Listed Building record MDO31801 - Parish church, Frome Vauchurch

The parish church of Frome Vauchurch has a 12th century core, but was much rebuilt in the 17th century when the south porch was added. It was restored in 1879 when the nave was reseated with benches and the roof was replaced. The church was dedicated to St Francis in 1988. A vestry was added to the north side of the chancel in the early C21.

Parish Church of unknown dedication. C12th cove, much rebuilt in C17th. Restored in 1879. Nave and chancel, late C12th tympanum over the nave North doorway. <1-2>

<1> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments England, 1952, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume I (West), 118 (Monograph). SDO97.

‘(1) PARISH CHURCH (dedication unknown) stands on the E. side of the parish. The walls are of local rubble and flint with freestone dressings; the roofs are tiled. The church, consisting of Chancel and Nave is of 12th-century origin but has been much rebuilt mainly in the 17th century; the South Porch was added probably in the 16th or 17th century. Much of the evidence is concealed by the plastering of the walls. The church was restored in 1879.
Architectural Description—The Chancel (19¼ ft. by 10¼ ft.) has three modern windows in the E. wall. In the N. wall is a plastered window of one round-headed light, probably of the 12th century. In the S. wall are two windows, the eastern similar to the N. window but with the aperture widened in the 17th century; the western window is a 13th-century lancet-light. The chancel-arch has plain responds cut back and chamfered 12th-century imposts with axe-worked diapering, the arch has probably been rebuilt; N. of the arch is an opening to the pulpit, cut probably in the 17th century, it has a two-centred head.
The Nave (27 ft. by 11¾ ft.) has, in the N. wall, a 17th-century window of two round-headed lights; the late 12th-century N. doorway has plain jambs and moulded imposts; the segmental arch has a semi-circular moulded label with dog-tooth ornament; the doorway is now partly blocked and has a modern window in the opening. In the S. wall are three windows, the easternmost of the 17th century and of two segmental-headed lights; the second window is of the same period and of one elliptical-headed light; the westernmost window is a single round-headed light of 12th-century origin; the S. doorway, of 16th or 17th-century date, has chamfered jambs and segmental head. In the W. wall are two modern windows; on the gable is a small 17th-century bell-cote with one segmental-headed opening and a moulded capping.
The South Porch is probably of the 16th or 17th century and is faced with bands of stone and flint. The outer archway has hollow-chamfered jambs and rebuilt elliptical head, with a label and reused defaced head-stops.
Fittings—Bell: one, dated 1631, by one of the Purdues. Font: square bowl with chamfered angles and lower edge, cylindrical stem and moulded base with spur-ornaments, late 12th-century. Monuments: In churchyard—S. of chancel, (1) to Mary Bridle, 1709, table-tomb; S.W. of nave, (2) to William Goare, 1660, and Mary, wife of William Goare jun., 1695, others later, table-tomb; (3) to William Goare, late 17th-century, table-tomb. Piscina: In chancel—modern recess and set in it a scalloped capital with a square drain in the top, possibly late 12th-century. Plate: includes Elizabethan cup and cover-paten, the former with band of engraved ornament and the latter with the date 1574. Pulpit: of oak and of two and a half sides of a hexagon, enriched angles, two ranges of enriched arched panels with enriched entablature, human faces at angles, early 17th-century.’

<2> Newman, J, and Pevsner, N, 1972, The Buildings of England: Dorset, 214 (Monograph). SWX1290.

<3> Ordnance Survey, 1:2500 scale, 1989 (Map). SWX1197.

(SY59949720) Church [NAT]

<4> Brebner, P, 2003, St Francis, Frome Vauchurch, Maiden Newton, Dorset. Historic Building Survey (Unpublished document). SDO15024.

<5> National Record of the Historic Environment, 884298 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Apr 16 2025 5:02PM