Description

LITTLE DEWCHURCH CP -
SO 53 SW
5/52 Church of St David
26.1.67
GV II*
Parish church. C14, rebuilt, apart from tower; from 1869-71 by F Preedy.
Sandstone ashlar and Welsh slate roofs with cresting to chancel. West tower,
two-bay nave with south porch and two-bay chancel. West tower is C14 but
thoroughly restored. Deeply moulded plinth, two external stages, embattled
parapet and grotesque water spouts to corners. Diagonal buttresses to north-
west and south-west extend into upper stage. Top stage has a pair of ogeed
openings with blind spandrels under recessed moulded square head to each of
the four sides. Chamfered newel loop to right of centre in upper stage of
south side. Deeply recessed loop above restored 2-light trefoil ogeed west
window. Quatrefoil in tracery. North elevation of nave has two pairs of
trefoiled lights with blind spandrels under square heads: Weathered buttress
and verge to right-hand side. Similar buttress with tall stack above separates
nave from chancel. East verge has gable cross. Chancel has one lancet to left
and a pair of lancets to right-hand side: Buttress to left-hand corner. Verge
and gable cross. East elevation of chancel has three stepped trefoiled lights
recessed under outer chamfered two-centred arch: Kneelers to gable: South
elevation of chancel has similar windows to north side but are separated by
priest's doorway with two-centred head and continuous chamfers: Ledged door
with strap hinges: Buttress separates chancel from nave: Windows of nave
are like those opposite except that to the right has three lights. West end
of nave has kneeler with verge running into tower. South porch has double
chamfered continuous arch with pyramidical stop to bases of each order.
Flanking weathered buttresses. Gable cross. Each return has a chamfered
lancet. Two-leaved gates have saltire crosses forming open panels. Roof
has scissor struts. Stone side benches. Inner arches of lancets in returns
have broad heads with chamfers dying into jambs. South doorway has two-centred
arch with continuous chamfer and pyramidical stops. Two-leaved oak door with
scrolled strap hinges. Interior has nave roof with corbels supporting wall
posts and swept braces. Collars have king struts carrying raking struts.
Between these and principals are decorative infills in the form of cinquefoils
and quatrefoils; Chancel roof is similar but with foliated corbels and no
cinquefoiled and quatrefoiled infill in trusses. Chancel has octofoil drain,
perhaps medieval, re-set in south-east window cill. Marble and tessellated
reredos with Agnus Dei flanked by angels: Stained glass in east window of
The Crucifixion, Annunciation, Visitation of the Shepherds and the Ascension:
North window has The Good Shepherd; the south; the raising of Lazarus: Oak
communion rails with four trefoil-headed panels and trefoiled spandrels
divided by turned shafts: Late C19 single manual organ with mahogany case,
galvanised pipes and double-hinged brass sconces
Brass altar cross for Alan Cameron, dated 1881; has glass and ruby-coloured
finials to sides of stem: Two wrought iron candlesticks with brass scrolled
enrichments stand about five feet high: Oak choir stalls and benches with
trefoiled open panels: Two-panelled matching desk to west end of south side:
Chancel arch has two-centred arch with three continuous orders and pyramidical
stops. Nave has tower arch with two continuously chamfered orders and low
pyramidical stops. Above it to the left is a newel loop: Pulpit is stone
with trefoiled projection, in plan, to west. It is supported by clustered
shafts. Moulded top and recessed band mid-way up the west side in the centre
of which is a roundel with "IHS" set in deeply undercut foliations: Small
quadrant shaped seat to inside. Font is in similar style. Circular moulded
base, cylindrical stem with tapered bowl, the latter having four roundels
with crosses and diving dove for The Holy Ghost. Cover is oak with wrought
iron flying ribs converging on a large brass cross. Three free-standing
candlesticks with brass scrolls similar to those in the chancel. Two late C19
to early C20 oil lamps on west wall. Three chrome and frosted glass hanging
lamps in Art Deco style, probably mid-C20. Pine pews have scrolled oak ends
in C17 style. On north wall is white marble monument to the seven men of the
parish who fell in the First World War.
Beneath, a small memorial plaque to a fatality of the Second World War,
John Hansard, a chief stoker, killed in "CHARYBDIS" in 1944. RCHM states
that some C13 and C14 windows from the previous church were partly re-used
in the re-building. (BoE, p 235; RCHM, Vol I, p 47-8).

Listing NGR: SO5295031759

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17537617

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

• 
  Hertfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability
• 
  Listed Buildings and Other Heritage Assets
• 
  Pioneers of Modern Design: From William Morris to Walter Gropius (Penguin Art & Architecture)
• 
  Yorkshire West Riding: Sheffield and the South (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Kent: West and the Weald: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)