Description

HILMARTON CHURCH ROAD
SU 07 NW
(north side)
6/232 Church of St Laurence
20.12.60
GV I
Anglican parish church, late C12, C15, with west tower of 1840 by
John Shaw Jr, restored 1879-81 by G.E. Street. Ashlar and rubble
stone with stone slate roofs and coped gables. West tower, nave,
north aisle, south porch, chancel and organ chamber. 1840 west
tower is ashlar, 3-stage, with plinth, angle buttresses,
dripcourses, cornice with carved bosses and gargoyles, embattled
parapet and angle pinnacles. Paired 2-light Perpendicular style
pointed bell-openings with hoodmoulds. Second stage has clock
faces in crocketed lozenges. West front Tudor door under 3-light
west window. South side stair tower. Above west window is
inscription band with three shields 'To the glory of God this tower
was restored by a layman', continued on south side 'Anno Domini
MDCCCXL JS'. Four-window south aisle, rubble with ashlar plinth
and plain parapet, 3-light Perpendicular windows with hoodmoulds,
buttresses between and at angles. In second bay C19 ashlar
embattled porch with crocketed ogee-headed moulded doorway,
quatrefoil-panelled seats and c1881 south door, four-centred with
fleurons and shafting to moulded door case. Lean-to north aisle
has plain parapet, squared rubble stone walls and buttresses
between bays. Flat-headed Perpendicular style windows, 2-light to
west and to north, a blank bay, a 2-light and small pointed door, a
2-light and a 3-light. An added north east chapel has east end
single light. Ashlar chancel has reused 3-light Perpendicular
style windows to east, and one each to north and south. South side
has 1881 large projecting organ-chamber, ashlar with embattled
parapet and flat-headed 3-light south window.
Interior: nave has C15 six-bay wagon roof with moulded ribs and
bosses, 4-bay late C12 north arcade with round piers and trumpet
scallop caps, the west respond with dragon-head below. South
windows have 1881 rear arches. Tower arch, two-chamfer with 1896
wood screen by C.E. Ponting. Under tower small pointed medieval
tower door, suggesting that 1840 exterior is a recasing. North
aisle has 1881 lean-to roof. On north wall ogee-headed cinquefoil
cusped tomb recess. Two-hollow moulded chancel arch with fine
painted stone C15 screen with ogee cinquefoil-cusped heads to
centre arch and four lights each side. Painted timber cresting.
Chancel has ornate 3-bay 1881 roof and fine east wall painted
decoration with stencil patterns and angels framing east window.
Seven-bay stone reredos with embossed tile panels each side. 1881
floor tiles. South side full-height opening to organ chamber with
beam across. Fittings and monuments: chancel has stained glass
east and north windows of 1881 by Clayton and Bell and one
patterned glass window of c1850-60. 1881 stalls. Nave has C19
timber pulpit on stone base, 1881 brass and copper lectern, mid C19
pews, four hatchments of Poynder family, one south window with
c1850-60 patterned glass and various late C19 Poynder wall tablets.
Under tower three later C17 plaques. In north aisle, St George and
General Gordon window of 1920 signed W. Morris, another window of
1880, and one of c1858 to Rev Fisher, by Hardman. Fine east end
wall monument with segmental pediment and skulls to William Quintin
died 1651.
(N. Pevsner, Wiltshire 1975 270-1; Wiltshire Record Office
D1/61/30/7 has 1878 plans by Street for organ chamber, new chancel
roof, north aisle wall and roof, south door, porch restoration and
stalls; Canon F. Goddard Reminiscences of a Wiltshire Vicar
1928)

Listing NGR: SU0200375341

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17529957

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

• 
  Herefordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Huddersfield in 50 Buildings
• 
  Kent: West and the Weald: The Buildings of England (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Churches: An Architectural Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Introductions)
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Oxfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)