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Description

TF 39 SW COVENHAM ST. MARY MAIN STREET 7/4 Church of St. Mary 9.9.67 II* Parish church. c.1359, C15, late C18, C19. Squared chalk, limestone and ironstone rubble, red brick, with slate and pantile roofs. Western tower, nave, chancel, south porch. The C15 2 stage chalk tower has plinth, stepped angle buttresses and embattled parapet with corner pinnacles. To belfry stage are 4 paired cusped headed C19 lights under pointed arches. The west window is of 2 cusped headed lights with panel tracery, moulded surround and hood with human head label stops. The north nave wall has a blocked C15 doorway with chamfered ogee head, beyond are 2 three light windows, with trefoil heads to the lights, panel tracery and moulded surrounds and hoods with human head label stops. The chancel north wall has 2 two light windows having cusped ogee heads, panel tracery, triangular heads with moulded hoods. The east window is C14 of 3 lights with trefoil heads, curvilinear tracery, single chamfered surround and moulded door. Chancel south wall has 2 windows matching those to the north plus a lower window with cusped arched head, double chamfered surround and hood. The stone in the eastern reveal bears a scratch dial. The 2 windows in the south nave wall match those to the north. The late C18 south porch in brick with raised coped gables and kneelers with pantile roof, has a round arched outer opening with keyblock, containing a wooden Gothick railed gate. The C14 inner doorway has a continuous sunk wave moulding and moulded hood. The late C18 door has Gothick arches in the 6 panels. Interior. The C15 tower arch springs from human head corbels supporting octagonal brackets and is double chamfered. In the tower is a pegged stair ladder. The nave roof is a C19 timber barrel vault, but is supported on massive C15 braced ties, with blank shields to the ends of the braces, resting on probably repositioned C15 corbels, some of which are decorated with grotesque figures. The nave walls are lined with C18 raised and fielded dado panelling. In the chancel which is undivided from the nave is an ogee headed piscina in the south wall and in the north is a fine C14 tomb recess with moulded ogee surround and pierced cusped tracery. Attached to the rear wall of the recess is a small brass to Sir John Skipwith who died in 1400, showing the deceased in full plate armour with sword, misericord, feet resting on a lion. This was removed from the church at Covenham St. Bartholomew. Fittings. There are C19 fine brass altar rails and good C17 oak altar table with turned legs. The C15 octagonal font with moulded top has fleurons, beneath which are shields on each face separated by foliage. The base is moulded with stop chamfers to angles. There is a handsome octagonal cast iron paraffin stove having pierced Gothic panels to the sides, shaped top with knop and drop handles. Pews and pulpit are C20. There is a late C14 incised slab to John Merle, rector. The chancel was licensed in 1359. Listing NGR: TF3396594324

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