Building record 0022300000 - ST MARY'S CHURCH, PITSTONE

Dimensions - Width 11m, Length 30m.
Plan Form - Subrectangular.
Grade I. Parish church, now redundant. Mid C13 chancel and N. chapel, late C13 aisles, altered C15 when W. tower and N. vestry were added, C14 S. porch rebuilt C19, all much restored C19 and C20. Dressed limestone and flint, upper part of nave walls and N. aisle roughcast, C19 brick repairs to chancel, lead roofs. W. tower of 2 stages has plinth, battlemented parapet, diagonal buttresses, and 2-light traceried openings to bell-chamber, except to south which has paired lancets. Arched door with Tudor hoodmould to W., 3-light cusped window with 4-centred head above. Semi-octagonal stair turret at N.E. corner. S. wall of nave, formerly aisle, has plain parapet, 2 3-light cusped windows with 4-centred heads, slight projection at E. end for rood-loft stairs, and door in 2-centred arch. S. porch also has plain parapet and plinth, double chamfered arch, and C15 roof with moulded cross beams. N. aisle has off-set buttresses, 2 lancet windows and door in moulded arch with hoodmould. N. chapel has plain parapet, 2 Perpendicular windows, and cusped lancet to vestry at E. end. Decorated chancel has battlemented brick parapet with stone coping, 3-light traceried E. window, and 3 2-light traceried windows to south. Interior: double hollow-chamfered tower arch, the inner order on moulded corbels. Wide nave incorporating former S. aisle. S. wall has stoup by door, and 4-centred arched openings to rood-loft stairs; E. wall has blind arched panel and squint to chancel. 3-bay N. arcade of double hollow-chamfered arches on octagonal piers with moulded caps, the N.E. pier with altered niche. Aisle and nave have restored C15 roofs with moulded cross beams. Double chamfered arch from aisle to N. chapel. Similar chancel arch on semi-octagonal piers with simply moulded caps. 2 more similar arches, but with stiff-leaf capitals, between chancel and chapel. Chancel also has moulded arched doorway to N. vestry, semi-octagonal stone shafts flanking alter, and C14-C15 floor tiles. N. chapel has cusped piscina with carved crocketted gable, locker recess in N. wall, and C19 grate in N.E. corner. Fittings: fine C12 font with fluted bowl and stem, cable ornament below bowl, and frieze of flower motifs; very good early C17 hexagonal pulpit with enriched panels, side scrolls and sounding board; C17 pews, including 2 box pews with panelled sides; C17 altar table; large triangular reading desk dated 1685; fine C18 communion rails with delicate twisted balusters; painted panels of creed and commandments over chance? Arch; C19 glass in E. window. Small C14 brass of lady. RCHM II p.236-8 (B8).
Parish church. C13 chancel, N chapel, aisles; C14 S porch; C15 W tower & vestry. Much restored C19 & C20. Fine C12 font. C17 pulpit, pews, altar table, reading table (B6).
Accepted by Redundant Churches Fund in 1973 (B8).
(Illustration: BCM photo file).
NGR (B9).
Watching briefs during drainage works in October 1985 and September 1986 revealed that the south wall of the nave (of limestone) overlay ?earlier footings 0.4m thick, of flint in lime mortar, extending up to 0.3m beyond the wall face (B12).
Buildings report held at NMR (B13).