Description

SHORWELL

SZ48SE MAIN ROAD
1354-0/9/313 (East side)
18/01/67 Church of St Peter

I

Parish church. North chapel C12, north porch early C13,
otherwise mainly C15 with North porch added in C16, spire
rebuilt in C17 and S.W. corner of the south aisle, now the
choir vestry, added to thouse the Town Gun and south porch
added in C18. Built of Isle of Wight stone rubble with stone
spire and tiled roofs. Nave with north and south aisles, the
arcades being continuous from east to west without division
between the chancel and the nave, chancel with north and south
chapels, north and south porches and west tower. West tower of
3 stages with offset buttresses. Stone spire with weathervane.
Bell stage has pierced stone screens to south and wooden
screens to the other sides. Restored modern cusped window to
1st stage and arched doorcase with hood moulding to west.
South aisle and chapel has gables with saddlestones. West
window has 2 cinquefoil heads as has the westernmost window on
the south side. South doorcase is arched with dogtooth
mouldings and engaged columns. The adjoining window to the
east in Perpendicular with wide arch with 4 cusped heads and
spandrels with quatrefoils. Then follow 2 triple
cinquefoil-headed light windows, the left side one with hood
mouldings divided by a round-headed door. The east window has
3 cinquefoil-headed lights. South porch is C18, gabled with
round-headed arch with keystone and impost blocks with the
initials M.B. Nave east window has 3 cinquefoil-headed lights.
North aisle and chapel has gable ends with cross-shaped
saddlestones and offset buttresses. South aisle
has blocked C12 round-headed doorway and lancet window, then 4
Perpendicular windows, 3 2-light and 1 3-light with
cinquefoil-headed lights and hood moulding. North porch is
early C13, gabled with pointed headed arch with dripstone.
Interior: West tower has tierceron star vault. Nave: 3 bay
nave with 2 bay chancel sharing same arcade on the north side
interrupted by the original C13 stone pulpit with its arched
doorway. Wooden tester to pulpit is dated 1620. C17 hourglass
at side attached to column. Roof has some C16 tie beams but is
mainly C19 with boarding and arched braces. C19 dormers. 7
early C19 circular wall plalques. Brass to Richard Bethel
d.1518 to left of altar. North aisle has over the porch a
c.1440 wall painting of scenes from the Life of Sir
Christopher with a central figure of the saint wading through
the water amongst ships and fishes, on the left side the saint
riding with the Devil and later renouncing the Devil for
Christ and on the right a martyrdom scene with arrows. The
roofs are C19, boarded with arched braces and through purlins,
but some of the tie beams are original. North chapel has 3
fine monuments to the Leigh family of North Court in the North
wall. John Leigh (d.1629) and his baby son consists of a wall
monument with 2 kneeling figures in front of lecterns, the
baby miniature yet fully dressed and kneeling though he died
at 9 months in an architectural surround with Composite
columns abaove with cornice having alternatively 2 glyphs and
paterae with armorial shield above. Below is a plinth with
Tuscan half columns and inscription flanked by shields.
Central marble wall tablet to John Leigh d.1688 with elaborate
cornice and shield flanked by garlands, and garlands and
scrolls to sides of inscription panel. To right is a stone
wall monument to Lady Elizabeth Leigh d.1619. Stone wall
monument with strapwork inscription panel with central winged
head. The cornice is held up by Composite columns and
surmounted by a central shield and end putti with instruments
of death. Plinth with shields and drapery. Above the altar is
a Brass plate to the 2 wives of Barnaby Leigh d.1615 and 1619.
They stand together holding the heart of their husband with
scrolls and inscriptions surrounding them. South aisle Chapel
has piscina with square drum and early Renaissance Netherlands
carved panel of the Flagellation of Christ. Roof has C16 tie
beams but C19 boarded ceilings with arched braces. Octagonal
stone font with Jacobean strapwork front cover with dove
finial and hoist inscribed "And the Holy Ghost descended in a
bodily shape like a dove upon him. Luke 3 Verse 22". C17 oak
benches with early C19 poppy head bench ends.

Listing NGR: SZ4573283000

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• St. Peter's Church, Shorwell at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q7591333

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

• 
  London 4: North: North v. 4 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  For the Record
• 
  Department for Communities Listed Historic Buildings of Northern Ireland: Information Guide for the 2nd Survey of Historic Buildings
• 
  Wiltshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability
• 
  Gwent/Monmouthshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Wales)