← Database

St Mary And St Melor

Amesbury

Wiltshire

C12, C13, C14 and C15, restored 1852-3 by William Butterfield at cost of £1500

Architectural Features

Cruciform plan with C12 nave

chancel transepts and tower rebuilt in C13

South aisle added C15

C15 two-light clerestory windows replacing original

South aisle of 2 bays incorporating some Roman brick, 3-light windows with pointed segmental heads

Late C15 square-headed door at west end of south wall

North wall of nave has, beyond west end, lower section of elaborate late C12 doorway, with 4 shafts and early stiff leaf foliage capitals on internal side

Interior: Nave of 5 roof bays, late C15-C16 moulded tie-beam trusses with open panelwork and carved wall brackets

South arcade inserted in C12 walls in C15, 2 bays

Three blocked C12 clerestory windows over

C12 pier for a north nave opening excavated in wall

possibly a pre- Norman shaft base

Credence table on south side supported on corbels in form of angels holding shields inscribed DED, from east window, reset C19

East end panelled with marble divided by strips of red, blue and yellow tiles, hidden

Transepts have C16 plaster vaults with moulded timber members

angels at junction of ribs with wall plates

C13 arch to east chapel in north transept

This chapel, the Jesus Chapel, has C13 quadripartite vault of ribs on stiff leaf capitals

Fittings: Font: In south aisle

C12 Purbeck marble

reset on C15 arcaded lime- stone base

Pulpit, C19 oak on stone base

Second font at west end a truncated octagonal shaft with string and triangular fillets to square base

Chancel screen C15 or early C16, reset in 1907, oak

Furniture: Small C17 chest in chancel

glass case containing fragments of a fine Anglo Saxon double wheel headed cross carved on face and edge with a double strand interlace

fragment of a second cross (?). Glass: North West chancel window contains C14 grisaille work

upper part of a fine C15 Queen of Heaven in an architectural frame

Early C20 glass in 2 south lancets

Monuments: In chancel: Eleven wall monuments

including (a) A Delft tile on marble inscribed to Lucretia Corfe

(b) Carved moulded panel to John Thurloe, etc erected 1683

(c) An alabaster aedicule to George Blake, died 1909, and various late C19 and C20 marble and gilt monuments to the Antrobus family

One marble Fowle monument of 1916

South Transept: Two war memorials and three C19 brasses, (a) By Osmund, white marble sarcophagus on black, to Elizabeth Ouseley and Susan Palmer, children killed at Lucknow, 1857

Brass: In nave, dexter black, motto DEI MEMOR GRATUS AMICI, for Sir Edmund Antrobus, died 1870

C15, with twin drums, the original verge and foliate escapement replaced

becoming an important late Anglo Saxon nunnery

centre for a school of manuscript illumination (c.f. Amesbury Psalter, mid C13). The precise position and layout of the monastic house is not known. (Pevsner: Buildings of England

C12, C13, C14 and C15, restored 1852-3 by William Butterfield at cost of £1500

Cruciform plan with C12 nave

chancel transepts and tower rebuilt in C13

South aisle added C15

C15 two-light clerestory windows replacing original

South aisle of 2 bays incorporating some Roman brick, 3-light windows with pointed segmental heads

Late C15 square headed door at west end of south wall

North wall of nave has, beyond east end, lower section of elaborate late C12 doorway, with 4 shafts and early stiff leaf foliage capitals on internal side

Interior: Nave of 5 roof bays, late C15-C16 moulded tie-beam trusses with open panelwork and carved wall brackets

South arcade inserted in C12 walls in C15, 2 bays

Three blocked C12 clerestory windows over

C12 pier for a north nave opening excavated in wall

possibly a pre-Norman shaft base

Credence table on south side supported on corbels in form of angels holding shields inscribed DD, from east window, reset C19

East end panelled with marble divided by strips of red, blue and yellow tiles, hidden

Transepts have C16 plaster vaults with moulded timber members

angels at junction of ribs with wall plates

C13 arch to east chapel in north transept

This chapel, the Jesus Chapel, has C13 quadripartite vault of ribs on stiff leaf capitals

Fittings: Font: In south aisle

C12 Purbeck marble

reset on C15 arcaded limestone base

Pulpit, Cl9 oak on stone base

Second font at west end a truncated octagonal shaft with string and triangular fillets to square base

Chancel screen C15 or early C16, reset in 1907, oak

Furniture: Small C17 chest in chancel

Fine late C16 table on thick twisted balusters, in south transept

glass case containing fragments of a fine Anglo Saxon double wheel headed cross carved on face and edge with a double strand interlace

fragment of a second cross (?). Glass: North nave window contains C14 grisaille work

upper part of a fine C15 Queen of Heaven in an architectural frame

Early C20 glass in 2 south lancets

Monuments: In chancel: eleven wall monuments

including (a) A Delft tile on marble inscribed to Lucretia Corfe

(b) Carved moulded panel to John Thurloe, etc erected 1683

(c) An alabaster aedicule to George Blake, died 1909, and various late C19 and C20 marble and gilt monuments to the Antrobus family

One marble Fowle monument of 1916

South Transept: Two war memorials and three C19 brasses, (a) By Osmund, white marble sarcophagus on black, to Elizabeth Ouseley and Susan Palmer, children killed at Lucknow, 1857

Brass: In chancel a small brass to Edithe Matyn 1470

Hatchment: In nave, dexter black, motto DEI MEMOR GRATUS AMICI, for Sir Edmund Antrobus, died 1870

C15, with twin drums, the original verge and foliate escapement replaced

becoming an important late Anglo Saxon nunnery

centre for a school of manuscript illumination (c.f. Amesbury Psalter, mid C13). The precise position and layout of the monastic house is not known.

Photo coming soon