Description

SP 02 72 ALVECHURCH CP BEAR HILL (south side)

15/10 Church of St Laurence
16.11.67

GV II*

Parish church. Fragments of C12, C14 north aisle, tower of 1676 built by
the Richards brothers, rest rebuilt by William Butterfield, 1859-1861.
Sandstone ashlar with machine-tile roof. West tower 1676, north aisle C14,
nave, south aisle and chancel 1859-1861. West tower: incorporates some
C15 features, rebuilt 1676, three stages, each offset. C17 balustrade with
crocketed pinnacles, diagonal buttresses: west wall: second stage has a
window of trefoiled lights under 2-centred head; first stage: square-headed
window with chamfered reveals, below clock and a datestone inscribed:
"Samuell Richards and / Thomas Richards 1676" over a pair of addorsed
dragons; ground stage: window of three cinquefoiled lights under 2-centred
head with label over an entrance with 2-centred arch. Nave: 1859-1861, four
bays with (from left to right) clerestorey windows: cinquefoil lancet, a
pair of similar lancets, a pair of trefoiled lancets, and a similar pair with
quatrefoil above; south aisle: 1858-1861, lean-to roof, five bays, left-hand
bay has timber-frame south porch to re-set restored C12 door which has a roll
moulding to semi-circular head, a billeted label, and respond shafts with
capitals; other bays mostly have paired trefoil lancets, each with a re-set
C12 or C14 corbel above; east window has two trefoiled lights under a 2-centred
head; north aisle: C14, altered C15, gabled roof; three bays defined by stepped
buttresses, each bay with two windows of two trefoiled lights under 2-centred
head; east window has reticulated tracery under a 2-centred head, and had
five lights obscured by lean-to C19 vestry. Chancel: 1859-61, three bays,
that to left covered by south aisle, trefoiled lancets to each bay; east
window: three stepped trefoiled lancets. Interior: nave: north arcade of
three bays with 2-centred arches and circular plan piers, south arcade of
four bays wth 2-centred arches and slender columns, respectively Norman and
Early English in style, but all C19; tower arch: 2-centred of two continuous
orders; chancel: arcade to aisles on each side of two bays with 2-centred
arches and slender columns. Re-set head of a C14 sedilia in south wall of
chancel; north aisle; early C15 tomb recess behind organ has an ogee cinque-
foiled arch, crocketed and terminating in a carved finial; effigy in recess
is a recumbent stone knight. Roofs: nave: seven bays: arch-braced collars,
south aisle: lean-to roof; chancel: two bays, cusped arch-braces to collar;
north aisle: common rafter roof with scissor-braces. Fittings: mostly C19
by Butterfield; the low chancel screen is made up from probably C15 woodwork,
including a frieze with trailing foliage, all painted. North aisle: wall
tablet to Edward Moore, died 1746, with Corinthian pilasters; brass mounted on
wall to Philip Chatwyn, died 1542; chancel: tomb slab bearing a cross flory,
chalice and the arms of John Carpenter, Bishop of Worcester (1443-76).
(VCH 3, pp 255-256; BoE, pp 68-70 Hereford & Worcester Record Office,
Probate records 3585/767).

Listing NGR: SP0266472445

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17547512

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)
• 
  Setting up a Listed Building Heritage Partnership Agreement: Historic England Advice Note 5
• 
  London 4: North: North v. 4 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Renovating Old Houses: Bringing New Life to Vintage Homes (For Pros By Pros)
• 
  Oxfordshire: North and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects by Harwood, Richard (2012) Paperback