Building record 0435400000 - ST MARY'S CHURCH, ASHENDON

Grade I Parish church. Early C12 nave and south aisle, c1200 nave and aisle extended west, c1290 chancel and nave arcade rebuilt. C15 west tower, clerestory added. Rubblestone with ashlar dressings. Lead roofs, except chancel which has old tiles. 2 bay chancel, 3 bay nave with south aisle. West tower and south porch. Chancel has C16 windows of four-centred lights under a square head with moulded labels, 3-light to east wall, 2-light to south wall weathered diagonal buttresses. South nave clerestory has 3 windows of 2 trefoiled lights and tracery in 2-centred heads. South aisle has 2 windows, right hand one of c1300 of 3-lights with tracery the left of c1330 smaller. C14 doorway with chamfered and moulded jamb and arch; west wall has lancet light of C13 with C18 lancet beside it. North nave wall has central roundarched doorway, now blocked and herringbone masonry up to clerestory cill level. East bay has evidence of north chapel, its roof line and arch jambs, also blocked opening into former rood loft. c1200 lancet at west end and stepped buttress. 2 clerestory windows. West tower of 2 stages with diagonal buttresses at west. West doorway has depressed head, and moulded jambs. 2-light window above has trefoiled lights and tracery. Single light belfry openings. Plain parapet. Interior. Chancel has on north wall tomb recess with almost flat arch with ogeed centre and crockets. Late C13 recumbant stone effigy of a knight. Plain C13 trefoil head piscina in south wall. Chancel arch c1290 of 2 chamfered orders with semi-octagonal responds, bases and caps. Nave has rood loft entries high up at east. 2 east bays of nave arcade as chancel arch with octagonal pier. At west c1200 bay has pointed arch with chamfered jambs and hollow chamfer abacus. North side of nave has at east end blocked c1290 arch into former north chapel. Within is stone screen wall with blocked squint at left and 4 centred arched door at right, also blocked. To west is blocked C12 doorway. Tower arch has plain jambs and 2 hollow chamfered orders dying into responds. Roofs: Chancel has C18 or C19 wagon roof. Nave roof C16 with tie beams and wall posts on corbels. Short king posts. Moulded rafters, purlins and ridge purlin brackets to tie beams. South aisle C15 roof with chamfered principals and purlins. Wall plates moulded. Curved brackets on stone head corbels, some with tracery spandrels. Font. Circular tapering bowl with roll moulding at bottom, C12. C17 wood font cover. Pulpit C1700, but on a modern base. C15 tower newel door of 2 planks. Several C18 wall tablets. South clerestory outside has moulded lead rainwater heads. RCHM I, 14.MON.1. Shown as MAIN STREET in error on O.S. 1:2500 Map (B5)
A watching brief carried out in 1997 by OAU during installation of new external drainage surrounding the church identified the footings of two undated butresses at the external corners of the tower (B7).
Included in a collection of sketches of Buckinghamshire churches by Charlotte Pigott in the early 1840s (B8).