Description

COMPTON ABDALE COMPTON ABDALE VILLAGE
SP 01 NE
5/18 Church of St. Oswald
26.1.61
GV II*
Anglican parish church. C13, C15, restored 1883 by Ewen Christian
and again in 1904-5 by F.W. Waller. Nave chancel and north aisle
random limestone or limestone rubble, part of north wall of north
aisle rebuilt in ashlar. Porch, coursed squared and dressed
limestone. Stone slate roof. Plan; nave with tower at west end,
north aisle with projecting porch towards west end, chancel. Flat-
chamfered plinth to chancel. Chancel north wall, C19 two-light
window with hollow-moulded stone-mullion. Perpendicular 3-light
east window with hollow-chamfered stone mullions, small
embattlemented transom below uppermost tracery stopped hood. South
wall; two 2-light windows with hollow-moulded mullions, trefoil
tracery at top and carved spandrels. Nave; buttressed at south-
west corner. South wall; 2 rectangular C19 windows with
cinquefoil-headed lights and stone-mullions with stepped and ovolo
mouldings, trefoil in spandrels, hollow-moulded surrround. Traces
of possible blocked south doorway below left-hand window. Small 2-
light late Perpendicular or Tudor window towards west end with
cinquefoil-headed lights and trefoil tracery in upper corners,
hollow-moulded surround incorporating a carved man's head at the
centre of a 4-petalled flower (i.e. a green man) at top of
surround. Perpendicular 3-stage tower with moulded plinth with
diagonal buttresses with couchant animals on offsets. Strings
between stages. Carved heads at the ends of lower string. Man
blowing horn (probably a representation of St. Oswald) at centre of
string on west. Scratch sundial with metal gnomon on south side of
tower. Two-light pointed belfry windows with quatrefoils, stone
slate louvres and stopped hoods. Battlemented parapet with beast's
head gargoyles offset from corners. Corner pinnacles in the form
of rampant dogs/wolves with staves. Canted stair turret at north-
east corner of tower. North aisles; Perpendicular window,
matching that at east end of chancel, left of porch. Chamfered
string at east end. Early English porch (rebuilt C19) with
diagonal buttresses. Pointed entrance arch with two flat-chamfered
orders, the inner forming Early English engaged columns. Stopped
hood. Carved man's head above arch. Stepped coping to gable ends,
roll-cross saddles. Upright stone cross finial at east end of
chancel. Weathervane at centre of tower. Inside porch; stone
bench seats. C19 door with fillets within pointed Early English
hollow-moulded arch. Church interior plastered. Four-bay C14 nave
arcade with octagonal piers with moulded octagonal capitals. C14
arch from nave to tower, engaged octagonal columns with
embattlements capitals with 4-petal flower decoration. Wide C19
double-chamfered arch from nave to chancel. Wagon roofs to nave,
chancel and south aisle probably late C18-C19. Red tile floor in
chancel, limestone flags in nave. Doorless aumbry in south wall of
chancel. Opening to give access to former rood loft upper right of
easternmost arch of nave arcade. Defaced stone carving probably
representing St. George and the dragon with painted striped red and
green background set into wall above pulpit. Furniture and
fittings: C19 chalice-like stone font inside north door. C19
pews and pulpit. Monuments; four C19 white on grey marble
monuments to members of the Walker family in chancel some by Lewis.
Two C19 stone ledges in floor. C19 stained glass in east window of
chancel and in westernmost window of nave south wall. Fragments of
medieval window glass in west window of tower. Tripartite wooden
plaque in tower recording the recasting of its bells in 1880.
History; the tower was built when the church was a possession of
St. Oswald's Priory at Gloucester.
(D. Verey, The Buildings of England; The Cotswolds, 1979)

Listing NGR: SP0593416581

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17536891

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

• 
  Hertfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Northumberland (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Renovating Old Houses: Bringing New Life to Vintage Homes (For Pros By Pros)
• 
  Specifications for Building Conservation: Volume 1: External Structure: Practical Examples v. 2
• 
  Period Property Manual (New Ed)
• 
  London 4: North: North v. 4 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)