Description

DINEDOR CP ROTHERWAS
SO 53 NW
2/21 Rotherwas Chapel
26.1.67
GV II*
Former Roman Catholic chapel of the Bodenham Family: Late C16 with earlier
origins. Tower probably C17 or C18: Enlarged and restored in 1868 by
Edward Welby Pugin for Roger Bodenham: Restored since 1928 by HM Office of Works. Sandstone rubble and sandstone dressings: Asbestos slate roofs with some
tiles and shingles. West tower with west porch. Continuous three-bay nave
and apsidal C19 chancel with north vestry and confessional and two south
chapels: West tower has three stages. Plain parapet with an obelisk to
each corner: Tiled pyramidical roof rising to early C20 oak octagonal
lantern with trefoil-headed openings, shingled spire and wrought iron cross.
Top stage has central pair of round-headed openings to each side. West
elevation has a pair of trefoiled lights under a square head with incised
spandrels to middle stage: Ground floor has chamfered segmentally headed
west doorway and ledged C18 door masked by early C20 oak timber-framed porch
with trefoil headed open panels and shingled roof with pierced quatrefoiled
enriched gablet: North and south elevations each have clock face above two
central loops, one to middle and one to bottom stage. North elevation of
nave has a pair of ogee headed lights to right-hand side and to the left a
4-light window, possibly C14, each light of which is trefoil-headed, set
under a hoodmould: C19 vestry has front stack with octagonal shaft. Doorway
with four-centred head next to a pair of lancets on west side. East side
has a similar pair of lancets. In angle of the vestry and chancel is a
small carved head. Above the vestry in the chancel roof is a C19 opposed gablet
containing a trefoil-headed light flanked by a pair of quatrefoils. Chancel
has a trefoil-headed light to north-east and south-east angles linked by a
continuous hoodmould: South wall has another trefoil-headed light. Wrought
iron cross at junction of roof hips: South elevation of south-east chapel
has three wide lancets in gable front and a stack with octagonal shaft to
left-hand return: Above is a gablet in the chancel roof, matching the one
on the north side. To left of the south-east chapel is a 4-light window
like that in the north wall, possibly C14: South-west chapel has a pair of
trefoil-headed lights and a trefoil in each return: To the left of the chapel
is a pair of ogee-headed lights like those in north wall. Interior has four
nave trusses with moulded members, cambered ties, hammer beams with pendants
and arch braces: Moulded wall-plates and purlins dividing the roof slopes into
panels. Second tie-beam from west has inscription with date 1589 and Roger
Bodenham's name: C19 chancel roof has radiating wooden ribs resting on stone
corbels: Chancel has stained glass to diagonal eastern windows: The left one
is inscribed, "Behold a great Priest who praised God", and "CHARLES INTERCEDES
FOR US"; the right, "She shall laugh in the latter day" and "HOLY IRENE PRAY
FOR US". C19 wooden altar of three panels decorated with trefoils and separated
by shafts. Piscina has trefoiled head, projecting round drain and hoodmould
North and south sides each have a pair of two-centred arches dying into deeply
chamfered jambs: The west one on the north side is blind; the adjacent one
contains chamfered two-centred doorway to vestry: The southern pair of arches
lead into the south-east chapel: The eastern arch has a dwarf stone screen
decorated with shields in open quatrefoils. Vestry has C19 fireplace with two-
centred head, cast iron grate and enriched hood: Late C20 softwood parquet
floor. Confessional in pine to west is reached from nave via C19 doorway with
two-centred head: South-east chapel has elaborate bracket for statue to east
wall. West wall has fireplace with four-centred head and central pedestal
to mantel. South window is flanked by a pair of richly carved shafts with
capitals. Attached to right-hand jamb is a piscina with trefoiled head.
Restored C19 polychromatic painting to walls: Nave has low four-centred
doorway, probably C16.; into south-west chapel: High up in the north wall
are the moulded jambs of a fireplace. At east end of same wall is two-centred
C19 doorway to confessional. C16 doorway into tower has chamfered segmental
head: Above the same doorway are two rows of trefoil-headed traceried openings
to the tower with two openings to the top and four to the bottom row. Several
floor slabs to members. of the Bodenham and Stonor families, mainly C18. One,
in the centre for Thoams Hildeyard, died 1746 is inscribed:
IN AGRO LINCOLNIENSI
STIRPE GENEROSA ORIUNDUS
Rotherwas Chapel is a scheduled Ancient Monument, County number 123.
(BoE, p 133; RCHM Vol I, p 54).

Listing NGR: SO5361638333

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Rotherwas Chapel at Wikipedia
• Rotherwas Chapel official website
• Wikidata Q17537804

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.

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