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St Mary

Acton Burnell

Shropshire

1250-80, restored and tower added in 1887-9.

Architectural Features

plain tile roofs.

Nave: chamfered plinth, angle buttresses to west with 4 closely-spaced offsets, corbel table with moulded and carved corbels, and coped parapeted gables with moulded and carved kneelers

west front: window of 3 stepped lights with moulded reveals and hoodmould with carved stops

moulded arched doorway has hoodmould with carved stops and C19 boarded door with strap hinges

south front: 3 chamfered trefoil-headed lancets with hoodmoulds and carved stops

blocked doorway between first and second windows from right with moulded arch and hoodmould with carved stops

north front: 2 chamfered trefoil-headed lancets to right with hoodmoulds and carved stops, small circular quatrefoiled window high up to left

moulded-arched doorway off-centre to left has hoodmould with carved stops and two C19 boarded doors with strap hinges

porch with chamfered plinth and coped parapeted gable, double chamfered arch with inner chamfer dying into responds and hoodmould with carved stops, and niche in apex of gable with nodding trefoiled head and hoodmould with carved stops.

Transepts: chamfered plinth, corbel table with moulded and carved corbels, and coped parapeted gable with moulded kneelers

north and south windows each of 3 lights with geometrical tracery consisting of quatrefoil and trefoils, hollow chamfered reveals, and hoodmould with carved stops

pairs of east and west lancets to south transept and pair of blocked east lancets to north transept, each with trefoil head, chamfered reveals and hoodmould with carved stops.

north front: triple lancets to left with trefoil heads, moulded reveals, and hoodmoulds with carved stops

south front:group of 4 lancets to right and pair to left with trefoil heads and hoodmoulds with carved stops, those to right with moulded reveals and those to left with chamfered reveals

east end: large window of 2 paired trefoil-headed lights with geometrical tracery consisting of trefoils and cinquefoil in circles, nook shafts with carved capitals, moulded reveals, and hoodmould with carved stops

Interior: 10-bay nave roof dated 1598 and 5-bay chancel roof dated 1571 with arch bracing to collars, cusped windbraces, queen struts and V-struts

transept, chancel, and tower arches have chamfered jambs with carved stops, moulded inner arches dying into responds, moulded outer arches resting on short colonnettes with carved and moulded capitals and carved corbels,and hoodmoulds with carved stops

nave windows with chamfered reveals, transept windows with moulded rear arches and hoodmoulds with carved stops

chancel has cill string rising as hoodmould above priest's doorway, side windows have nook shafts with stiff-leaf capitals, moulded trefoil rear arches, and hoodmoulds with carved stops

east window has nook shafts with carved capitals and hoodmould with carved stops

C14 ogee-arched tomb recess in south wall of south transept

moulded trefoil-headed arched piscina in each transept, small piscina in south-east corner of nave, and double piscina in chancel with moulded trefoil-headed arch, carved bowls and hoodmould with carved stops

Fittings include: C13 octagonal stone font with trefoil-headed arcading and attached shafts with moulded capitals, except one with carved stiff-leaf

C16 linen-fold panelling behind altar

Cl7 five-sided wooden pulpit on stone base

Medieval floor tiles in north transept and probably medieval stencilled wall decoration in south transept.

Most windows with clear diamond-leaded glass.

Monuments include: chest tomb in north transept to Sir Nicholas Burnell with crocketed ogee-arched arcading and a brass on top

large alabaster monument in north transept to Sir Richard Lee has 2 recumbent effigies under a round arch with kneeling offspring behind, flanking piers, much strapwork decoration, and central coat of arms above with flanking terms

large monument in north transept to Sir Humphrey Lee by Nicholas Stone with 2 kneeling figures facing each other across a desk, 2 round arches with carved soffits, flanking pilasters, offspring in row beneath, and triangular pediment above with shield

many other wall tablets in transepts, nave and chancel including C17 brass plaques and a tablet of 1794 signed by King of Bath with a military trophy.