St Mary And St Andrew

West tower of 3 stages with billeted string course to belfry, corbelled embattled parapet with angle pinnacles and gargoyles.

SK9227 : Stoke Rochford, St. Andrew and St. Mary's Church: Gargoyle 5

© Michael Garlick

The lower parts were probably an unbuttressed Cll tower, the belfry stage being an early C13 addition, with paired pointed lights, octagonal shafts and round outer arches.

In the west wall a 3 light early C15 window with cusps and panel tracery.

On the north side a slender stepped C14 ashlar buttress.

The west wall of the north aisle has C15 window of 3 cusped lights with panel tracery.

The C13 gabled north porch has a single chamfered outer arch with moulded octagonal imposts.

The north C14 inner doorway has wave moulding with hollow chamfered hood.

Fine 1460-70 north chapel built for the Rochford family, with moulded plinth, stepped buttresses, pinnacles and embattled parapet.

The south chapel of 1448 has moulded plinth, stepped buttresses and pinnacled embattled parapet, in the south wall are 2 three light windows with panel tracery and moulded surrounds.

In the west wall of the south aisle an early C15 window with panel tracery.

The mid C12 north arcade is of 3 bays having round piers, cushion capitals and square chamfered round arches.

The early C13 south arcade has stiff leaf capitals and single chamfered round arches.

The tower arch is C13 of 2 chamfered orders with octagonal responds.

In the chancel the 3 bay north arcade has C14 filleted quatrefoil shafts with filleted abaci now supporting C15 4 centred continuously moulded arches.

The south arcade is C15 with octagonal responds and chamfered arches.

C18 box pews in aisles, otherwise fittings are C19 including octagonal font.

The painted font cover made by Christopher Turnor c.l900 and matches staircase panels in Stoke Rochford Hall.

3 C18 funeral hatchments.

Monuments.

In the north chapel a C14 double monument, recessed into the floor in a rectangular surround, showing a knight and his lady lying under a blanket, he with a shield of arms, their feet resting on dogs.

Also a tomb recess with panelled tomb chest containing angels and above a moulded arch with fleurons, crockets and finial.

Flanking the altar are 2 C15 tomb chests having cusped panelled sides with blank shields.

In the chancel are brasses to Henry Rochford, d.l470, a small figure of a man in plate armour with shields above.

Small praying figures with weepers and shields.

In the south chapel a handsome free standing monument to Henry Cholmeley, d.l641.

In the north chapel a tall reredos monument to Sir Edmund Turnor, of 1707, in black and White marble with panelled base, bolection moulded inscription panel, set in an Ionic aedicule with broken segmental parapet and urn.

In the south wall of chapel 2 marble wall monuments, one of 1678 and the other 1742.

A further collection of C19 wall monuments to the Turnor and Cholmeley families.