Building record 0174700000 - CHURCH OF SS PETER & PAUL, DINTON

Dimensions - Length 39m, Width 17m.
The church has an outstandingly elaborate Norman S doorway. One order of shafts, twisted in the Cosmati, not the Durham, way. One of the capitals has a bird. Continuous outer zigzag and billet mouldings. On the lintel a dragon ready to devour a tiny St Michael holding out horizontally a cross rather than a spear. Tympanum with the Tree of Life and two lions. Inscription: 'Praemia pro meritis si qui despet habenda/Audiat hic preepta sibique sit retinenda'. Further description (B6).
Grade I. Parish church. C12 (south doorway), c1230 chancel, c1240 south aisle and south arcade, nave north wall c1400, south aisle widened and west tower added C15. South porch c1500. Chancel lengthened by 3m 1868. 3 bay chancel, 5 bay nave with south aisle, south porch and west Tower. Coursed rubblestone with stone dressings. Chancel roof has old tiles, nave, aisle and tower have lead roofs. Chancel has lancet windows, a triplet at east end and 3 to north and south walls. Moulded abacus string continues as hood over windows. Nave has crenellated parapet. South clerestory has 3 quatrefoil windows. South aisle has coped parapet. East window C15 3 trefoil lights and tracery in 2 centred head. South wall has two 3-cinquefoil light windows under flat head either side of gable south porch. Then to west 2 trefoil lights with quatrefoil in 2 centred head. 3 ogee lights with tracery in 4-centred head to west wall. Nave north wall has to east 2-light trefoils under flat head, 3 west windows of 3 cinquefoil lights under flat heads. Weathered buttresses between and to south aisle. West tower has 2 stages, the lower with weathered angle buttresses. Crenellated parapets and octagonal south east stair turret. Small trefoil lights to ringing chamber, 2-trefoil lights with quatrefoil and 2 centre arches to belfry windows. West door C13 of 3 moulded orders, the outer 2 with jamb shafts with moulded caps and bases. Above is C15 window of 3 cinquefoil lights and tracery under 4 centred head. South porch has angle buttresses and pointed arch of 2 chamfered orders in square head. In side walls single trefoil lights under square heads. South doorway into church c1140 with splendid Romanesque ornament. 2 order jambs, inner hollow chamfered with stylised beak-head, outer order with spiral banded shafts on moulded bases with scallop capital on left bird on right, cable necks and chip carved abaci. Arch has interlace frieze to tympanum, bowtel and hollow chamfer to outer order. Then continuous third order with chevron and billet. Lintel carved with Dragon and St. Michael, tympanum with tree and monsters eating apples. Above lintel is Latin inscription. Porch roof c1500 queen struts to collar cambered tie beams and chamfered purlin braces. Moulded purlins, trusses and wall plates. Interior: south east lancet has splays lowered to form seat. Tall blank recess between east lancets. Trefoil head piscina. Squint from south east chapel. Chancel arch of 3 chamfered orders. Moulded semi-octagonal caps and bases to semi-octagonal responds. Nave north side has wall divided by semi-octagonal pilasters with chamfered caps and bases, resting on continuous wall bench. Pilasters support roof tie beams; off centre doorway in centre bay. South side has arcade of 2 chamfered orders on octagonal piers with moulded bell capitals and bases. Moulded labels on both. Some of wall above arcades probably C12. Stone head corbels to east bay, timber moulded to other bays support wall posts. South aisle roof on plain corbels. Tower arch 2-centred of 3 chamfered orders dying into straight jambs. C19 wagon roof to chancel. Font: C14 circular cup shaped bowl, fluted, with trefoil heads to fluting, moulded rim and band of quatrefoil panels to frieze. Pulpit: panelled Jacobean on stone base. Monuments: In tower: north side Richard Sergeant d1668, altar tomb with Ionic columns, pediment and entablature supporting urn. South side Richard Ingoldsby d1703, wall tablet with putti to left and right, curtains, segmental cornice, escutcheon and foliage. Nave north wall: wall tablet to Simon Mayne d1787 oval marble on black oval, shield above. Also Elizabeth Vanhattern d1764, and John Vanhattern d1747 which is tablet flanked by Corinthian pilasters, arms above. In tower mural tablet to Jane Serjeant d1681, inscription and shield with arms. Brasses. In chancel floor of C15 and C16. RCHM I. 123. MON.1 (B9).