Church Of St Leonard

ST44NE RODNEY STOKE CP STOKE STREET (South side)

9/86 Church of St Leonard 22.11.66

GV I

Anglican Parish Church. C12, C15, restored c1879. Coursed and squared rubble, freestone dressings, coped verges with cruciform finials, tile, slate and lead sheeting roofs. Nave, north porch, chancel, north chapel, south organ chamber, west tower Perpendicular. Three stage tower, embattled, diagonal buttresses, topping polygonal stair turret; 4-light west window, west door, string and label with carved angels. Two bay nave, pierced parapet with pinnacles, 3-light windows. Gabled porch, moulded inner and outer door opening, above the former a niche for a statue, benched interior with flagstone floor, re-used C14 stoup. Chancel embraced by organ chamber and south chapel, known as Rodney Chapel; the latter of c1480, 3-light windows, door opening with ogee canopy and niche for statue, pierced parapet with pinnacles. Organ chamber in conforming neo-Perpendicular style. Three-light window to east end of chancel, rich. tracery. Interior plastered on tile, encaustic tile and flagstone floors. Nave with panelled roof, ornamental bosses, thick moulded ribs; chancel with wagon roof, ornamental bosses, thin moulded ribs, probably C19; Rodney Chapel with roof similar to nave; organ chamber with simple lean-to roof. Moulded tower and chancel arches, C15 piscina under tower. C12 bowl font with gadrooming, Laudian tester. Rood screen dated 1625, though part of base appears C15, richly carved cornice, turned balusters to former rood loft set over. Laudian altar rails, altar table and pulpit. C19 choir stalls and organ. Early C20 pews with fine neo-Perpendicular carved ends. Remains of painted text to south wall of nave. Charity plaque under tower. Important memorial sculpture in Rodney chapel and adjacent to altar, to the Rodney family. Sir Thomas Rodney, obit 1417, tomb chest with recumbent effigy in armour; chest with weepers, figures of saints, and the Virgin; open canopy between chancel and Rodney Chapel, cusped arches, tall attic storey with heraldic devices. Sir John Rodney, obit 1527, tomb chest under a cusped arch with embattled cresting, shields in relief to chest. Anna wife of George Rodney, obit 1630, recumbent alabaster effigy under an arch supported on columns in front of the east window of the chapel. George Rodney, obit 1657 and lady, 2 busts under a curtained canopy. Late C19 stained glass windows, east window of chancel 1886. (Church Guide, 1981; Pevsner, Buildings of England, North Somerset and Bristol, l158).

Listing NGR: ST4821349851