Church Of Saint Stephen

CHARLTON MUSGROVE CP ST72SW

7/215 Church of Saint Stephen 24.3.61 II*

Church. C13 and later. Local stone rubble with Doulting stone dressings; stone slate roofs with coped gables to chancel and porch. 2-cell plan with 2-bay chancel and 3-bay nave, with added West tower, South porch and C19 Vestry on North East corner. Chancel has 3-light "Y"-tracery East windows, below and to South side of this two C18 memorials set into wall, both with pedimented surrounds, commemorating Revd. William Leir, Rector, died 1743, and Nathaniel Farewell, died 1750; on South side of Chancel a triple lancet to East and C15 2-light window to West, both without labels; between them a small 3-centre arched doorway; North wall part rendered, remainder obscured by Vestry which has small 2-light window. Nave has three 2-light C16 style windows of which the West may be original; centre window cuts into blocked former doorway and has gable and chimney above; high on West end of wall blocked window: South wall has flat headed 4-ogee arched light window without label East of porch and small C15 2-cusped head light window, both without labels. South porch has slightly moulded outer arch with sundial dated 1916 over, otherwise plain: inside C15 curved rib and panel roof with bosses; flat headed inner doorway. Tower of 3-stages, with plinth, angled offset buttresses on West side, string courses, battlemented parapets, corner pinnacles and gargoyles, with square plan staircase turret on North East corner: low plain pointed arch doorway to West, probably late C13, with arched label having square steps; above a C15 cinquefoil cusped 2-light window with similar arched label; to stage 2 a small single cusped light window with pierced wood baffles on South face only; to stage 3 2-light cusped C15 windows set in recesses to each face, also with pierced wood baffles. Interior not seen, but nave has curved rib truss roof similar to porch, but the C15 moulded tie beams (as at Staverdale Priory Chancel qv) removed in C19 and replaced with iron tie-rods; panelled C15 Chancel arch; octagonal font of mid Cl7, retooled; door to rood loft on North side of nave with walkway in the wall; evidence of West nave gallery, and wall plate on corbels for part of South wall; hatchment dated 1660 in nave, and two C18 boards under tower. (Unpublished information from G Beech Esq, Church Architect).

Listing NGR: ST7201329909