Description

SO 53 SE; 7/45

FOWNHOPE CP,
FOWNHOPE

Church of St Mary

26.01.67

GV

I

Parish church. C12 core with additions of mid-C13 and early C14, restored
1881, early C20 north porch. Coursed sandstone rubble with ashlar dressings,
tiled roof, shingled spire. Nave, south aisle and north porch, central tower
and south chapel (now vestry), chancel.

North front: four-bay nave with
buttressing and raised verge, two windows with two trefoiled ogee-headed
lights and irregular quatrefoil to left of C20 gabled porch; central tower,
three stages with moulded string course and band of chevron ornament below
base of splay-footed spire. Semicircular-headed window with two
semicircular-headed lights to third stage, partly obscured by clock face, similar
smaller window situated slightly to right of centre to second stage, large
2-light traceried window to ground stage with doorway to left: chancel, raised
verge, two 2-light Y-tracery windows.

INTERIOR: nave, restored C15 or early
C16 trussed rafter roof; west wall, re-set C12 tympanum of former doorway
with seated figure of Virgin and Child surrounded by elaborate decorative
animal and scrolled motifs, south arcade of four bays in two pairs with
central double respond, eastern pair mid-C13 and C14 western pair, C12
western tower arch of two semicircular-headed orders, eastern arch of two
orders. Fittings: font, c1670, with octagonal bowl, stem and base, blank
arches to stem and fleur-de-lis in panels of bowl, extensively restored.
C18 font with circular bowl supported on elegant baluster shaped stem.
Large oak chest toward west wall of south aisle.

Monuments in chancel in
north wall, wall tablet commemorating Nicholas Lechmere, 1711, and Martha
his wife, 1763, stone tablet flanked by weepers, broken pediment with coat
of arms; south wall wall tablet commemorating Johanna Lechmere, died 1692,
tablet with open segmental pediment with putti and scroll and foliage ornament.
Chancel contains many monuments commemorating members of Lechmere family,
formerly of Fownhope Court (qv).

Listing NGR: SO5810034274

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17530114

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

• 
  Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability
• 
  Gloucestershire 2: The Vale and The Forest of Dean: Vale and Forest of Dean Pt. 2 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Kent: North East and East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Renovating Old Houses: Bringing New Life to Vintage Homes (For Pros By Pros)
• 
  Suffolk: West: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Sussex: East with Brighton and Hove (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)