Description

ST 80 NE DURWESTON CHURCH ROAD

6/23 Church of St Nicholas
14-7-55
GV II*

Parish church, C15 west tower, main body of church 1846, north vestries, organ
chamber and extension of chancel 1913/14. 1846 work by Hardwick for Baron
Portman, 1913/14 work by Green of Blandford for Viscount Portman. Tower of
greensand ashlar, main body of church of chequered flint and squared greens
and blocks. Tiled roofs with stone-slate verges and end stone copings. West
tower of 3 stages with plinth divided by weathered strings, the parapet string
bearing gargoyles. It has a rectangular north vice turret with rectangular
loops and diagonal buttresses of 4 weathered stages. Southern buttress has
pointed niche. 15 west doorway with 4-centred, moulded head and label with
carved, square stops. Above is a 3-light, pointed window with Perpendicular
tracery and stopped label. Niches to first and second stage of south wall
and second stage-of west wall. 2-light belfry windows with Perpendicular
tracery under pointed heads with labels. Embattled parapet with crocketted
finials, some of which have recently been taken down. South aisle has 2
square-headed, Perpendicular tracery windows of 2 lights to west of porch and
3 lights to east. East aisle wall has 2-light perpendicular tracery window
under pointed head. Eastern north and south chancel windows are of 2-lights
under pointed heads with quatrefoils. South wall has paired lancets with
labels with head stops. East chancel window of 5 lights and idiosyncratic
perpendicular tracery under 2-centred head. North nave wall has 3 lancets and
to the west, a 2-light pointed head window with label. The 1913/14 range has
square-headed Perpendicular windows and a 4-centred doorway. Gabled south
porch. South door has chamfered 4-centred head, reset, with black letter
inscriptions dated 1455.

Interior features. 5 bay pointed arch arcade of 2 chamfered orders springing
from octagonal piers with moulded capitals and bases. Pointed, moulded chancel
arch with attached respond shafts with capitals and bases. Pointed tower arch
of 2 hollow chamfered orders dying into responds. Arch braced collar nave roof
divided into sub bays. Principals spring from corbels. Barrel-vaulted chancel
roof with central, carved angel bosses. Aisle has tie-beam and king-post roof.
Over south door is reset medieval sculpture of farrier said to depict St Elio.
Tapering octagonal C12 font on octagonal stem on square base. Base cut to take
four detached shafts. Various C18, C19 and C20 monuments. C19 cusped, ogee-headed
piscina. C19 glass. Other features C19/C20. (RCHM, Dorset, vol. III, pp 89-91,
no. 1. Newman, J and Pevsner, N. The Buildings of England, Dorset, Penguin, 1972,
p 191. Anne Hosford, The Parish Church of Durweston and Bryanston, 1978.

Listing NGR: ST8587308523

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17539269

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

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