Description

BARRINGTON GREAT BARRINGTON VILLAGE
SP 2013-2113
10/29 Church of St Mary
26.1.61
GV II*
Anglican parish church. Late C12, early C13, early C16, restored
in 1880 by F.C. Penrose. Nave and north aisle, roughly squared and
dressed limestone. Tower coursed squared and dressed limestone,
more finely squared and dressed on the west. Chancel coursed
squared and finely dressed limestone. Plan; nave with north aisle
with a projecting porch towards the west end, chancel and west
tower. Late C15-early C16 nave and north aisle. Nave south wall,
4 tall 3-light stone-mullioned windows within rectangular surrounds
(probably restored C19). Transom towards the top of each window.
Cinquefoil headed lights below the transom. Stepped hoods to all
windows. Carved head stops to the left-hand window. Single C19
buttress half way along wall. C18 memorial to right of the
buttress with a partially legible inscription and two winged
angels' heads at the top. Four late C15-early C16 three-light
windows with cinquefoil heads and stopped hoods to the clerestorey.
Parapet with moulded string. Similar windows and parapet to the
north side of the clerestory. Early C16 north aisle, three C19
three-light windows with cusped and ogee-curved heads and stopped
hoods. Parapet with saddleback coping and moulded string. Four
headstones to right of the central window. Left-hand headstone
with no legible inscription. Three headstones to right to members
of the Bridges family with inscriptions dating to the 1790s.
Foliate scrollwork and winged angels' heads to two of the
headstones. Earlier C16 four-stage tower with lean-to extensions
on the north and south sides. C20 double plank doors within a
paired moulded surround on the west side of the tower. Blocked
round-headed flat-chamfered window above. Rectangular flat-
chamfered windows to the second stage, clock in addition on the
north side. Paired belfry windows with trefoil or ogee heads and
stone louvres to the third stage. Single-light segmental-headed
windows with carved spandrels to the fourth stage. Battlemented
parapet with crocketed pinnacles. Moulded string with carved heads
at each corner below. C19 chancel with diagonal and side
buttresses. Pointed single light and 2-light windows with scroll-
moulded hoods with foliate stops to the north and south walls. C19
studded plank door with decorative brackets within a moulded stone
surround at the centre of the south side. Three-light east window
with tracery and stops in the form of carved heads. Cl9 porch with
diagonal buttresses and a moulded pointed entrance with hood with
scrolled stops. Animal-head gargoyles on the sides.
Church interior; plastered. Late C12 semi-circular chancel arch of
2 orders. The inner order is plain, the outer has chevron combined
with primitive ballflower decoration. The arch rises from 2
engaged columns with scalloped capitals. Double-chamfered pointed
arch from the nave to the tower base. Four-bay early C13 nave
arcade with cylindrical columns with deeply moulded octagonal
capitals and water-holding bases. Early C16 flat, panelled ceiling
with decorative foliate bosses. The main ceiling beams have
moulded soffits. Pierced brackets rising from carved head corbels
(the latter possibly C19). Three-bay chancel with C19 arch-braced
trusses supported by C19 carved head corbels. Five finely carved
medieval carved head corbels reset in the north wall of the nave
arcade. Flagged floor to nave and chancel. Decorative encaustic
tiling to the sanctuary. C15 image niche with brattished canopy
over the west door. Byzantine style metal hanging lamps to nave.
Fixtures and fittings; early C20 pews, pulpit and choir stalls and
communion rail. Restored C15 limestone font inside the north door.
Monuments; large marble monument to Jane Bray, died 1711 and Edmond
Bray, died 1720, and other members of that family. Figures of the
children in period dress being conducted over the clouds of heaven
by a winged angel above the inscription. The monument was possibly
designed by Francis Bird and carved by Christopher Cass. Recumbent
limestone effigy of Captain Edmund Bray, died 1620, dressed in full
armour at the west end of the north aisle. (The manor formerly
belonged to the Bray family). Various monuments to members of the
Talbot and Wingfield families within the chancel including a large
marble monument to Mary, Countess Talbot, died 1787, by Joseph
Nollekens with a half-draped female figure holding a medallion
carved with a bust of the Countess. Baroque marble estcutcheon to
James Stephens, died 1692 with a painted heraldic shield at the top
on the south wall of the nave.
(David Verey: The Buildings of England; The Cotswolds, 1979; and
V.C.H. Vol VI, p25).

Listing NGR: SP2051813482

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17536346

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

• 
  Somerset: South and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Buildings of England)
• 
  London 4: North: North v. 4 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Building Small Projects (New Best of Fine Woodworking)
• 
  Pioneers of Modern Design: From William Morris to Walter Gropius (Penguin Art & Architecture)
• 
  Period Property Manual (New Ed)