Monument record MDO1794 - Parish church of St Mary Magdalene, North Wootton

The late 14th or early 15th century West Tower is the only surviving part of the parish church of St Mary Madgelene. The walls are of rubble and the roof is slated. The nave and chancel were demolished in 1883, when the modern church, 440 yards south south east, was built. The church was once a chapel of ease to Sherborne. <1> <3>

The tower is roofless, but the walls appear to be at their original height, and there is a buttress at each corner. It is about 10.0m high and 3.5m square. There is a small stone doorway on the east side. <4>

The now ivy-covered church tower, remains as described in field report 8 9 55. The monument is in the care of Shelborne Castle Estate (notice board attached to structure). One railed-tombed, and 3 headstones (the latest visible date being 1875) remain in the disused grave-yard. No trace of desertion were found in the surrounding arable fields. Published 1:2500 church detail amended on AM. <5>

<1> Shipp, W, and Hodson, J W (eds), 1870, The History and Antiquities of the County of Dorset. 3rd edition. Volume 4, 303 (Monograph). SDO17392.

<2> Ordnance Survey, 1929, Ordnance Survey Map 25 (Map). SWX1185.

ST 65561480. Church (NR) (rems of ) (NAT) Grave Yard (NR)

<3> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments England, 1952, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume I (West), 267-268 (Monograph). SDO97.

‘(1) PARISH CHURCH OF ST. MARY MAGDALENE stands 440 yards N.N.W. of the modern church. The walls are of local rubble with freestone dressings and the roof is covered with stone slates. The late 14th or early 15th-century West Tower is the only surviving part of the old church; the nave and chancel were demolished about 1883 when the modern church was built.
Architectural Description - The West Tower (5½ ft. by 7¾ ft.) is of late 14th or early 15th-century date and of three storeys with a low pyramidal roof and diagonal W. buttresses. The pointed tower-arch has chamfered reveals and is now blocked; set in the blocking is a doorway with a modern head and a triangular rear-arch. The W. window is of one pointed light. The second stage has a small loop in the S. wall. The bell-chamber has a two-light window in the E. and W. walls, the former now blocked. Adjoining the E. face of the tower are the butt-ends of the destroyed nave which was 14¾ ft. wide. The tower is heavily ivy-grown and in a ruinous condition.’

<4> Quinnell, N V, Various, Field Investigators Comments NVQ, F1 NVQ 09-JUL-55 (Unpublished document). SDO11903.

<4.1> Royal Air Force, 11-APR-47, RAF/CPE/UK/1974 4147-8 (Aerial Photograph). SDO17515.

<5> Phillips, A S, Various, Field Investigators Comments ASP, F2 ASP 17-NOV-77 (Unpublished document). SWX3817.

<6> Historic England, Historic England Archive, BF051582 OLD CHURCH OF ST MARY MAGDALENE, NORTH WOOTTON (Index). SDO14738.

File of material relating to a site or building. This material has not yet been fully catalogued. Copyright, date, and quantity information for this record may be incomplete or inaccurate.

<7> Historic England, Historic England Archive, OP24698 (Index). SDO14738.

A view of the surviving tower of the ruined St Mary Magdalene's Church, North Wootton, from the south-east

<8> National Record of the Historic Environment, 199515 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Jan 17 2022 3:52PM