Description

TF 39 SW COVENHAM ST. MARY MAIN STREET

7/4 Church of
St. Mary
9.9.67
II*

Parish church. c.1359, C15, late C18, C19. Squared chalk,
limestone and ironstone rubble, red brick, with slate and pantile
roofs. Western tower, nave, chancel, south porch. The C15 2
stage chalk tower has plinth, stepped angle buttresses and
embattled parapet with corner pinnacles. To belfry stage are 4
paired cusped headed C19 lights under pointed arches. The west
window is of 2 cusped headed lights with panel tracery, moulded
surround and hood with human head label stops. The north nave
wall has a blocked C15 doorway with chamfered ogee head, beyond
are 2 three light windows, with trefoil heads to the lights,
panel tracery and moulded surrounds and hoods with human head
label stops. The chancel north wall has 2 two light windows
having cusped ogee heads, panel tracery, triangular heads with
moulded hoods. The east window is C14 of 3 lights with trefoil
heads, curvilinear tracery, single chamfered surround and moulded
door. Chancel south wall has 2 windows matching those to the
north plus a lower window with cusped arched head, double
chamfered surround and hood. The stone in the eastern reveal
bears a scratch dial. The 2 windows in the south nave wall match
those to the north. The late C18 south porch in brick with
raised coped gables and kneelers with pantile roof, has a round
arched outer opening with keyblock, containing a wooden Gothick
railed gate. The C14 inner doorway has a continuous sunk wave
moulding and moulded hood. The late C18 door has Gothick arches
in the 6 panels. Interior. The C15 tower arch springs from
human head corbels supporting octagonal brackets and is double
chamfered. In the tower is a pegged stair ladder. The nave roof
is a C19 timber barrel vault, but is supported on massive C15
braced ties, with blank shields to the ends of the braces,
resting on probably repositioned C15 corbels, some of which are
decorated with grotesque figures. The nave walls are lined with
C18 raised and fielded dado panelling. In the chancel which is
undivided from the nave is an ogee headed piscina in the south
wall and in the north is a fine C14 tomb recess with moulded ogee
surround and pierced cusped tracery. Attached to the rear wall
of the recess is a small brass to Sir John Skipwith who died in
1400, showing the deceased in full plate armour with sword,
misericord, feet resting on a lion. This was removed from the
church at Covenham St. Bartholomew. Fittings. There are C19
fine brass altar rails and good C17 oak altar table with turned
legs. The C15 octagonal font with moulded top has fleurons,
beneath which are shields on each face separated by foliage. The
base is moulded with stop chamfers to angles. There is a
handsome octagonal cast iron paraffin stove having pierced Gothic
panels to the sides, shaped top with knop and drop handles. Pews
and pulpit are C20. There is a late C14 incised slab to John
Merle, rector. The chancel was licensed in 1359.

Listing NGR: TF3396594324

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17548286

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.

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