Description

BACTON CHURCH ROAD
TM 06 NE

2/10 Church of St Mary

29.7.55

GV I

Parish church, mainly C14 and C15. Mainly flint rubble walling (the chancel is
plastered) with freestone dressings. Nave clerestory of flushed flint with good
flushwork emblems in panels of freestone. Mainly slated roofs; the aisle roofs
leaded and low-pitched. Nave, chancel, west tower, north and south aisles, north
vestry. The mid C14 tower incorporates a reset round-arched west doorway of perhaps
C12 origin with later hoodmould. Y-traceried and dagger-traceried belfry windows,
grotesque gargoyles and pinnacles. A freestone-quoined red brick stair turret was
added to the south side in C16. Mid/late C14 aisles in 5 bays: octagonal columns
with moulded capitals; eastern side windows with early Perpendicular tracery (but
east end windows with net tracery of Decorated form). The chancel also has late
C14 side windows with square heads. South chancel doorway of c1300, the hoodmould
stopped upon a pair of carved crowns. Remodelling of the west end of both aisles
and construction of south porch both perhaps early C15. Early C16 east window.
Circa 1500 the aisles were raised and clerestories added to the nave. In the side
walls at high level are two inscriptions carved in a limestone panel, one requesting
prayer for Sir James Hobart, Attorney-General under Henry VII. A fine hammerbeam
roof of 10 bays in the nave: the upper tier of hammerbeams support arch braces
up to collars and short kingposts. Wallposts are in the form of pinnacled canopies,
beneath which there must once have been carved figures between the clerestory
windows. The whole roof is greatly enriched, and the canopy of honour is brightly
painted. The lean-to aisle roofs are contemporary, with carved bosses and moulded
wallplates. The chancel roof is cambered with arch bracing, and is also fully
coloured. The rood screen has good tracery, but the lower panels were removed in
C19. On the south side are rood loft stairs and doorway. Roofs and screen restored
1860 and 1864 by W Butterfield. Octagonal font of c1500; angels bearing shields
on some faces, roses on others, and beneath the bowl are more supporting angels.
Two good C15 benches with poppyhead ends and figures upon the buttresses; traceried
ends and backs. Two sets of late C16/early C17 benches with plain poppyheads.
Over the chancel arch is a doom wall painting. Two wall tablets with cartouches
to George Pretyman (1732) and his widow (1738). A painted memorial behind the
pulpit to Thomas Smyth (1702). In the south aisle are at least 7 marble C18 floor
slabs.

Listing NGR: TM0531867199

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17526049

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

• 
  Staffordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Suffolk: West: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Harrow on the Hill: A photographic portrayal of listed buildings and structures (Historic Buildings Picture Guides)
• 
  Listed Buildings and Other Heritage Assets
• 
  Gloucestershire 1: The Cotswolds: Cotswolds Pt. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  London 6: Westminster (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England): Westminster v. 6