Description

SEDGEBERROW CP MAIN STREET (south side)
SO 0238 - 0338
8/144 23/1 Church of St Mary
30-7-59
- II

Parish church. Circa 1328-31 for Thomas of Evesham, restored 1866-8 by
William Butterfield and extended in 1899. Coursed limestone rubble faced
with limestone ashlar; stone-tiled roof laid in diminishing courses with an
east gable-end parapet and gabled finial. West tower and continuous five-
bay nave and chancel with north porch and south vestry. Decorated style.
West tower: octagonal and of four stages with strings and chamfered plinth.
There is a long slit window in the south face of the lowest stage, a similar
louvred slit window in the west face and also a rectangular light in the
north face of the second stage, and another rectangular light in the south-
west face of the third stage. The belfry stage has four louvred rectangular
bell-chamber openings, one in each main face. The ashlar spire rises directly
from a hollowed cornice and has a roll moulding at each angle and a weathervane.
Nave and chancel: continuous chamfered plinth, chamfered eaves cornice and hood-
mould. Diagonal buttresses with offsets at corners and buttresses with offsets
at bay divisions. There are four 2-light windows in both side elevations, the
three easternmost windows are tall and narrow whilst the westernmost window is
wider with round-headed lights surmounted by a large round-lobed trefoil. The
east window is of five lights. North porch is gabled, has a gable-end parapet
with a pointed head and end buttresses. It has a pointed doorway of two
chamfered orders and a hoodmould with returns that are continued and stepped
to form a moulded eaves cornice at the sides. The side elevations have 2-light
chamfered mullioned windows with square heads. Within the pointed south door-
way is of a single order and is similarly detailed with a hoodmould returning to
form a moulded eaves cornice to the interior walls of the porch. There is a
stoup in the west side wall of the porch. North vestry: dated 1899, and
adjoins the second bay from west end. It has a gable-end parapet with a cross
finial, a chamfered plinth and eaves cornice and diagonal south end buttresses
with offsets. At the south gable end is a 3-light window with a hoodmould and
in the gable apex is a chamfered datestone inscribed "1899". There is a narrow
doorway with a hoodmould in the west side and three cusped lancets beneath a
single hoodmould in the east side; beneath the windows steps lead down to a
basement door. In the east angle with the chancel is a tall ashlar chimney stack.
Interior: walls are plastered and there is a C19 wagon roof. The ornate painted
and gilded reredos is recorded as being C14 but much restored. It has three
recessed semi-hexagonal bays with vaulted canopies, cusped crocketted and
finialed ogee arches, flanking pinnacled buttresses and similar taller outer
buttresses set in the east window jambs. Either side of the reredos is a large
stone corbel intended to support small statues. The piscina has an ogee-arched
vaulted canopy similar to the reredos. The two sedilia are more simply detailed
and C19. There is a C19 traceried arcaded chancel screen that reaches to wall-
plate level and is surmounted by a trefoil frieze. In the south wall of the nave
is a piscina that probably once resembled that in the chancel. The circular font
and carved timber pulpit are C19. Memorials: on the north wall of the nave is an
early C18 memorial to John Parsons, died 1713, with a segmental pediment and
panelled pilasters. On the west wall are two oval memorials of the late C18 and
early C19 and also a mid-C19 memorial. Glass: the east window is c1878 and by
Mrs Barber, the vicar's wife. There is a fragment of medieval glass in the north
chancel window. The church was very heavily restored in 1866-68 by William
Butterfield at the expense of Mary Barber in memory of her late husband, the
Rev Barber. (VCH, Vol 3, part 2, p 520-2; BoE, p 258-9).

Listing NGR: SP0245438514

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17548607

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

• 
  Harrow on the Hill: A photographic portrayal of listed buildings and structures (Historic Buildings Picture Guides)
• 
  Derbyshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  A Buying and Owning a Listed Building: A Brief Guide
• 
  Yorkshire West Riding: Leeds, Bradford and the North (Pevsner Architectural Guides / Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair
• 
  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of Historic Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas