Description

GAMLINGAY CHURCH STREET
TL 2452 (South side)

12/64
22.11.67 Church of St Mary
the Virgin

GV I

Parish Church. Of C13 origin extensively rebuilt in C14-C15. Carstone and
fieldstone with clunch and limestone dressings. West tower, nave with
transeptal chapels and north and south aisles, north and south porches,
chancel. West tower C13 origin rebuilt in C14-C15. Three stages with spike,
leaded, and embattled parapet with moulded main cornice having central beast
gargoyles. Chamfered plinth and two stage angle buttressing. West doorway in
two centred continuously moulded arch in square head with label. West window
of three cinquefoil lights in four centred arch and label and mask stops. The
bell stage has buttresses of clasping pilaster strips and cinquefoil openings
with vertical tracery to the heads in two centred arches of three chamfered
orders in square heads with label. The nave is of carstone. C13 remodelled
C14-C15. Embattled parapet with clerestory of C14-C15. The south aisle of
fieldstone also has an embattled parapet. C14-C15 fenestration of three
cinquefoil lights in four centred arches. South porch. Carstone with
embattled parapet gabled diagonal two stage buttresses and an outer arch C15,
of clunch, repaired. Two centred arch in square head. The
south transeptal chapel, also embattled, is of fieldstone. The south wall has
a window of four cinquefoil lights in a four centred arch. The chancel of C13
origin extended C14-C15. Carstone with clunch and limestone dressings.
Embattled parapet with east gable cross on carved corbel. Two south wall
windows of three cinquefoil lights in four centred arches with labels and mask
stops. A label at sill height is carried over the south doorway which is of
three continuous moulded orders. The east window is of four cinquefoil lights
in four centred arch. There is a north transeptal chapel C14-C15, of
fieldstone, embattled. The north porch is of two building periods. The
ground stage is C14. Carstone with two stage angle buttressing. Outer arch
is two centred and has hollow and wave moulding, the arch is of clunch but the
jambs are of sandstone. The side walls each have a window of two cinquefoil
lights with dagger tracery in two centred arch. The parish room above C15 is
of fieldstone and is embattled with beast gargoyles to moulded main cornice.
There is a newel stair turret in the angle between the porch and the north
aisle. Interior: Two centred, double sided west tower arch. Each side has
two chamfered orders, the inner on half octagonal shafts with capital and
base. The north and south nave arcade are both C13. Five bays of two centred
arches of two chamfered orders on octagonal columns with moulded labels and
bases. In the spandrels of four of the arches of the south arcade are carved
stone bosses. The north aisle has a C13 lancet with deep splays and part of a
recess possibly for a tomb in a shallow trefoil arch, cut down on the east
when the north transeptal chapel was added. Crown-post nave roof C14-C15 with
shallow arch bracing and foiled spandrels. Chancel arch two centred and of
two wave moulded orders on west side, chamfered on east side. South wall has
three seat sedilia with foiled ogee arches with running foliate ornament and
finials. Adjacent is the piscina with ogee arch in square head.
Communion rail, 1683 with twisted balusters on vases with moulded rail.
Screen C15 but much rebuilt. In five bays, including larger centre bay. Some
original work to bay divisions with engaged octagonal shafts. Choir stalls
have mostly been removed except six return stalls at the west end. These have
carved misericords and prayer desks some with old work including panelled ends
with blank shields and poppy head finials. There are some C16 pews in the
nave with panelled fronts and ends divided by pilaster buttresses in two
heights and having roll moulded rail. Monuments: 1683 Philip Burton painted
wooden panel in south chapel; Ralph Lane (d.1732) and Elizabeth, his wife
(d.1754) wall monument on south wall of south chapel by E Bingham of
Peterborough. Polychrome marble with inscription flanked by urns, apron with
emblems of mortality and above a shield of arms in a broken pediment. Font,
C13. Octagonal limestone bowl with two, pointed arch panels in each face. On
central stone shaft with modern peripheral subsidiary shafts.

RCHM: West Cambs mon (1)
Pevsner: Buildings of England p390
VCH: Cambs vol V

Listing NGR: TL2411552293

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Church of St Mary the Virgin at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q17528245

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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