of varying quality, with rubble plinth to South wall of nave; Welsh slates between coped gables, with stone slate base courses to chancel. 2-cell plan with west tower, North East vestry and South porch; the nave double width, totally C19 and probably encompassing former North aisle; 2-bay chancel, 2/3 bay nave. Chancel C14 in character: plinth full height buttresses angled to corners: 3-light trefoil cusped arched pointed East window, C14 tracery; 2-light matching windows in South wall with double quatre-foil panels under each light, moulded arched doorway between them; on North wall a C16 flat headed window of two 4 centre arched lights; all windows without labels. North East corner vestry of C19, designed to match chancel. Nave totally C19; two 3-light windows with composite "Y" tracery to North wall; similar but smaller window to West end over plain moulded pointed arched doorway; and likewise 3 narrower windows in South wall, the central one shortened to fit porch, South porch very simple, possibly C14; chamfered pointed arch doorway, inner door similar but 2 chamfered orders; bench seats; stone barrel vault ceiling covered externally with stone slabs. Tower of C14/C15 in three stages; angled corner buttresses 2 storeys high, but with octagonal stair turret to South West corner; plinth, string courses defining stages; battlemented parapets with prominent corner gargoyles: stage 1 has moulded pointed arched doorway with 3 cinquefoil head light window with C15 tracery set in hollowed recess without label; stage 2 has clock faces to North and West sides single light trefoil headed windows in hollowed rectangular recesses; stage 3 has 2-light trefoil cusped traceried windows in deep hollowed recesses, pierced stone baffles to South and West, the others of wood. Inside, little of note: chancel has plaster barrel vault ceiling with stone springing course; all wall plaster stripped; rere-arches to all pointed windows, wide and tall hollow chamfered chancel arch, late C19 arch into vestry/organ chamber; plain sedelia forming South East window cill, and nearby trefoil-cusped ogee head piscina. In nave a C16 4 linenfold panel chest near pulpit and octagonal font on circular base with water-holding moulding, possibly of C13. All but East window have mid C20 stained glass by Gunther Anton of Stuttgart, a former prisioner of war; his gift for kindnesses received from the villagers.

Listing NGR: ST4986813239