St Lawrence

chancel, and C16 tower.

Anglican Church. C12 nave with C13 north arcade, north aisle and chancel, and C16 tower. The church was restored in the late C19 by Ewan Christian and F S Waller & Son. C20 alterations and additions.

© Lewis Clarke

It has a slate-tile roof, with a decorated stone roof to the bellcote.

The doorway was restored and re-carved in c1993.

To the west bay is the restored C12 doorway with a Carnarvon arched head, and nook shafts to the jambs which support scalloped imposts with a semi-circular arch above with chevrons.

There are three restored C12 windows, one to left of the doorway and two to the east bay, all with nook shafts and moulded semi-circular arched heads.

At the east end of the nave, above the chancel arch, is the C14 Sanctus bellcote with a pair of bell openings and a richly crocketed spirelet.

There is a small C13 window to the west end of the north aisle.

INTERIOR: the late C15/early C16 styled nave roof was probably reconstructed in the C19.

It comprises moulded Tudor-arched trusses, with moulded wall plates, double purlins and a ridge piece with pairs of arched and foiled wind braces in each ceiled panel.

The C13 three-bay north arcade has circular piers of bands of alternating coloured stone which stand on square, chamfered bases and have moulded capitals supporting double-chamfered, pointed arches.

The capitals and arches retain evidence of a C13 paint scheme.

In north aisle is a C13 doorway which leads to the late C19 porch.

The chancel arch has a pair of C12 semi-circular jamb shafts with scalloped capitals and imposts.

The arch above was rebuilt in C13 with a pair of roll mouldings to the soffit.

From the north aisle an early C16 four-centred arched opening provides access to the Lady Chapel which has an early-C16 collar-rafter roof with moulded tie beams with carved central bosses.

FIXTURES AND FITTINGS: the c1514 stone font has a chamfered stem with niches and an octagonal bowl carved with shields held by winged angels, foliage and roses.

The wrought-iron font cover of 1964 is by R W Patterson.

The early-C19 painted timber pulpit incorporates C17 carved panels and was introduced into the church in the 1960s

Christ in Majesty fibre-glass sculpture above the chancel arch, by Darsie Rawlins, 1966

sculpture of the Good Shepherd carved at Oberammergau and burnished gold, by William Butchart (formerly Ninian Comper’s chief painter and gilder), 1962.

Three tower bells recast by Abraham Rudhall in 1698 or 1699, a bell given as a memorial to Mary Dowling in 1873 and two bells from 1913.

STAINED GLASS: the three windows to the south aisle are by Hardman and depict New Testament scenes in roundels, c1873-6

MONUMENTS: C18 wall monuments in the Lady Chapel to the tenants and owners of Barnwood Court include a classical marble wall tablet to Beata Johnson d.1722 by Stephen Reeve

There are further late-C18 and C19 wall monuments beneath the tower, some to the Morris family.