Description

TL 4860-4960 FEN DITTON CHURCH STREET
(West Side)

18/1 Parish Church of
31.8.62 St Mary Virgin
(formerly listed as
GV Church of St Mary)

II*

Parish Church. North aisle c.1300 and chancel. Nave arcades,
clerestoreys, south aisle and south porch C15. Church restored
in 1881 by J.L. Pearson (1817-97), and in 1888-9. West tower
rebuilt reproducing early C13 details. Walls of flint and
limestone, some reused medieval stone with Barnack limestone and
clunch dressings. Roofs of lead. South elevation. Aisles
extended westward to face of tower. Tower of three stages with
plain parapet and moulded plinth with small, lead covered,
spirlet. Two-light belfry window with quatrefoil in two-centred
arch. South aisle and porch with plain parapets and grotesque
gargoyles. Porch centrally positioned, partly rebuilt with tall
C19, two-centre arched opening with attached shafts and moulded
capitals and bases, doorway has moulded jambs and two-centred
inner and square outer arch with quatrefoils in spandrels.
Aisle bays with buttresses at angle and to west quoin. East and
west windows with cinquefoil-lights in four-centred arches.
Four clerestorey windows of two trefoiled-lights and blocked
rectangular opening possibly a light to the rood loft. Chancel
of three buttressed bays with three windows, each with two
trefoiled-lights, the west window with transome and rebated
jambs to lower lights for shutters of 'low-side' window.
Interior: Nave arcades of four bays and chancel arch C15, with
two-centred arches of two wide hollow- and double-ogee- moulded
orders, attached shafts and semi-octagonal moulded capitals and
bases. Tower arches rebuilt of two chamfered orders with
semi-octagonal responds, moulded capitals and chamfered bases.
Label to eastern arch with dog-tooth ornament. Matching pair of
C14 niches in chancel with ogee - cinquefoil heads and traces of
colour. Nave roof C15, of four bays with braced king posts,
moulded tie beams with curved braces to wall posts. C15 pair of
niches in south aisle and piscina. Piscina in chancel masked by
later string. C14 scissor-braced chancel roof. North and south
aisle roofs C15, of five bays with moulded principal rafters and
purlins. Door to south aisle medieval, cased in modern wood.
Font with octagonal bowl and quatrefoil panels late C14. For
monuments and floor slabs see R.C.H.M. report. Stained glass in
south aisle east window by Kempe, 1898. East window by Clayton
and Bell, 1881. Pulpit and lectern 1876, organ 1877.
R.C.H.M.: East Cambs p.50, mon. 1.
Pevsner: Buildings of England p.383.
Hill, A.G. Arch notes of Churches of Cambs. 1880 p. 205
description before restoration
Relhan, R. (1754-1823) Watercolour, west view of church C.A.S.
collection
Harrison, R. Hist of Fen Ditton 1956.

Listing NGR: TL4826760371

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17544398

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

• 
  Warwickshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability
• 
  Dorset (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Setting up a Listed Building Heritage Partnership Agreement: Historic England Advice Note 5
• 
  Lancashire: Manchester and the South-East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Drawing up a Local Listed Building Consent Order: Historic England Advice Note 6