Description

TM 23 NW SHOTLEY CHURCH WALK

3/58 Church of St Mary

22/2/55

- II*

Parish church. C15 south porch, dressed flint and ashlar. C16 red brick parapet.
C13/C14 nave, flint and red brick. C14 north and south aisles, roughcast and
plastered. Chancel dated 1745 on south doorway keystone, roughcast. Old base to
west tower with probably C18/C19 timber framed and roughcast bell turret built on
hipped red tiled roof. Grey slate nave roof, red tiled chancel roof. Chancel:
Buttressed at eastern angles. The stone Venetian east window with keystone,
pilastered side lights with frieze and cornice, is set into a recessed round-headed
arch with moulded label. Below is a much worn plaque on brackets. North and South
walls each with 2 round-headed windows, keystones and imposts. Stone south doorway,
moulded round-headed arch, keystone dated 1745, Aston family crest over, moulded
open pediment on console brackets. The rebuilding of the chancel was by the rector,
Hon Henry Hervey who took his wife's family name of Aston. Central north vestry
of red brick with hipped red tiled roof and C20 small paned vertically sliding sash
windows to east and north faces. Nave: Seven clerestory windows to north and
south walls, each of 3 trefoiled lights, moulded 4-centred heads, label and band
continues through each face. South Aisle: Moulded parapet, angle buttresses.
East wall, western and easternmost south wall windows of 2 lights, 2-centred heads
Y-tracery, probably C19, western window of 2 trefoiled lights, quatrefoil over,
2-centred head and label, restored. North Aisle: 2 central and angle buttresses.
The 2 easternmost and north wall windows each of two trefoiled lights, quatrefoils
over, 2-centred heads and labels, western window of 2 lights, Y-tracery 2-centred
head and label, restored. North doorway blocked, moulded 2-centre arch and label.
South porch, red brick crenellation and bands: Flint and ashlar buttresses, moulded
plinth. Moulded 2-centre arch doorway, the outer order continuous, the inner
resting on polygonal shafts with moulded capitals and bases, moulded label and
square head with carved flowers, worn ? lion stops, worn carving to spandrels,
panelled door. Each return wall with a window of 3 trefoiled graduated lights,
tracery over, moulded segmental heads and labels. South door, chamfered 2-centred
arch, fragment of moulded label over. West Tower: Belfry, north, south and west
walls with louvred, pointed head timber openings, similar small opening to first
stage of west wall. Interior: South Porch: Cambered roof, stop chamfered
principals, central wall posts on stone corbels. Stone flag floor. Stoup to east
of doorway. The chancel retains its fine circa 1745 interior. Barrel-vaulted
ceiling panel, plastered with moulded wall plates, ceiling rose and semi-circular
end panels each with 3 cherubs and clouds. Black and white floor paving. Carved
wood 5-panel reredos, enriched borders, dentilled and moulded cornice, central semi-
circular pediment, 5 draped urn finials, swags above and below the painted boards
of Moses, Aaron, Lords Prayer, Creed and Exodus. Communion table with carved
cabriole legs. Three sided altar rails with turned balusters, moulded base and
rail on stone base. Panelled dado. Panelled north and south doors. Moulded and
panelled wood semi-circular chancel arch, the jambs with capitals and bases,
garlands and patera to pilasters, rusticated keystone to east face, crowned shield
of arms with animal supporters. Floor slab, S Forster D.D 24.7.1843. Wall plaque
Samual Forster and Elizabeth his wife, 1843 and 1807. Nave: Fine double hammer-
beam roof of 7 bays. Moulded and crenellated wall plates with carved roses and
fleur-de-lys. Moulded and crenellated hammer-beams, solid moulded arched braces,
tracery to lower spandrels. Moulded arch braced wall posts. Moulded and crenellated
collars, king posts and ridge-board. Tracery over collars. Solid braces to moulded
side purlins. Stone and red tiled floors. Colourwashed walls. Wooden semi-
octagonal pulpit, pierced and traceried panels. Panelled wood reading desk. Brass
lectern. C19 pews, quatrefoiled end panels. Narrow chamfered 2-centred west tower
arch of 3 orders, the inner 2 resting on polygonal shafts with moulded capitals
and bases. Painted Royal Arms board over, lower part blocked by recessed wall with
C18 doorway, moulded pediment on console brackets, 8-panel door. North and south
arcades each of 5 bays, sunk chamfered 2-centred arches, octagonal columns with
moulded capitals and bases. North aisle, lean-to roof of 10 bays. Only 4 bays
with original timbers, 5 bosses at intersections. Organ case with cusped and
crocketed head, crenellated returns, presented circa 1858, said to have at one time
been a barrel organ but now with keyboard. South aisle, lean-to roof of 10 bays,
only one original wall post and principal timber remain. 1907 stained glass memorial
window to 3rd Marquis of Bristol. Piscina, south east corner, trefoiled head, round
drain. C20 simple octagonal font. Chamfered 4-centred heads to clerestory windows.
N Pevsner, Suffolk, 1961.
St Mary's Church, Shotley. A Short Guide, Unnamed and undated (1987).

Listing NGR: TM2370136021

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17533989

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

• 
  Bristol (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  Suffolk: East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Worcestershire Revised Edition (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  County Durham (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England) by Elizabeth Williamson Nikolaus Pevsner(1983-03-11)
• 
  The green guide for historic buildings: how to improve the environmental performance of listed and historic buildings
• 
  Sussex: West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)