Listed Building record MDO13934 - Parish church of St Mary, Iwerne Minster

A parish church with elements dating to the 12th century, subsequently much altered and restored. The north aisle and nave are the earliest parts of the building, dating to the mid-12th century. The south aisle arcade is late 12th century and the north transept is thought to be 13th century, though it could also be a remodelling of 12th century fabric. The tower, south aisle, south porch and chancel are all 14th century in date. Further work, including general restoration, was carried out in the 19th century. Probable minster, based on place-name evidence, its wealth, and its cruciform plan. The church was restored by T H Wyatt in 1871, when the north vestry was added. The record for this monument has been enhanced with support from Wessex Water.

(ST 86841446) St, Mary's Church (NAT). <1>

The Parish Church of St. Mary has walls of flint and rubble with ashlar dressings, of banded flint and ashlar, and of ashlar; the roofs are stone-slated and tiled. The Nave, North Aisle and North Transept are of the mid-12th century; they appear to be parts of an important church, cruciform in its original plan and probably at first without a S. aisle, but with a transept opposite to that which in part survives on the N. The remains of a 12th-century structure in the angle between the nave and the former S. transept probably represent a former South Tower. Late in the 12th century the South Aisle was added on the W. of the presumed S. tower and early in the 13th century the N. transept was rebuilt. The present Chancel is of the 14th century, as are the West Tower, the S. and W. walls of the S. aisle, and the South Porch. In the 15th century the chancel arch was widened, and a spire was added to the W. tower. In the 16th century the nave was heightened and provided with clerestorey windows. In 1871 the church was restored by T. H. Wyatt and the N. Vestry was added. <2>

Church of St Mary. Grade I. <3, 5>

Le Pard, Gordon, 1998, Medieval sundials in Dorset. Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society 119, 71 Fig 2.7, 76 (Article in serial). SDO21411.

<1> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey 1 to 25 inch scale map, 1900 (Map). SDO18020.

<2> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1972, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume IV (North), 36-38, No 1, Plan (Monograph). SDO99.

'(1) THE PARISH CHURCH OF ST. MARY (86831446),(Plate 49) has walls of flint and rubble with ashlar dressings, of banded flint and ashlar; the roofs are stone-slated and tiled. The Nave, North Aisle and North Transept are of the mid 12th century; they appear to be parts of an important church, cruciform in its original plan and probably at first without a S. aisle, but with a transept opposite to that which in part survives on the N. The remains of a 12th-century structure in the angle between the nave and the former S. transept probably represents a former South Tower. Late in the 12th century the South Aisle was added on the W. of the presumed S. tower and early in the 13th century the N. transept was rebuilt. The present Chancel is of the 14th century, as are the West Tower, the S. and W. walls of the S.aisle, and the South Porch. In the 15th century the chancel arch was widened, and a spire was added to the W. tower. In the 16th century the nave was heightened and provided with clearstorey windows. In 1871 the church was restored by T.H. Wyatt and the N. Vestry was added.'

<3> Newman, J, and Pevsner, N, 1972, The Buildings of England: Dorset, 238-9 (Monograph). SWX1290.

<4> Dedman, S C, 1983, Iwerne Minster, Church and Village Story (Monograph). SDO18164.

<5> DOE (HHR), 1985, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest: North Dorset, 50 (Scheduling record). SDO17644.

<6> Hall, T A, 2000, Minster Churches in the Dorset Landscape, 17 (Monograph). SDO10264.

<7> Randall, C, 2017, St Mary's Church, Iwerne Minster, Dorset. Archaeological Monitoring and Recording (Unpublished document). SDO16447.

<8> Taylor, R M, The Story of S. Mary's Parish Church, Iwerne Courtney, and of all that be around her (Monograph). SDO18163.

<9> National Record of the Historic Environment, 206176 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

May 1 2025 12:06PM