Building record 0409703000 - ST MARY'S CHURCH, HARTWELL

Plan Form - OCTAGONAL
PRESENT CHURCH 1756 (B1).
1753-1755. OCTAGONAL NAVE, SMALL E SANCTUARY, E & W TOWERS (B5).
BUILT BY HENRY KEENE. 1 OF THE MOST IMPORTANT CHURCHES OF THE EARLY GOTHIC REVIVAL, BUT IT HAS BEEN ALLOWED TO FALL INTO RUIN. FINE FAN VAULT HAS COLLAPSED (B6).
ROOFLESS RUIN SINCE 1946. REDUNDANT CHURCHES FUND MAKING SAFE (B8).
WATCHING BRIEF DURING DRAINAGE WORKS IN SEPTEMBER 2000 RECORDED 3 OR 4 INHUMATIONS TO THE SOUTH OF THE CHURCH, AT A DEPTH OF 0.8M BELOW GROUND LEVEL. A LATE MEDIEVAL/EARLY POST-MEDIEVAL CONSTRUCTION OR DEMOLITION DEPOSIT OVERLAY ONE OF THE GRAVES. TO THE NORTH OF THE CHURCH, MADE GROUND POSSIBLY ASSOCIATED WITH C18 LANDSCAPING WAS RECORDED. BURIALS WITHIN LATE MEDIEVAL CHURCHYARD? BUT AT LEAST SOME MAY POST-DATE CONSTRUCTION OF THE C18 CHURCH (B11).
Source of stone used in construction of church identified as a former quarry near Whaddon Hill Farm (B12).
Buildings report held at NMR (B13).
Grade II+. Parish church, now redundant and roofless. 1753-5 by Henry Keene in Gothic Revival style, designed as a feature in the park of Hartwell House. Ashlar stone, octagonal in plan with towers at East and West, the latter now removed. Battlemented parapet and moulded cornice, moulded string below attic quatrefoil windows. Main windows 3-light with Y tracery and crocketted ogee hoods. Rose windows to N. and S. bays and to E. side of tower which has openwork parapet and pinnacles. Interior now a ruin with slight evidence of former plaster fan vaulted ceiling (B15).