Description

717/5/54 CHURCH ROAD
04-JUL-55 DUNTON
Church of St Mary

II
Rebuilt in 1873 by W G Bartleet. Additions to north post-c1995

MATERIALS: Red brick with Bath stone dressings. Red clay tile roofs. Timber-clad bellcote with shingled spire.

PLAN: Nave, lower chancel, south porch, vestry (north), brick extension and conservatory to north.

EXTERIOR: The church was rebuilt in 1873 and the architect incorporated features from various medieval periods, perhaps mirroring the details of the earlier church. Thus the south-east bay of the chancel and that east of the porch have C13-style lancets, the chancel south-west bay a two-light C14 or C15 window under a square head, while the other windows mostly have Decorated flowing tracery of the early C14. The north-west bay of the chancel appears to incorporate Tudor brickwork. At the west end there is a square timber-clad bell-turret with plain, louvred single-light pointed openings. It is covered by a shingled splay-foot spire. Three dormer windows have been inserted on the north side since the building came into secular use.

INTERIOR: The interior has now been subdivided for residential use and the floor substantially raised. However, at the west end the (probably) C15 timbers supporting the belfry survive and include substantial arch braces to a tie-beam.

PRINCIPAL FIXTURES: The C19 pulpit, a plain Gothic Revival piece with pierced tracery panels remains.

HISTORY: The church was converted to residential use c1995. The architect for the 1873 rebuilding, William Gibbs Bartleet (1829-1906), was born in Handsworth (later part of Birmingham) and was articled to a London architect, John Walker until 1850. He then spent some time in an architect's office in Chichester. He was in independent practice by 1860. In 1891 he took his son into partnership.

SOURCES:
Bettley, J and Pevsner, N, The Buildings of England: Essex, (2007) 117

REASONS FOR DESIGNATION:
The former Church of St Mary, Church Road, Dunton, is designated at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* It is a mid-Victorian rebuilding which, despite conversion to residential use, retains much of its picturesque external character
* It incorporates medieval structural timbers at the west end

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26415396

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.

Recommended Books

• 
  Cornwall (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Cumbria: Cumberland, Westmorland and Furness (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Care and Repair
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  Building Small Projects (New Best of Fine Woodworking)
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair
• 
  Cambridgeshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)