St Mary Magdalene Gates And Wall On West And North Sides Of Churchyard

MATERIALS: The church is built from limestone ashlar under a Cotswold stone tile roof, with limestone dressings, and cast iron rainwater goods.

The tower arch is C16, with label stops carved with human heads.

The hexagonal font, of 1842, is carved with quatrefoils.

There are a number of interesting C18 memorials and a Jacobean pulpit given by Jasper Estcourt of nearby Lightpill in 1624.

A church had been erected by 1384, but it was not consecrated until the 1550s

This church was rebuilt in the late C15 or early C16, and a tower was added in the second quarter of the C16, largely funded by the local Halliday family of clothiers.

The current church of St Mary Magdalene retains the C16 west tower, but the remainder of the church dates largely from the 1842 rebuilding by Thomas Foster and Son of Bristol

16th century tower, but the rest is by Thomas Foster of Bristol in 1841-3, who was also engaged in re-building the parish church at Minchinhampton at the time.

© Philip Pankhurst

Stained glass windows were added in 1845, 1909, circa 1920 and 1998.

SOURCES: Victoria County History: A History of the County of Gloucester, Volume 11: Bisley and Longtree Hundreds 230-32 REASON FOR DESIGNATION DECISION: The Anglican church of St Mary Magdalene is regraded at Grade II* for the following principal reasons: * A parish church retaining its Perpendicular west tower dating from the second quarter of the C16 * A high quality, well-executed composition by a recognised ecclesiastical architect, Thomas Foster of Bristol, in a lively, Gothic Revival style * The high quality of the interior carving to the 1842 nave arcades * Strong group value with the other listed buildings in Church Place, Rose Cottage, Church Cottage, the raised pavement and the retaining wall to the churchyard in Walkley Hill