Description

BUCKNELL C.P. CHAPEL LAWN ROAD (eastside), SO 37 SE Bucknell 12/26 - Church of St Mary [formerly listed as Parish 21.3.68 Church (no dedication)] GV II

Parish church. C12 and early C14, considerably restored and partly rebuilt 1870. Roughly coursed limestone rubble with ashlar dressings; slate roofs have ornamental ceramic cresting and foliated iron crosses to gables. Nave with western bell turret and spire; chancel; north aisle; organ chamber/ vestry and south porch; largely rebuilt in an Early English style in 1870. Bell turret: constructed of oak shingles surmounted by slated spire with brass weathercock. Shuttered openings to belfry and clock by Bezant of Hereford under gabled canopy on south side. Nave: south side has 2 late C19 windows with bar tracery to right of contemporary gabled porch and a single broad cusped lancet to left. West wall has 2 late C19 stepped buttresses flanking window with bar tracery, hoodmould and head-stops. Lean-to north aisle (1870) has paired broad trefoil-headed lancets to right and window with bar tracery in gable breaking eaves to left. West window of 2 lights with plain bar tracery. Lower vestry to east has pointed north doorway and segmental-headed 3-light east window. Chancel: has blocked single-chamfered pointed south doorway (probably early C14) and a roughly contemporary window of 2 broad cinquefoil-headed lights above to right. Late C19 three-light east window with bar tracery, hoodmould and head-stops. Interior: arch- braced collar beam roof in 5 bays to nave with 3 sets of purlins and 2 tiers of quatrefoil windbraces, probably C15 but considerably restored in late C19 ;four C19 heads to each side. Moulded tie beam to third truss from east and C19 braced timber structure supporting bell turret in western bay. Similar roof in 3 bays to chancel. Nave arcade in 3 bays with circular piers and stiff-leaf carving to capitals; similar Transitional-style carving to responds and to corbelled responds of pointed chancel arch, which has hoodmould with foliated label-stops. Painted legends "LORD I HAVE LOVED THE HABITATION OF THY HOUSE AND THE PLACE WHERE THINE HONOUR DWELLETH" over arcade and "WORSHIP THE LORD WITH HOLY WORSHIP" over chancel arch. Restored pointed recess in north wall of chancel probably for Easter sepulchre. Tub-shaped Saxo-Norman font has flat carving of irregular interlaced cords with a bearded human head on east; C19 Transitional-style plinth and base. Communion table partly C17. Other fittings and furnishings including pews, altar rails and stone pulpit mainly c.1870. Encaustic tiles and late C19 stained glass in several windows including east window dated 1870. Monuments. Wall memorials to Harriet Sitwell (died 1827) and Anne Sitwell (died 1842), north aisle north side. 3 late C18 and early C19 benefactors' boards at west end of church, one dated 1838 and another 1839. Chest in choir vestry inscribed "WW 1807". 1870 restoration cost £2000. B.o.E. p. 87; D.H.S. Cranage, The Churches of Shropshire, Part 5 (1901) pp. 381-2; appendix p.976.

Listing NGR: SO3547073890

External Links

• Wikidata Q26648535

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