Description

SK 15 SW; 8/113

ILAM C.P.,
ILAM PARK

Church of the Holy Cross

01.02.67.

G.V.

I

Parish Church. The core is probably C11, partly rebuilt in C13 and extended
in 1618 and 1831; the church underwent major restoration in 1855-6 under the
direction of Sir George Gilbert Scott. Coursed and squared rubble with ashlar
quoins and dressings; clay tile roofs with bands of shaped tiles and coped
verges. West tower; 3-bay nave; Chancel; North aisle; NE and SE chapels.

West Tower: C13 lancet to ground floor on South side; restored West window of
two trefoil headed lights; two trefoiled belfry openings to each side Saddleback
roof. Nave: South side has one tall C13 lancet to the left and a restored C14
window of three trefoil-headed lights beneath a square head to right; this
encroaches on a blocked, probably Anglo-Saxon, roundheaded doorway; C19
gabled porch to left. Chancel: The East window of 1855-6 has three cusped, graded
lancets framed by nook shafts with naturalistic foliage to the capitals and
a continuous hood mould terminating in busts of a king and queen. North Aisle:
Late C13 style windows of two cusped lights with pointed trefoil above; door to
right; West window tracery incorporates a 6-lobed star. N E Chapel: 1831.
Octagonal plan; biggest feature of church and almost free-standing; windows
have 4-centred arches, cusped, intersecting tracery and hood moulds; each of
the four northernmost faces has a trefoiled head loop. Buttresses at the angles
terminate in small gables decorated with buses. S E Chapel: St Bertram's
Chapel. Date over south door presumably refers to restoration of former
Charity Chapel. "RM/RP1/NH/1618". Windows have square heads with ogee and
sunken spandrels; Tudor arch doorway with hood mould terminating in busts.

INTERIOR: North arcade by Scott: cylindrical columns with moulded bases and
capitals; roll moulding and roll and fillet moulding to pointed arches;
naturalistic foliage at springing point. Chancel arch by Scott, pointed with
three orders of moulding: roll, kell, and roll and fillet; engaged columns with
naturalistic foliage to capitals; hood mould terminating in busts of a queen
and a bishop. Tower arch: Pointed and chamfered arch springing from corbels.
Nave roof is of crown post construction with scissor bracing, bolted rather
than jointed. Chancel: Reredos by Scott; small aumbry on N side; wagon roof.
David Pike Watts Memorial Chapel: Moulded vaulting ribs springing from corbels
with angels carved on them; bosses along the ridge rib with armorial bearings
surrounded by naturalistic foliage; frieze around foot of walls consisting of
lozenge shapes containing quatrefoils. Fittings: Font Romanesque, probably
C12, circular bowl with figures carved on sides. Rood screen and screen on
South side of Chancel; designed by Scott and made by Skidmore of Coventry;
wrought iron with arrangements of flowers and foliage with arches and
quatrefoils in the squares. Monuments: Meverell Monument: Alabaster; two reclining
figures coats of arms to side and end of chest tomb. Inscribed: "HERE LYETH
Y BODIES / OF ROBERT MEVE / RELE ESQV. & ELIZ / HIS WIFE DAUGiiTER / TO S.
THO. FLEMING / KNI.T & LORD CHIEF JUSTICE OF Y KINDS / BENCH BY WHO HE / HAD
ISSUE ONLY ONE / DAUGHT WHO MARRIED THO. LORD CROMWELL( VISCONTE LE GAILE /
WCH."ROBERT DIED THE 5TH OF FEBR . AN ° 1626 / & ELIZAB TH / DEPARTED 5TH OF
AVGVST 1626". Above is a wall monument depicting Meverell's daughter and her
three young children all kneeling within an aedicule of Corinthian columns
supporting a semi-circular arch; surmounted by a pedestal with upraised hand
brandishing a sword, shields to either side. Shrine of St Bertelin: probably
C14; open quatrefoils to sides and ends of chest. David Pike Watts Memorial
by Sir Francis Chantrey: Male figure sitting up to receive a kneeling
female figure. and 3 children; chest tomb below has panelled sides with
armorial bearings. A large and impressive piece of sculpture.

Listing NGR: SK1326850697

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17541324

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

• 
  Gloucestershire 1: The Cotswolds: Cotswolds Pt. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Care and Repair
• 
  Oxfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability
• 
  Yorkshire West Riding: Leeds, Bradford and the North (Pevsner Architectural Guides / Buildings of England)
• 
  Hertfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)