Church Of St Andrew

ST2042 STOGURSEY CP CHURCH STREET ( South side) 14/163 Church of St. Andrew

22.5.69

GV I

Benedictine priory church, now parish church. Founded 1100- 7, enlarged 1180, priory dissolved c1440, altered C15, nave extensively restored 1824, chancel rebuilt 1863-5, removal of some Victorian alterations mid C20. Architect of early C19 restoration Richard Carver, late C19 John Norton. Roughcast except for East end, squared and coursed blue lias with courses of red Sampford Brett sandstone, tower with herringbone stonework beneath render. Plan: 3 bay nave, tower over crossing, transepts, choir with North and South chapels, chancel and vestry. Entrance West end through neo-Norman porch rebuilt mid C19, 5-light Perpendicular West window. All windows 3-light Perpendicular unless otherwise stated. 3 bay nave, 3 bay transept and Verney family chapel lit on returns, C19 lancet on South wall of chancel, 3 C19 lancets East end, vestry 2-light with lancet above, similar North return with stepped buttresses flanking 2 Lady chapel windows, 4-light to North transept, the whole crenallated with centre 2 bays distinguished by finials, parapet to gable end of transept, recessed stairs to tower with gabled projection beyond, 2-light window and lancet in gable end, two 3-light windows North side of nave. 2 stage tower over crossing, parapet with pierced trefoil headed decoration, louvered bell openings and octagonal spire. Interior: rendered early C12 crossing arches, moulded with chevron and other Norman decoration, carved on 8 piers, early Norman capitals; arcade of 2 bays North and South sides with late C12 capitals and arches. The early C12 church had apsidial ends to the East sides of the transepts and a larger apsidial C12 transepts extended East in late C12, the steps up to the raised Victorian floors of North and South chapels and 4 steps in centre of the choir reflect this earlier arrangement. Marked changes of level in the Church resulted from mid C20 excavations which may have revealed the cyrpt floor. Fine collections of memorials, notably to Nathaniel Palmer died 1717, obelisk with painted shield and mourning putti, and to Sir Thomas Wroth, died 1721, aedicule with mourning putti and shield on scroll neck pedimented tablet with marbleums. Table tombs with effigies - William Verney, died 1333, and John Verney died 1447, with mourning figures in crocketted niches. Norman font of unusual design, some medieval floor tiles, fine early C16 bench ends, C19 banners of Friendly Societies in Stogursey, chandelier 1732. A notable example of Norman ecclesiastical architecture. Photographs in NMR; Ballard, R, A History of the Priory Church of St. Andrew Stoke Courcy, 1977).

Listing NGR: ST2048442876