The Holy Cross

Some early fabric may be preserved in the chancel, notably in the areas where stone rather than flint rubble is evident, and the three windows in the chancel N wall may be partly C12.

The S door, positioned in the western most bay of the S aisle, is C12, reset from the previous church, and has an order of chevron with a billet hood-mould on detached nook shafts with crocket capitals.

The SE tower in a vaguely Italianate style, is set at the E end of the S aisle, and has a saddleback roof, paired Norman-style bell openings, a prominent clock face on the W side, decorative stone roundels and a very plain Norman-style S door.

A C12 doorway, with chevron and nook shafts, now blocked, is reset from the old church at the E end of the S aisle and formerly provided access to the base of the C19 tower.

A larger C12 arch, possibly the former chancel arch, opens from the S wall of the chancel into the tower.

It has a massive, embattled rood/tie beam with rood figures of 1987.

PRINCIPAL FIXTURES Very fine C15 pinnacles from the medieval choir stalls at Ely, removed in the C19, are reset around the inside of the chancel.

Font with chubby scallops around a round bowl, probably C12, with a C17 cover with curly brackets.

The pulpit is C19 and has a tiered stone base with a moulded cornice and recessed, round headed panels on the sides.

TL5578 : Holy Cross, Stuntney - Pulpit

© John Salmon

The attached book rest is C17, possibly made from fragments.

Probably C17 communion table at the E end of the S aisle.

C17 alms box, an unusual survival, and still attached to a heavy wall staple by an old chain.

Some good C19 and C20 glass, including a window of 1964 signed by John Hayward.

Window by John Hayward

© John Salmon

A description of 1838 calls the church Saxon, but the description given suggests that it was rebuilt in the C12: `It has doorways on each side of the nave (one of which is filled up) ornamented with chevron mouldings, as is also the great arch between the nave and chancel: the capitals of the pillars are foliated.¿ An early engraving also suggests that the former church was wholly C12, possibly with a few later windows.

A C19 photograph after the rebuilding shows it with a wide nave incorporating the present S aisle, a neo-Romanesque chancel arch with brick banding, and the reset C12 arch leading into the base of the tower.

SOURCES Clements, J H., A Brief History of Ely and Neighbouring Villages Kelly's Directory of Cambridgeshire, Pevsner, N., Buildings of England, Cambridgeshire , 462-3 VCH Cambridgeshire and the Isle of Ely , 82-6 REASONS FOR DESIGNATION The Church of Holy Cross, Stuntney, is designated at Grade II* for the following principal reasons: * C12 church, largely rebuilt in the C19 but retaining three C12 arches and probably some early fabric in the chancel. * Interesting timber arcading of 1900-3. * Good C12 font with a C17 cover. * C15 pinnacles from the choir stalls at Ely reused in the chancel. * Unusual C17 poor box.

TL5578 : Holy Cross, Stuntney - Font

© John Salmon