Listed Building record MDO5316 - Parish church of St Mary, Winterborne Whitechurch

Parish church with an early 13th century chancel, 14th century crossing tower, 15th century south chapel and nave, aisles and porch of 1844, late 20th century west vestry. 1844 work by Benjamin Ferrey. Banded flint and ashlar and banded flint and rubble with ashlar dressings. Roofs part tiled and part stone-slated. Plan: nave with north and south aisles, south chapel, central crossing with tower, chancel, south porch.

THE PARISH CHURCH OF ST. MARY stands in the W. part of the village. The walls are of flint and rubble with ashlar dressings, and of banded flint and ashlar; the roofs are partly tiled and partly stone-slated. The Chancel dates from c. 1200 and there are traces of former North and South Transepts, now gone, which probably were of the same date. The Crossing was rebuilt early in the 14th century, possibly in consequence of the collapse of a former tower; the present Central Tower is of the 15th century. The South Chapel, on the site of the former S. transept, is of the mid 15th century. In 1844 the Nave was completely rebuilt and the North and South Aisles and the South Porch were added; the architect for these works was Benjamin Ferrey. <2,3>

Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society, 1910, Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Antiquarian Field Club, xxxviii (Serial). SDO21.

Following the valley road the party came next to Winterbourne Whitechurch, and entered the interesting church of St. Mary, which succeeded the original "white church" Of Saxon times.
The Rev. HERBERT PENTIN mentioned that the Rector (the Rev. H. H. Tilney Bassett) could not be with them, and had asked him to call attention to the principal features of interest in the church.
The nave was burnt down 60 years ago. The arches under the tower, with their capitals carved with faces, some grotesque, other angelic, were late Norman. The wooden pulpit, of about the date 1420, belonged originally to the old parish church of Milton, which was pulled down at the restoration. It was formerly covered with plaster ; but some years ago the Rector discovered that there was some beautiful woodwork under the plaster, and on the plaster being removed the carved and painted woodwork was found. The figures of the evangelists in the niches were modern. In the parish register was to be seen the entry of the baptism of John and Charles Wesley's father. It had been photographed, and would soon be obtainable in the popular picture postcard form. The entry read :
"1662. Samuel Wesley, the son of John Wesley, was baptised December 17th."
The Rev. C. W. H. DICKER, referring to the tower arches and Norman piers, observed that in many cases pointed arches were found in association with pure Norman work. The pointed arch had been discovered centuries before, and did not necessarily mark any transition, as was popularly supposed. Here at Whitechurch they saw the true contrast between the heavy Norman work and the light Early English. The Gothic feeling was noticeable in the spring upwards, which marked a new departure in structure. Originally that was probably a late Norman church. For some reason the tower disappeared, and all that remained of it, the two arches, were left in situ, and thereupon the Thirteenth Century builders started and finished the chancel in the prevailing style of the period.
On leaving the church the party went round to the north outside wall, to view the small ancient cross embedded in the masonry, a cross which some call Saxon and others British.

<1> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey map 1:10,560, 1969 (Map). SDO18658.

(ST 83600012) Ch (NAT)

<2> Royal Commission on Historic Monuments, 1970, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume III (Central) Part 2, 309-311 (Monograph). SDO136.

<3> DOE (HHR), 1954, List of Buildings of Special Historic or Architectural Interest: Blandford Rural District, 22 (Scheduling record). SDO17701.

<5> Newman, J, and Pevsner, N, 1972, The Buildings of England: Dorset, 488 (Monograph). SWX1290.

<6> DOE (HRR), June 1985, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest: District of West Dorset amendment 1985, 71-2 (Scheduling record). SDO17834.

<7> National Record of the Historic Environment, 205798 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

Aug 11 2025 10:47AM