Listed Building record MDO17197 - Parish Church of St Mary The Virgin, Lytchett Matravers

A parish church with a 13th century tower and 14th century chancel. The nave, north aisle and south porch were rebuilt circa 1500. In circa 1875 the church was restored and the vestry added.

Parish Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Lytchett Matravers, with walls of carstone rubble and stone dressings has a chancel, nave and west tower of circa 1200 date. A north aisle was added in the mid 14th century and circa 1400 the chancel was enlarged. The church was partly rebuilt and improved circa 1500 with restoration in 1873 and additions in 1876. <2>

<1> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1963 (Map). SWX1540.

(SY 93599616) St. Mary's Church (NAT)

<2> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England), 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume II (South East) Part 1, 154-6 (Monograph). SDO148.

'(1) THE PARISH CHURCH OF ST. MARY THE VIRGIN stands near the site of the Manor House to the N.W. of the village. The walls are of carstone rubble with Purbeck and greensand dressings; the roofs are covered with tiles, slates and lead.

The church, consisting of Chancel, Nave and West Tower, was built c. 1200. A North Aisle was added in the mid 14th century, but this and the N. arcade of that date were entirely taken down in alterations of c. 1500. In c. 1400 the chancel was enlarged. Through the benefactions of Margaret Clement (see Brasses, 2) the church was partly rebuilt and improved c. 1500; the work included insertion of a number of new windows and the rebuilding of the N. aisle with the re-use of much of the material of the earlier arcade in the new arcade; the greater part of the S. wall of the nave was reconstructed and the South Porch added. The church was restored in 1873 and the North Vestry and Organ Chamber was added in 1876.'

<3> Richards, J, 1991, Archaeological Investigation of the Site of the Proposed Vestry Extension, St Mary's Chruch, Lytchett Matravers, Dorset (Unpublished document). SDO217.

<4> Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1993, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society for 1992, 234 (Serial). SDO92.

‘EVALUATION OF ST MARY’S CHURCH, LYTCHETT MATRAVERS. Documentary research relating to the area of a proposed vestry extension on the northern side of St Mary’s Church, Lytchett Matravers, provided no indication of pre-19th century structures. A subsequent excavation of the proposed extension area demonstrated an absence of structures or deposits associated with the medieval church. The current topography of the investigated part of the churchyard was demonstrated as largely relating to the dumping of upcast from the construction of the vestry in 1878.’

<5> Cotton, J, and Richards, J, 1994, Observations and Recording at St Mary's Church, Lytchett Matravers, Dorset (Unpublished document). SDO14226.

<6> Historic England, Historic England Archive, BF114558 (Index). SDO14738.

St Mary the Virgin Church, Lytchett Matravers

<7> National Record of the Historic Environment, 457341 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Apr 16 2025 3:37PM