Description

HEMSWORTH CROSS HILL
SE41SW
(north side)
5/50 Church of St, Helen
7.12.1966
- II

Parish church. Mostly 1867 by J. L. Pearson (2nd rebuilding), but with some
medieval fabric. West tower, nave with north and south aisles, chancel with
south chapel and north vestry. Coursed dressed sandstone, roof of
composition tiles (nave) and some stone slate. Simple unbuttressed 4-stage
tower with prominent dripbands on 3 levels, has 2-centred-arched west window
of 3 cusped lights with a multifoil in the head, a looplight to the 3rd
stage, 2-light belfry windows like the west window, plain parapet, and
flagmast rising from centre of roof. Buttressed full-height south aisle, of
4 bays externally, has gabled porch to 1st bay, with 2-centred-arched outer
and inner doorways, roof of 3 transverse chamfered arches; other bays have
large 2-centred-arched windows of 3 cusped lights with coupled quatrefoils in
the heads and hoodmoulds. Three-bay chapel, under parallel roof, has central
2-centred-arched doorway with moulded surround and hoodmould, and 3 deeply-
recessed square-headed windows each of 2 foiled round-headed lights with
hollow spandrels, with chamfered reveal and hoodmould, that in the centre
square (because it is above the door); and large 2-centred-arched east window
of 3 lights with reticulated tracery, double-chamfered surround, and
hoodmould (all these elements being of limestone). East wall of chancel has
butttresses, and very large Decorated 5-light east window with flowing
tracery, moulded surround, and hoodmould; (both these east windows may be
substantially medieval, though probably restored). North aisle, under
parallel roof, has three 2-centred-arched windows of 2 trefoil-headed lights,
and rose window at east end.
Interior: 3-bay nave arcades of octagonal columns with moulded caps, double-
chamfered arches; wagon roof to nave; 2-centred chancel arch is offset to
north side; above it, a panel painted with the Arms of George III (letters G.
R. visible); chancel has scissor-truss roof, 2-bay chapel arcade of double-
chamfered arches; chapel has 3 figured corbels on north side (worn), and
tapered octagonal tub font. Various wall monuments, principally: on south
wall of chancel, a carved marble cartouche commemorating Robert Wrightson
(d.1720), and on north wall a tablet commemorating Barbara Wrightson
(d.1783); in north aisle, an aediculed C17 monument to Catherine, wife of
Thomas Gargrave (d.1631), with detached Corinthian colums, shields of arms on
corbels, and elaborate crown including a large shield in moulded surround;
and a wall obelisk tablet to Joseph Stocks of Kinsley (d.1791) dated 1808 on
apron.

Listing NGR: SE4288613262

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q26556333

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

• 
  ENGLAND GUIDE TO POST WAR LISTED: A Guide to Post-war Listed Buildings
• 
  Staffordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Suffolk: East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Hampshire: Winchester and the North (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Oxfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Pioneers of Modern Design: From William Morris to Walter Gropius (Penguin Art & Architecture)