Description

CLANFIELD POUND LANE
SP2802-2902 (North side)
7/40 Church of St. Stephen
12.9.55

GV II*

Parish Church. Probably C12 origins, largely rebuilt c.1200 with early C14 west
tower. Nave and north wall of aisle rebuilt and south porch added by J. Luker in
1869; chancel restored and enlarged 1870. Roughly coursed limestone rubble to
surviving medieval parts, regularly coursed and dressed rubble to nave, north
wall of aisle and porch, uncoursed limestone rubble of small stones to scraped
and cleaned chancel. Stone slate roofs with stepped coped verges and C19 stone
crosses to gables except for north chancel chapel, which has earlier plain
crosses to gables. Nave; chancel; north chancel chapel; north aisle; west tower
and south porch. Tower: in 2 stages with stepped diagonal buttresses, moulded
plinth and string course. Embattled parapet with crocketed corner pinnacles,
moulded cornices and grotesques. Windows all early C14. South side has small
trefoil-headed window immediately above string course; window with cusped
Y-tracery and hood mould above to left of splayed stair turret with narrow
rectangular openings. This has enriched canopy to south-east corner over large
statue of St. Stephen; a squat rustic figure holding a book and stones, his
emblems as preacher and martyr. East side has window with cusped Y-tracery and
hood mould. First stage of west side has 3-light window with intersecting
tracery and hood mould. Small trefoil-headed window directly above string course
and window with cusped Y-tracery and hood mould above. Window with cusped
Y-tracery and hood mould to north side. Nave: two 2-light Decorated-style
windows with floriated label-stops to right of gabled porch. This has a pointed
double-chamfered outer arch with hoodmould and small trefoil-headed windows to
side walls. North aisle: north wall has 3 paired cusped lancets of 1869-70; late
C13 or early C14 2-light window with Geometrical tracery and carved beasts as
label-stops to west wall. Chancel: south side: broad C13 cusped lancet with
hoodmould to left of C13 stepped pointed double-chamfered doorway restored in
1870; narrow C13 lancet to right. Easternmost window C14: single ogee light
under square label with head-stops and trefoils and quatrefoils to spandrels.
Early C14 3-light east window has cusped intersecting tracery and hood mould
with cusped intersecting tracery and hood mould with head-stops. Late C19 copy
of same to east wall of north chancel chapel, which has 2 early C13 lancets to
north with pointed doorway of c.1870 to right. Interior: single-chamfered
round-headed C12 south doorway has plain tympanum and moulded imposts; hoodmould
with incised triangular decoration beneath. 3-bay north arcade of c.1200 has
pointed double-chamfered arches with circular piers and scalloped capitals; late
C19 plinths and square bases. Twin-stepped pointed chancel arch heavily restored
1870 retains semi-circular responds with scalloped capitals and moulded plinths
of c.1200. Tall narrow shafts to outer order on west. High early C14 tower arch
of 4 chamfered orders, outer 3 continuous, inner supported by semi-circular
shafts with chamfered capitals. Chamfered round-headed doorway to staircase
turret in south wall of tower. Pointed double-chamfered arch from chancet to
north chapel with semi-circular respond to east and corbelled respond to west
mainly 1870 but appears to incorporate earlier work. Pointed arch from north
aisle to chapel also 1869-70 but incorporates earlier work and the wall through
which it cuts is medieval. Roofs all late C19; crown-post in 3 and a half bays
to nave and trussed rafter roof to chancel. Cusped rere-arch to tower west
window and wide squint with cambered head from north chapel to chancel. Moulded
pointed image niche to left and similar but lower recess with double-chamfered
trefoiled head to right of chancel arch look c.1200. Infilled south chancel
doorway has elliptical arch internally with carved head below apex. 3 stepped
sedilia below south-east window and trefoil-headed credence shelf with piscina
below to left. Square aumbry on north. Fittings and furnishings mainly late C19
or later including nave benches and choir stalls and stone pulpit. C15 octagonal
panelled font with floral motifs in quatrefoils to sides. 2 late C18 or early
C19 brass chanceliers in sanctuary and stained glass of c.1907 in east window.
Monuments. Collection of C17 and early C18 brass plates to members of local
families on north and south walls of chancel. Deserted village earthworks in
field to south-west.
(Buildings of England: Oxfordshire: pp545-6; Bodleian Library Oxford: MS Top.
Oxon. b.90. no.69; MS Top. Oxon. d.271.f.37)
[2320]

Listing NGR: SP2834502153

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17531608

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

• 
  This Old House: Restoring, Rehabilitating, and Renovating an Older House
• 
  [(Cumberland and Westmorland)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1967)
• 
  The green guide for historic buildings: how to improve the environmental performance of listed and historic buildings
• 
  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of Historic Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas
• 
  [(Bedfordshire, Huntingdon and Peterborough)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1968)
• 
  Wiltshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)