Description

ST 69 NE BERKELEY CHURCH LANE
(south side)

10/60 Church of St. Mary the Virgin

30.3.60

I

Anglican parish church. C12 foundation, altered in C13 and C15,
and in C19. Random coursed rubblestone, lead roofs with coped
verges and cross finials. Nave and aisles of 7 bays with
clerestory windows to south only, north porch, lower chancel with
flanking chapels. Aisle windows of 3 stepped lancets with
cinquefoil heads with buttresses between, stepped on north side.
Chancel has triple and single plain lancet on north side of C12, 9-
light east window atered from 7 lights in 1843. North porch of 2
storeys built at 2 stages: lower stage C14 with rib vault with
carved central boss and corner corbels and stepped diagonal
buttresses and large ogee doorway, upper stage c1450 with twin ogee
lights for priest's room to north and west and trefoil-head
panelled parapet with pinnacles on north. West end has 5 stepped
round-headed lancets of mid C13 with 3 pointed moulded arches below
under steep gables, and central cusped cinquefoil doorway. South
door (opposite north porch) has triple round-headed moulding and
colonettes in jambs with square roll-moulded doorway and plank door
with elaborate applied ironwork. Berkeley Chapel in south east
corner is Perpendicular of mid C15 with 3-light ogee windows and
elaborate carved parapet with crocketed pinnacles over each bay
buttress, and small priest's door with ogee moulding and Berkeley
arms on tablet above.
Interior: pointed arcade with piers of clustered shafts and stiff-
leaf capitals c1225-50, walls decorated with medieval patterns in
red and black including fragment of Doom scene on chancel arch.
C15 timber roofs with chamfered and moulded beams carried on
corbels. Tall flattened pointed chancel arch with rood stair in
pier to left and C12 piscina to right and C15 stone screen with
large 2-centred arch containing 3 smaller cusped pointed arches
with quatrefoil and mouchette over; chancel roof has openwork
quatrefoils etc., over main beams. C19 Reredos with 5 aedicules
and statues, large inset ogee arch to left, and to right tomb of
James, 11th Lord of Berkeley, died 1463, with Perpendicular canopy
in archway through to Berkeley Chapel. Memorial stone to Edward
Jenner on south wall. Generally C19 stained glass, fine tomb slabs
of C17 and C18 throughout, and wall memorials. In south arcade,
large chest tomb of Thomas, 8th Lord of Berkeley, died 1361, and
wife Katharine, died 1385. Square Norman font by south door on 4
columns with central round pier and scalloped lower edge. (David
Verey, Buildings of England - Gloucestershire: The Vale and Forest
of Dean, 1980; local guide by J.Gethyn-Jones, 1971).

Listing NGR: ST6847099031

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Church of St Mary the Virgin at Wikipedia
• Church of St Mary the Virgin official website
• Wikidata Q17526193

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

• 
  Oxfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990
• 
  Suffolk: East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Kent: North East and East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Gwent/Monmouthshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Wales)
• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects, Supplement 2014