Listed Building record MDO37608 - St Mary's church, Winterbourne Abbas

A parish church with some surviving 13th century fabric, though much altered and extended during the 14th to the 18th centuries. 13th century nave and chancel originally, with 14th century rebuilding in chancel, 15th century widening of nave to north, west tower, rood stair, 16th century blocking of entrance to former south chapel, 17th century porch, 18th century east hall of chancel and nave buttress.

Parish Church of St. Mary contains some surviving work of the early 13th century in the north wall of the chancel, the chancel arch and south wall of the nave. The south wall of the chancel was rebuilt in the early 14th century and in the 15th century the nave was widened on the north side, and the west tower added. Additions and alterations were made to the church in the 17th, 18th and early 20th centuries. (2)

Emden, A B, 1977, Medieval Decorated Tiles in Dorset (Monograph). SDO13180.

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

(SY 61879047) 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 2, 381 (Monograph). SDO149.

‘(1) THE PARISH CHURCH OF ST. MARY (Plate 151) stands in the middle of the village on the S. side of the street. The walls are of Portland rubble and flint with dressings of Portland and Ham Hill stone; the roofs are slate-covered. Some work of the early years of the 13th century survives in the N. wall of the Chancel, the chancel arch and the S. wall of the Nave. The S. wall of the chancel was rebuilt in the early 14th century. In the 15th century the nave was widened on the N. side and the West Tower was added. The North Porch was built in the 17th century. The N. wall of the nave was heightened and the roofs were rebuilt in c. 1900.
Architectural Description—The Chancel (21 ft. by 14½ ft.) has a rebuilt 14th-century E. window of three pointed lights in a two-centred head with a label; the E. wall was largely rebuilt in 1724 and its ends have slight projections to N. and S. In the N. wall are two windows, the E. a lancet light of c. 1200, the W. originally similar but widened and with a round head and W. splay cut back for a squint, now blocked; between the windows is a doorway of the same date, with chamfered jambs and rounded head. In the S. wall is a 15th-century window of two trefoiled lights in a square head; it appears to have replaced a doorway. The original chancel arch is two-centred, of one chamfered order with moulded responds.
The Nave (33½ ft. by 19 ft.) has, in the N. wall, a 15th-century window of three cinque-foiled ogee lights with vertical tracery in a two-centred head with a label and headstops. The N. doorway of c. 1200, reset, has plain jambs and a two-centred head. At the W. end of the wall is a buttress dated 1718. The S. wall has at the E. end a 15th-century projecting stair turret to the former rood loft; the lower doorway has a four-centred head, the upper, now blocked, is rectangular. The windows at the E. and W. ends of the same wall are of the 15th century. The one to the E. is of three cinque-foiled lights with vertical tracery in a two-centred head with a label. The one to the W. is of three lights with uncusped vertical tracery in a two-centred head with a label and head-stops; the mullions and tracery are entirely of the 19th century; it is cut through the head of an earlier recess. Between the windows is a blocked two-centred 13th-century archway with moulded imposts which appears to have opened into an annexe; set in the blocking is a 16th-century window of two four-centred lights in a square head with a label.
The West Tower (9 ft. by 10 ft.) is of three stages with an embattled parapet and gargoyles. The tower-arch is two-centred and of two moulded orders, partly continuous and partly supported on attached shafts with moulded bases and capitals, the latter carved with foliage and the sacred monograms IHS and M. The W. doorway has moulded jambs and a two-centred head; the upper plinth moulding is continued over the doorway as a label and carved at the apex with a demi-angel; the W. window is of three cinque-foiled lights with vertical tracery in a two-centred head with a label and head-stops. The second stage has a small rectangular window in the N. wall. The bell-chamber has, in each of the E., S. and W. walls, a window of two trefoiled lights with blind tracery in a two-centred head; the N. window is of one trefoiled light only. The stair turret is carried up above the main parapet.
The North Porch (8 ft. by 8 ft.) has an outer archway with chamfered jambs and a three-centred head.
Fittings—Bells: three; 1st by George Purdue inscribed 'HALLVIA 1604 GP RR'; 3rd by John Sturdy of London inscribed 'Sit nomen domini benedictum', c. 1440 (Walters, 106). Bell-frame, partly old. Font (Plate 8): round bowl of Ham Hill stone, stem with cable necking and central and four attached shafts with moulded bases on square plinth all of Purbeck marble, c. 1200. Gallery: On N. side of nave—resting on later iron supports, front panelled with balustrading above under moulded rail, front beam inscribed 1701, staircase at W. end. Glass: In nave, in S.E. window, in situ in tracery, two quarries in silver stain; in tower, in W. window, two fragments; all 15th-century. Inscriptions and Scratchings: Outside—above E. window, initials and date 1724 D.S.; on N.W. buttress 'Peter Bishop Church Warden 1718'. Monuments and Floor-slabs. Monuments: In nave—on E. wall, (1) to William Davis, 1814, and William his son, 1840, stone tablet with cinquefoil arched frame; on S. wall, (2) to Grace wife of Charles Henville, 1847, white marble tablet on veined marble backing. In churchyard—W. of porch, (3) to Elianor wife of Henry Clapcott, 1719, table-tomb with fielded panelled sides and ends; (4) to [S]arah wife of William Clapcot, 1704, and Henry Clapcot, 1716, table-tomb with arcaded sides and scrolled ends. N.W. of tower, (5) (6) to John Best, 17 . ., and to Mary wife of John Best, 1743, pair of table-tombs with incised arcading on side panels and shaped ends. S. of nave, (7) to Catherine wife of John Henvil, 1787, table-tomb with fluted angle pilasters. Also five other table-tombs of the 18th and 19th centuries. Floor-slabs: In chancel—(1) to Robert Forseth, 1717; (2) to John Studley, pastor, 1658; (3) to Elizabeth wife of George Browne, 1678. Niche: In nave—in E. wall on S. side of chancel arch, recess with square head. Piscina (Plate 4): In chancel—in S. wall, with two-centred head and continuous moulded jambs under triangular crocketed label with carved figure-stops and a large foliated finial, one moulded shelf and octagonal dishing to drain, mid 14th-century. Royal Arms: In nave—on E. wall, framed and painted Stuart arms in lozenge-shaped panel, with initials C.R. and date 1661, frame inscribed 'feare God Honour the King'. Stoup: In nave—in N. wall, square projecting bowl. Tiles: In chancel—15th-century slip-tiles with designs including fleurs-de-lys and a shield with a hart between three phaeons in an invected border.’

<3> National Record of the Historic Environment, 453823 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Apr 16 2025 1:12PM