Church of St Mary

Cadw's description

History

Originally a medieval church; nave rebuilt 1739 by Thomas Woodward of Worcester; whole church rebuilt 1895-9 by Sir A Blomfield of London. Fabric burnt out 1941 and largely rebuilt 1954-9 by Leslie T Moore and Sir Percy Thomas.

Exterior

Plan form of apsidal Lady Chapel with wide ambulatory and vestries linked back to transepts, tall chancel and nave with aisles, N and S porches; tall S tower attached to S transept. Snecked rubble, freestone dressings, slate roofs (copper to aisles); gable parapets with cross finials, corner buttresses (absent to Lady Chapel). 5-light E window under hoodmould, flanked by turrets, simple chamfered lancets below (blind E wall), plate tracery to chancel, Perp windows to N transept, paired lancets between pilaster buttresses to nave. Entrance under S tower with battlemented parapets, SW stair; 2 light bell-openings, nook shafts to pointed doorway. Gabled S porch (foundation stone dated 1896) with Christ in mandorla and foliage paterae over arched entrance with glazed fanlight. 4 lancets to plain W gable, Christ with 4 Evangelist symbols to tympanum of triple-order W door.

Interior

Apsidal E chapel with low ribbed ceiling, diagonal strainer arches over angles. Arched treatment to E lancets, heavy stringcourse with paterae, 3-bay arcade below; screens to E bays of arcades, elaborate stepped Geometric sedilia. Organ blocking S transept arch, screen to N; no chancel screen. Open timber roof with collar beam and hammerbeams on wall-head, arched braces. 6-bay nave with collar and tie-beam roof, arched braces, round columns, chamfered arcades; transverse arches to aisles.

Older furnishings include a damaged C14 effigy of a lady in N transept, a brass (ca 1510) of knight and lady N side of altar.