Description

SO 3858-3958
10/28

PEMBRIDGE CP
Church of St Mary

16.10.67

GV
I
Parish church. C12 and C13 origins; nave, north and south transepts and chancel arch rebuilt during early C14; north porch added during late C14. Restorations of 1871 and 1903-1909. Sandstone rubble with some ashlar facing and ashlar dressings; tiled roofs. Nave with north porch, north and south aisles and north and south transepts; the south transept has a projecting stair turret on the east side, chancel with C19 north vestry.

Nave: C14 clerestory to north and south sides with four circular windows with cinquefoils. The west end of the nave has a tall early C14 window with two-centred head and five trefoiled ogee-headed lights and reticulated tracery, label and head stops. Two-centred arch of two moulded orders to west doorway with label and head stops. The south aisle has one early C14 window with two-centred head; two trefoiled ogee-headed lights and quatrefoil with label to left end; two similar windows to right of south doorway; two-centred arch of two moulded orders, no label. The west end window of the south aisle is similar to the tall west window of the nave with three trefoiled ogee-headed lights and reticulated tracery. The north aisle has one similar window to the west end. The north side has one window with two-centred head; two trefoiled ogee-headed lights and quatrefoil with label and head stops to the right and two similar windows to the left of the north porch which is of the late C14, with moulded plinth and gable with cinquefoiled-ogee headed niche, flanked by pinnacles rising from angle buttresses; outer two-centred arch of two hollow-chamfered orders and label with stops; C17 panelled double gate with curved top rail inscribed with "Benbough and Jo Badham, Wardens Ano Dmi 1678". Decorative stone tierceron star vault springing from corbels with cusped and foiled panels and decorative central boss. Inner two-centred arched doorway of two moulded orders and retains C14 nail studded battened door with ornamental wrought-iron hinges and C17 lock. The north transept has one tall north window with two-centred head and three trefoiled ogee headed lights, reticulated tracery and label. The east and west windows are of two trefoiled ogee headed lights with a quatrefoil in a two-centred head with labels. The windows to the south transept are similar.

Chancel: north side with late C14 window with two-centred head, one cinquefoiled and two trefoil headed lights, to right of late C19 vestry. South side of chancel has a three-light window similar to that on the north side to the left of a mid-C13 window of two trefoil-headed lights and pierced quatrefoil. The early C14 east window is of four trefoiled lights with reticulated tracery.

INTERIOR: trussed-rafter roof to nave and transepts with moulded wall plate; one tie beam toward the east has cusped braces below; moulded wall plates to the pent roofs of the aisles. Six-bay north and south arcades with two-centred arches of two moulded orders. Octagonal piers with moulded capitals and bases. Square-headed upper doorway in the south-east angle of the nave formerly leading to the rood loft and supported on corbelling below sill with cinquefoiled decoration. In the east wall of the south transept is an ogee-headed doorway with chamfered jambs, giving access to the rood stair. Early all two-centred chancel arch of two moulded orders, outer continuous, inner springing from triple shafted corbels. The chancel retains traces of the earlier building in the south wall; blocked C13 arch which has a semi-circular shaft to respond with stiff-leaf capital.

Fittings: C13 font with square stem with attached semicircular responds giving bowl of similar shape. C17 pulpit, octagonal with robust carvings to panelled sides in two layers; blank arcading and dragons. C17 communion rail with splat balusters and moulded rail. The lectern is partially reconstructed but contains a C17 panel in a robust style similar to that of the pulpit.

Monuments: in chancel: pair of C14 chest tombs, each with a pair of effigies, one of a civilian and a lady, and the other of a knight and a lady. Anne Sherbourne memorial: wall tablet 1668, inscription panel flanked by draped female figures supporting entablature with broken pediment, cartouche of arms and cherubs. Thomas Trafford memorial, wall tablet 1685 with inscription panel flanked by twisted Corinthian columns, entablature and broken pediment, cartouche of arms and putti. On south wall, Alice Sherbourne memorial, wall tablet 1660, inscription panel flanked by draped female figures, entablature with segmental pediment, putti and cartouches of arms. William Sherbourne memorial, wall tablet 1671, inscription panel flanked by twisted composite columns, entablature and broken pediment, cartouche of arms.

There are traces of wall paintings in the south transept; circles on a red ground. There are also traces of the Lord's Prayer on the south wall of the south aisle, probably C18.

Listing NGR: SO3909458064

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Church of St Mary official website
• Wikidata Q17530018

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

• 
  Derbyshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  The green guide for historic buildings: how to improve the environmental performance of listed and historic buildings
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  The Listed Buildings and Other Principal Structures at the Royal Gunpowder Mills Waltham Abbey
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  Gloucestershire 1: The Cotswolds: Cotswolds Pt. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Hertfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Pevsner's Architectural Glossary (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)