Description

ST 8486-8586
7/78

SHERSTON
CHURCH STREET (west side)
Church of the Holy Cross

28.10.59

GV
I
Anglican Parish Church. Late C12 (north arcade), early C13
(crossing and north transept), late C13 (chancel), C15, 1730 tower
by Thomas Sumsion of Colerne, 1876-7 restoration by T.H. Wyatt and
further C19 restoration by Ewan Christian. Coursed rubble to nave
and chancel, squared and coursed dressed stone to south aisle and
porch, ashlar to tower, battlements and copings, stone slates to
roofs. Nave, chancel, south aisle, south porch, crossing tower,
north aisle and north transept. Nave south side has a 2-cusped-
light C15 window under flat head with hoodmould. Nave and north
aisle west windows under gables are C15 of 4-lights with pointed
heads and panelled tracery. North aisle has a 3-light C15 window,
paired C13 lancets and a trefoil-headed C13 doorway. South aisle
has three 4-light C15 windows under flat heads with hoodmoulds,
moulded string courses, buttresses with set-offs and an embattled
parapet. Chancel has restored 3-light C13 east window with cusped
heads and attached shafts. Two-stage crossing tower in a fusion of
Gothic and classical forms. South-east corner polygonal stair
turret, classical rusticated pilasters to remaining corners;
moulded string courses and pierced panelled embattled parapet with
openwork crocketed corner pinnacles. First stage has trefoil-
headed blank panelling but to south face a round-headed classical
niche with Gothic crocket above and medieval face below. Two-
light bell openings with curious 'M' tracery and perforated blocks.
Clock to south face below bell openings. North transept has a 3-
light lancet window with dragon heads to hoodmould and re-used C12
corbel table. C15 south porch with diagonal buttresses and
panelled embattled parapet with crocketed pinnacles. Pointed-
headed, multi-chamfered archway with sundial above and 2-light
window to parvise. Fragment of medieval sculpture to right,
reputedly of Saxon hero Rattlebone but probably of cleric. Two-
leaf wooden Gothick gates. Lierne vault inside, 2 benches and
multi-chamfered architrave to south doorway: C19 plank door with
panelling. 1876 ICBS restoration board on east wall, benefaction
board on west wall.
Interior. Four-bay nave arcade with circular piers, round-headed
arches and zig-zag decoration. Crossing tower has C13 demi-shafts
with face corbels and large heavy chamfered pointed arches dating
from the 1730 rebuilding. Open rafter roofs to nave, north aisle
and north transept, flat panelled roof to south aisle, crossing and
C19 barrel vault to chancel. Nave has C15 tomb recess on north
wall, former rood stair opening on north side of crossing arch and
walk-through squint also to north side of crossing. Piscina on
east wall of north transept and C14 tomb recess with mutilated
figure on north wall. Fittings. Nave has restored C13 font with
shafted base and octagonal bowl, Jacobean vestment chest and
pulpit, 3 wall monuments and an 1883 stained glass west Window.
Chancel has 2 wall monuments to the Hodges family (1676, restored
1861) and the Estcourt-Cresswells of 1788. Late C19 stained glass
east window. South aisle has fine 1715 monument to Joyce
Hitchings: praying woman in shell-hooded niche on south wall.
(N. Pevsner, The Buildings of England: Wiltshire, 1975; H.M.
Colvin, 'Gothic Survival and Gothick Revival' in Architectural
Review, 1948)

Listing NGR: ST8539386032

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Church of the Holy Cross, Sherston at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q5117891

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

• 
  Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability
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  Period Property Manual (New Ed)
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  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair
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  England's Post-War Listed Buildings
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  Churches: An Architectural Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)