Description

ST 89 NE AVENING AVENING VILLAGE

3/11 Church of the Holy Cross
6.9.54

I

Church. Late Cll with later medieval additions (transepts probably
of late C13) and restored in 1902 by John Micklethwaite. Rubble
stone with some ashlar work in tower, Cotswold stone slate roof.
Cruciform with 2-bay north aisle and 2-storey porch in north west
corner. 3-stage embattled tower stepping in at each string course,
with square clock faces to east and north set on diagonal, 2-light
belfry windows on 2nd stage with hoodmould and decorative stops
except for west side which has 2 blocked round arched openings cut
into by nave roof. Complex buttressing to south east corner of
tower. Chancel has decorative ball frieze under eaves; roof line
has been lowered. Below 3-light east window on outer wall of
chancel is finely carved commemorative stone set into wall with
oval panel surmounted by an urn and drapery, inscription
obliterated.
Interior: Large Norman doorway inside porch has chevron arch
supported on twisted shafts with carved capitals, with C16 doorway
inserted. 2-bay Norman arcade has single large cylindrical pier
with scalloped capital. West tower arch has Norman shafts but
later pointed arch, chancel arch Norman with round arch and
scalloped capitals. Early English transept arches with deep semi-
circular windows above each. First bay of chancel is Norman with
half roll ribs set on flat projection, remaining bays early C14
with ridge ribs and carved bosses. 2 blocked Norman windows in
easternmost bay; tracery mainly Decorated except for C18 west
window. Nave has C14 timber wagon roof. Nave altar on south side
has holy table of 1657. East window by Clayton & Bell 1889, 2 nave
windows c1908 by Christopher Whall. Many monuments in transepts.
In north transept, kneeling effigy of Henry Brydges of Avening
Court (q.v.), died 1615, and other C17 stone tablets and C18 and
C19 marble. In south transept, series of C17 monuments to Driver
family in vigorous style. (David Verey, Buildings of England,
Gloucestershire: The Cotswolds 1979.)

Listing NGR: ST8795898002

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Church of the Holy Cross, Avening at Wikipedia
• Church of the Holy Cross, Avening official website
• Wikidata Q17525782

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

• 
  Hampshire: Winchester and the North (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  [(Bedfordshire, Huntingdon and Peterborough)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1968)
• 
  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of Historic Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas
• 
  Listed Buildings, Conservation Areas and Monuments
• 
  Essex: Buildings of England Series (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990