British Listed Buildings

Listing Text

BARCHESTON
SP2639
13/2 Church of St. Martin
13/10/66 (Formerly listed as Parish
Church of St. Martin)

GV II*

Church. C12/early C13 in origin with C14 additions of the north-west tower and
south aisle. Alterations in C17 and restored 1870 and 1894. Finely jointed
regular coursed limestone rubble and ashlar limestone. Stone slate roofs laid to
diminishing courses. Stone coped gables. Chancel, nave, north and south aisles,
north-west tower. Chancel. Romanesque south doorway has plank door and hood
mould with label stops and is flanked by 2-light square headed Decorated windows
with hood mould. Single lancet to north. North aisle. 2 stone mullioned and
transomed windows, one of ovolo section. South aisle. 3-light Perpendicular
window with hood mould and label stops to east. Two 2-light Perpendicular
windows with hood moulds and elongated label stops. Scratch dial on buttress.
South porch. Monopitch roof. Pointed arched doorway with hood mould and
headstop. Romanesque south doorway with 3 orders of moulding and decorated
capitals. Plank door. Nave to left of porch: A 2-light square headed Decorated
window with hood mould and label stop. West window of 2-lights with Decorated
tracery.
North-west tower. 3 stages with small rectangular square headed lights and
ground floor. First and second floors have Perpendicular openings incorporating
C13 shafts and capitals. Embattled parapet. Diagonal and offset buttresses.
Moulded plinth. String course to first and second floors. Nave has stone parapet
with moulded coping and finials. Two 2-light Perpendicular clerestory windows.
Interior: Decorated aumbry. Bracket piscina. Chancel arch has a capital with
trumpet scallop decoration and another with nailhead. Wagon roof with floral
bosses. North arcade of 3 bays with round piers, one with trumpet scallop
decoration and another with nailhead. Pointed west doorway to tower. Chamfered
arches. South arcade of 2 bays with chamfered arches. Octagonal font with plinth
with ball flower, traceried stem and bowl with head decoration. Two C15 benches
in chancel. Monuments in south aisle: alabaster tomb effigies of William d.1555
and Ann Sheldon. Brass to Hugh Humphrey d.1530, Stone engraved wall memorial to
Thomas Taylor, Rector of the parish. d.1716. Wood and marble wall memoral to
William Brent d.1675 with broken pediment, strapwork decoration and heads of
lions and angel. Marble wall plaque to Elizabeth, wife of Christopher Smith,
d.1799.
(V.C.H.: Warwickshire, Vol. V, 1949, pp. 6-9; Buildings of England:
Warwickshire, 1981, pp. 84-5).



Listing NGR: SP2648939944

Source: English Heritage

Listed building text is © Crown Copyright. Reproduced under licence: PSI Click-use licence number C2008002006.