Description

CHARMINSTER

SY 6792 WEST HILL (North
Side)

13/27 Parish Church of St
Mary
26.1.56

GV I

Parish Church. C11 core at east end of nave, later C12 arcades and part of
south walling. C15 widening of east half of south aisle to form south
chapel. C16 west tower and north and south vestries, and south porch.
Chancel demolished in C17 and rebuilt c1838. North aisle rebuilt later in
C19. General restorations in 1838-9 and in 1895, when roofs were renewed.
Local rubble stone walls with some flint coursing, limestone and Ham Hill
ashlar. Lead roofs, chancel and north aisle roofs of slate. South
elevation, excluding vestry/tower. South aisle at west end has probably C12
walling with a 3-light C15 window. Late C15 south doorway has a pointed,
moulded head and continuous moulded jambs with run-out stops and a
triangular chamfered rear arch. South chapel, late C15, with C16 widening
in south west corner; east wall contains a C15 window of 3 cinquefoil lights
in a square head below a moulded label with head stops. South wall has a
much restored C15 window. West of this, the recess-like C16 exterior has a
window of 2 elliptical headed lights in a square head with chamfered
reveals. The south porch is C16 with the porch arch reconstructed in C17;
the parapet includes two C16 gargoyles and a corbel with the Trenchard
monogram, now supporting a C20 cross. Nave with clear storey, has five
windows, 3 two-light C15 windows, clasped in square heads interspersed with
single light C12 windows; ashlar parapet with strings over. The short
chancel has a C17 east window reset inside out, of four lights with vertical
tracery in a 4-centred moulded head with moulded splays and has a chamfered
label, now on inside. Reset CID window in south wall, of 2 four-centred
lights in a square head with label. West tower and adjoining vestries
acting as extensions of aisles, built early C16 by Thomas Trenchard and
bearing his monogram on the west buttresses. Tower of 3 stages with moulded
plinth and strings carried round the angle buttresses and octagonal
vice-turret at N W corner. Embattled parapet, gargoyles and crocketed
pinnacles. West doorway has a moulded four centred head and continuous
moulded jambs with pedestal stops all in a square surround formed by
diagonally set standards and moulded string across head. Traceried
spandrels include Trenchard monogram. West window, five transomed lights
with 4-centred openings below and ogee cinquefoil openings above. High
4-centred head contains vertical tracery. 2nd stage has small rectangular
window 3rd (bell opening) stage contains two 2-light double transomed,
square headed windows with square labels, all lights have elliptical heads
and are filled with pierced stone panels. North and south vestries flank
the west tower and are contemporary with it, with set back buttresses and
3-light windows to north and south. North aisle: rebuilt later C19, east
and west ends are gabled with re-used C12 corbels as kneelers. East window,
C15 reset of 2 cinquefoil lights in a square head with moulded label and
head stops. The four reset windows, between buttresses, are all C15 with
C20 repairs and similar to the window in the east wall. Interior: tower
arch reveals and soffit decorated with pairs of cusped ogee headed stone
panels, lowest having Trenchard monogram. Panelled arched openings to the
north and south vestries. Nave, north arcade 4 bays of C12 two centred
arches springing from columns with scalloped capitals with voluted corners
and moulded bases. Square responds to east and west, remains of antecedent
nave. South arcade similar to the north. The column bases have spurs.
Supporting the roof trusses are a number of reset C15 corbels. West wall of
the nave includes the boldly projecting tower-buttresses flanking the tower
arch. Chancel arch is round headed and of two lightly chamfered orders and
ornamented labels; shafted jambs have a three quarter shaft to each outer
order and a cluster of 3 segmental shafts to the inner order. The middle
keeled, scalloped capitals and moulded abaci, moulded bases. Fittings:
bells, brass and indents, remains of cross clock, see RCHM. Font probably
C12 recut and reshaped in C15. Monuments and floor slabs, recorded in RCHM,
note south chapel (Wolfeton) monuments, ie canopied table-tombs of Trenchard
family, C16. Mural paintings: nave north wall, areas of stencilled
decoration depicting strawberries and leaves in red on white ground. Early
C16. Over north arcade, traces of black letter inscription from Matthew V,
16. 3rd bay rectangular panel with inscription from Nahum I, 15. South
arcade walling has further black letter inscriptions recorded in RCHM.
Pulpit, oak, octagonal with moulded and jewel ornamented plinth, modern
base, sides in two heights of panelling with enriched framing, enriched
guilloche rails and cornices. Piscina, Plate, Royal Arms, Sundials,
Weathervane and Miscellanes recorded in RCHM entry. For further detail on
individual monuments refer to: (RCHM Dorset III p 60(l))

Listing NGR: SY6792392698

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Parish Church of St Mary at Wikipedia
• Parish Church of St Mary official website
• Wikidata Q17533438

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

• 
  Warwickshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Wiltshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Setting up a Listed Building Heritage Partnership Agreement: Historic England Advice Note 5
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990: Updated version
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair
• 
  Oxfordshire: North and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)