Description

SY 29 SW SOUTHLEIGH SOUTHLEIGH

6/131 Church of St Lawrence
-
22.2.55
GV II*

Parish church. Norman origins, some C13 and C15 work but most was rebuilt in the
C19; the south aisle was added in 1821, the chancel in 1854 and a general
restoration of 1881. Local stone and flint rubble with Beerstone quoins and detail;
slate roof.
Plan: nave and chancel under continuous roof. The south aisle is not quite full
length and it contains the south doorway and a porch. West tower, which is all that
remains of the medieval church.
Exterior: low west tower of 2 stages with low diagonal buttresses and embattled
parapet. Internal stair in the north-west corner. The belfry windows are square-
headed 2 lights with trefoil heads. West doorway is a 2-centred arch with broad
moulded surround and directly above is a 3-light window with Perpendicular tracery.
Both nave/chancel and south aisle have shaped kneelers and coping with ball apex
finials. The south side of the aisle is 4 bays. The gabled south porch is left of
centre containing a possibly reused Norman round-headed arch. The south doorway is
a reused Norman arch with broad bead-moulded surround. The windows are 2 lights
with Decorated tracery and a 3-light version in the east end. The east end of the
chancel has an Early English style triple lancet window containing plate tracery and
with a continuous hoodmould. In the gable above is an oculus. The vestry projects
from the north side of the chancel and the north side of the nave contains 3
Decorated style windows like those in the aisle.
Interior: nave, chancel and aisle have open arch-braced truss roofs. C15 tall
tower arch with moulded surround. The chancel arch is C19 (maybe based on the C13
original); the arch has an ogee moulding springing from moulded imposts on double
vaulting shafts. 4-bay Beerstone arcade with 1 arch overlapping the chancel; the
responds are semi-octagonal, the piers are circular in section, moulded caps and
double-Chamfered arch rings. The chancel window inner arches are moulded with
shafts and caps. The walls are plastered. The floor is laid with C19 red and black
tiles.
All the furniture and fittings are C19. In general they are plain with some Gothic
decoration. Oak altar rail on pairs of turned balusters. Oak prayer desk, stalls,
lectern, drum pulpit and pine stalls. Gothic style oak tower screen. Norman-style
Beerstone font on a Purbeck marble base.
Monuments: the oldest is north of the sanctuary in memory of Robert Drake (d.
1600); a Beerstone rectangular niche is flanked by Ionic columns supporting a
moulded entablature over a strapwork frieze. The sides of the Riche have carved
armorial bearings and a strapwork cartouche includes the Latin inscription.
Alongside, in the chancel a marble memorial with urn to members of the How family
who died between 1813 - 17. The tower contains a marble plaque to John Rose (d.
1705) and an undated early C19 plaque in memory of Thomas and Cholmondely Vickers.
Painted board with the ams of George II. The east window and one in the nave have
stained glass.

Listing NGR: SY2047493403

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17547230

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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  Lancashire: Manchester and the South-East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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  Suffolk: West: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)