Building record 0408500000 - ST MARTIN'S CHURCH, DUNTON

Dimensions - Length 27m, Width 7m.
Small building with plastered walls, parttly restored in brick. Slate roofs (chancel tiled). Nave of c.1140, chancel rebuilt early C13. W tower added & chancel arch rebuilt later C15. C18/19 nave roof fell & S nave wall rebuilt & S porch added (B1-4).
Grade II+. Parish church. C12 nave with S. wall rebuilt late C18, C13 chancel. Cl5 W. tower, all much restored late C18. Nave and tower are of large stone blocks, squared and coursed with brick repairs and dressings. Chancel is rendered. Slate roof to nave, tiled chancel. Tower of 2 stages has clasping buttresses, brick parapet and pointed single openings to bell chamber. W. side has window with pointed arch but no tracery, and doorway with moulded 4-centred arch. Nave has late C18 moulded stone cornice and coped gables, and fragments of decorative Norman masonry in walls. S. side has 2 round arched windows with brick surrounds and leaded glazing in wooden Y frames. Head of similar window to centre over 6-panelled door in late C18 gabled porch, rendered with moulded wooden eaves and cornice broken by round arch to front. N. wall has 2 similar windows, that to E. in moulded stone surround with altered pointed arch. Blocked C12 doorway to W. has round arch with chevron ornament, carved of impost blocks, remains of lintel with interlace ornament, and one dressed stone jamb. Chancel has small C13 lowside lancets to W. S. side has similar lancet to centre, and C19 2-light traceried window to E. N. side has similar C19 window to centre and narrow square headed window to E. E. wall has C19 triple lancets, that to centre taller. Interior: C12 chancel arch, altered C15 and later, with pointed double chamfered arch, the outer order on shafts with much worn carved caps, one with cable moulding. C15 chancel roof has moulded tie beams and queen struts to end trusses, curved wind-braces, and altered hammer-beam truss to centre with 4-centred arch. N. wall of chancel has rectangular recess with double opening, S. wall has C13 round arched piscina with roll moulding, and blocked door. Nave has late C18 W. gallery on 4 small Doric columns and entablature; panelled front has inscriptions with sayings of rectors. Box pews and pulpit of similar date. Disused square C12 font in tower, C19 octagonal font in use. Other fittings C19. Brasses: C15 small figures of couple with scrolled inscriptions over inscription tablet to John Sotton and wife 1518; early C16 figure of lady with child at her skirts. RCHM II p. 101-2 (B5).
Included in Historic Englands Heritage at Risk register in 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 due to serious cracking to north and south walls of the chancel; no solution identified. Condition described as very bad, priority A: immediate risk of further rapid deterioration or loss of fabric; no solution agreed (B6-8). Following repairs of gutters, improvements to underground drainage and trial pits dig to understand the foundation, condition in 2023 and 2024 described as 'poor, priority C: slow decay, no solution agreed' (B9-10).