Church of St Mary the Virgin, Forthampton, Gloucestershire

Description

SO 8532 FORTHAMPTON FORTHAMPTON VILLAGE

7/49 Church of St. Mary the Virgin
10.1.55

GV II*

Anglican parish church. C13, restored 1788, north aisle added.
1847-48 by Hamilton and Medland of Gloucester, altered 1863-1866 by
William Burges, chancel restored 1869 by J. Middleton of
Cheltenham. Chancel; sandstone buttresses, north wall and east
end blue lias, south wall coursed blue lias. Nave; coursed blue
lias. Porch; coursed squared and dressed limestone. Tower;
blue lias on north and south, sandstone on west, buttresses and
stair-vice sandstone. Red tile and stone slate roof. Plan:
nave with projecting south porch and north aisle, chancel with
vestry/organ chamber on north, west tower. Diagonal buttress to
chancel. Chancel south wall; early studded plank door within
pointed flat-chamfered opening left. Single C19 light with
cinquefoil head and moulded hood, right. C19 three-light east
window with reticulated tracery moulded hood and head stops.
Eroded monument on wall, lower left. Clamp and diagonal
buttresses to north aisle; triangular east window with tracery and
moulded hood with head stops. Two-light pointed C19 window below.
Single light as in south wall of chancel towards east end. Five,
2-light pointed C19 windows with tracery. Three-light pointed C19
west window with tracery. Three-stage C13 tower with massive
diagonal buttresses and projecting stair-vice with plank door in
pointed flat-chamfered surround at north-east corner. Three-light
Decorated west window with reticulated tracery, scroll moulded hood
with eroded carved-head stops. Trefoil-headed single lights to
second stage. Two-light pointed belfry windows with Decorated
tracery, on each face of tower. Buttressed nave; two 2-light C19
windows with tracery either side of projecting porch. Four-light
C19 double-chamfered rectangular window with Perpendicular style
tracery and stopped hoods, towards east end. Buttressed C19 porch
with double door with pierced decoration and hood with head stops,
flag floor within. C19 plank door with flat-chamfered Tudor-
arched surround from porch into nave. Eroded C12 hood with
segmental section forming arc over door with beast-head stops (q.v.
beasts heads at Church of St. Mary, Deerhurst) and roundels, beaded
bands linking roundels with beaded outlines, grotesque-head
keystone. Plastered interior; 5-bay C19 nave arcade with pointed
arches on octagonal piers. C13 double-chamfered tower arch
without capitals Cusped C19 timber chancel arch supported on
large stone corbels with carved stone figures of St. Peter and St.
John. C19 segmental-pointed archway from chancel into organ
chamber with heavily moulded surround of 2 orders, inner order
rises from large stone corbels each decorated with carved angels.
Trefoil-headed C19 piscina in wall right of altar. Remnants of
head of lancet window (reused) or possibly a piscina set low down
in south wall of chancel close to pulpit. Tall pointed arch at
east end of north aisle with tracery in upper part forming
segmental-pointed arch below. Hood with large angel figure stops.
Roof of nave plastered, C19 panelled roof to chancel, C19 arch-
braced roof to north aisle. Red and black tiling. in nave,
decorative encaustic tiling forming lattice patterns in chancel.
Fittings; C19 octagonal alabaster font opposite entrance with
biblical scenes and symbols of the apostles set in roundels on each
face. Circular stone pulpit designed by Middleton in south-east
corner of nave decorated with fretwork of flowers set in square
outlines and circular roundels with carved heads. Stone mensa of
c1300 with three consecration crosses and flat-chamfered stone
legs. Fine C19 carved stone dossal probably by Nichols, Christ
crucified at centre and four saints either side (originally
unpainted), replacing pokerwork dossal of c1845 by Rev W. Calvert
depicting Christ and two disciples, with ogee-arched frame with
pinnacles, now right of south door. Alms box also by Calvert left
of door. C19 pews. Reused Cl5 linenfold panels reused in C19
pews at west end of nave. Monuments in chancel; limestone ledger
in front of mensa with inscription in capitals to -------
Underhill, son of John Underhill, died 1647. Two ledgers to
Charles Dowdeswell of Forthampton Court, died 1647, right and left
of mensa. Five marble monuments to members of the Yorke family,
died 1791-1830 on south wall. North wall; C18 monument with
eroded inscription and barley twist columns with Corinthian
capitals, broken segmental pediment with heraldic shield at centre,
above. Face of winged cherub at bottom. Five ledgers along
centre of aisle, one to Hopewell Hayward, died 1722 with heraldic
shield at top, another to Maria Hayward, wife of Hopewell, died
1746 and other members of the Hayward family (q.v. Vine Farm and
Southfield House). Monument above pier of aisle arcade to John
Raiseil, died 1631, finely carved and painted blue lias,
inscription in gold lettering, depiction of recumbent skeleton
below, narrow panel either side with hanging ribbon decoration
incorporating skull and cross-bones. Moulded capping topped by
painted scrollwork at top; Within base of tower; painted royal
coat of arms and rules to be observed by ringers regarding
intoxicating liquor in the belfry and irreverent and unseemly
behaviour, dated 1858. Large wooden board with description of the
lands and premises obtained by the governors of Queen Anne's bounty
aided by Isaac Maddox, Lord Bishop of Worcester and the Honorable
James Yorke for the augmentation of poor livings in England and
Wales. (David- Verey, The Buildings of England: Gloucestershire;
The Vale and the Forest of Dean and V.C.H., Gloucestershire, Vol.
8.)

Listing NGR: SO8588432573

External Links

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British Listed Buildings

History in Structure

Church of St Mary the Virgin

A Grade II* Listed Building in Forthampton, Gloucestershire

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