Building record 0221100000 - ST MARY'S CHURCH

Grade I. Parish Church. C12 remains in nave, C13 chancel and south transept, Mid C14 north tower, C15 nave widened, eliminating south aisle, C16 south chapel and roofs. Coursed rubblestone with limestone and clunch dressings. Chancel and south transept roofs old tiles, remainder lead. 2 bay chancel with south chapel, 4 bay nave with south transept and north transept/tower. Chancel has late C13 east window of 3 uncusped lights with pierced spandrels and mask stops. 3 original lancets to north; stepped buttresses. South chapel, C16 has 3-light cinquefoil windows under 4 centre head, one to east and 2 to south, the right one blocked, blocked door. South transept has south window of 3 lancets under pointed arch. Nave has two 3-light windows either side of porch, the west one 4 centred, both late C15, with cinquefoil lights with tracery. South porch of 2 storeys with diagonal buttresses, plain parapet and octagonal turret carried above parapets to give stair access to roofs. 4-centred moulded archway in 2-light window over 4-centred barrel vault roof to ground stage divided into 5 cusped panels. North tower transept of 2 stages with octagonal stair turret at south west angle. Bell chamber and ringing chamber have small trefoiled single lights. C14 3-lighteast window and 2-light north one above inserted doorway. Diagonal buttresses to north. Nave north wall with three 3-light late C15 windows, cinquefoil lights with tracery in 2 centredheads. West elevation has 3-light window in 4 centred head above traces of original west door, flanked by large stepped buttresses. Parapets to all roofs except south transept. Interior. Chancel has locker in north wall. South arcade to Croke Chapel C16 4 centred arches of 2 chamfered orders, octagonal column and semi-octagonal responds. Moulded bases and caps. Chancel arch C13 of 2 chamfered orders on half octagonal responds. Roof C15 of 2 bays with arch braced collar trusses on moulded timber corbels. Purlin braces. South chapel has rough round headed arch into transept. Short king post roof with chamfered and stopped tie beam and king post. Nave east wall has traces of earlier roof line and to south of chancel arch 2 C15 arched openings witn moulded jambs, the right one leading to rood stair and upper opening. Arch into south transept late C15 2-centred and of 2 moulded orders, inside jamb of 3 chamfered and moulded orders, moulded caps and bases. North transept arch mid C14 of 3 chamfered orders with ogee moulded label each side. Roof late C16 of 6 bays. Tie beams chamfered with curved braces to wall posts on stone corbels carved with angels, prophets heads. Chamfered stopped posts support purlins and ridge. C15 traceried door into porch newel stair. Font. Octagonal cup shaped bowl, moulded circular stem and base, late C15. Communion rail C18 with turned balusters. Choir stalls reuse C16 poppy head bench ends and panelling. Screen between chancel and south chapel C16 with panels with traceried heads, carved rail and moulded cornice, but mullions replaced by C17 turned balusters. Monuments. In south Chapel. Architectural monument to Sir John Croke (+1608) and wife. 2 recumbent eggifies. Coffered arch. 11 kneelers in front of tomb chest. Back wall with inscription and strapwork. 2 black columns and obelisks outside them. Corinthian entablature and pediment. Elizabeth Tyrrell (+1631) small kneeling figure in semi-circular recess with Ionic pillars and pediment. At west end of nave Chief Justice Carter (+1755). Tripartite screen of white and grey marble. Outer pilasters, inner columns and open pediment. Palm fronds and putti in frieze. Brasses C16 and C17 in south chapel. C17-C18 organ in double case at west end of nave flanking Carter Monument, originally in Chilton House (B6).
A collection of sketches of Buckinghamshire churches done by Charlotte Pigott, wife of George Pigott, squire of Doddershall in Quainton parish, in the early 1840s (B7).