Description

SO 93 SE OXENTON WOOLSTONE

5/130 Church of St Martin de Tours

4.7.60

GV II*

Anglican church. C14, C15 restored in 1873 by John Middleton for
the Rector G.G. Coventry as indicated by an inscription over the
entrance. Nave: random ashlar. Chancel: random ashlar and-
random squared and dressed limestone. Tower: ashlar; stone
slate roof. Plan: nave with south porch, short passage on the
north links the chancel to the vestry, west tower. Nave south
wall with buttresses with off-sets at the east and west ends: 4-
light Perpendicular window with hollow-moulded mullions and trefoil
heads within a Tudor-arched surround to the right of the porch;
double Cl9 plank doors with decorative hinges within a moulded
Tudor-arched surround within the porch. Late C19 porch with
diagonal buttresses and moulded Tudor-arched entrance with moulded
hood and large foliate stops. Quatrefoil with monogram 'Ihs',
sundial and metal gnomon; rectangular windows with tracery to the
return walls. Nave north wall: 3 buttresses with off-sets; two
C19 Decorated two-light windows with moulded hoods with 4-petal
flowers at intervals and large carved head stops. Chancel with
diagonal buttresses. Chancel south wall: 3-light late
Perpendicular window with trefoil-headed lights with carved
spandrels within a deeply splayed Tudor-arched surround; similar
but 2-light window with geometric tracery at the top to the right.
Three-light C14 east window with reticulated tracery moulded hood
and carved head stops. C19 two-light window similar to- the 2-
light window on the south side with reused quoin with mass dial.
Vestry, dated 1975 with 2 and 3-light stone-mullioned casements.
C15 two-stage tower'with diagonal buttresses and moulded plinth.
Clock on the south side. Two-light stone-mullioned Tudor-arched
belfry windows with wooden louvres; battlemented parapet with
moulded string and grotesques at each corner. Flat coping to
gable ends; bases of ornate finials now lost to the gable end of
the nave and chancel. Church interior scraped: C19 four-bay
arch-braced roof supported on stone corbels with foliate decoration
to the nave; trefoil-headed wooden arcading above the wall plate;
double purlins linked by panels with quatrefoil decoration. C19
panelled Tudor-arched roof to chancel with two large C19 angel
corbels. Flagged floor. C17 chancel arch with moulded imposts.
Deeply chamfered pointed arch with moulded imposts; -early plank
door with fillets within a Tudor-arched surround to the right of
the tower arch. Traces of the former C14 nave arcade, comprising 3
blocked pointed arches, one with an impost, within the nave north
wall. Large mutilated image niche to the right of the altar;
with projecting base for image with vine scroll decoration,
crocketing and pilasters either side, one of which still rises up
to form a crocketed pinnacle; mutilated canopy with lierne
vaulting, Tudor rose and central pinnacle, now broken off.
Smaller mutilated image niche to the left of altar formerly with a
crocketed canopy. Octagonal late C14 limestone font inside the
south door. C19 pews, pulpit and communion rails. Mid C17
priest's chair, possibly made from a Puritan Communion table from
Deerhurst, near font. Simple late Cl9 or early C20 altar table
and late C17 chair with lozenge decoration within the sanctuary.
Monuments: segmental-headed slatestone monument to the left of the
tower arch to Mrs. Elizabeth Bishop, wife of Revd. Bishop, died
1765 with inscription "NEAR THE FONT" at top. Small ledger to
Revd. Bishop, died 1766 near the font. White and grey marble
monument to Revd. Luders, died 1851 on the south wall of the
chancel. Recumbent effigy of priest in eucharistic garments to
the left of the altar. Ledger to John Roberts, the elder, husband
of Katherin Roberts died 1650 with double heart motif at bottom of
inscription (q.v. inscription on The Grange); further inscription
to John Roberts son of John Roberts, died 1682, below. C19 stained
glass east window dedicated to Gilbert Coventry, Rector, died 1906.
(David Verey, The Buildings of England, The Vale and the Forest of
Dean and V.C.H. Glos, Vol VIII, p105.)

Listing NGR: SO9611230244

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17538523

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

• 
  Northamptonshire: Buildings of England Series (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Dorset (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Renovating Old Houses: Bringing New Life to Vintage Homes (For Pros By Pros)
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990
• 
  England's Post-War Listed Buildings
• 
  Pevsner's Architectural Glossary (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)