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Description

NORTH WITHAM CHURCH LANE SK 92 SW (east side) 8/115 Church of St. Mary 20.9.66 G.V. I Parish church. Late Cll, C13, C14, C15, restored 1887. Ashlar, coursed limestone rubble, lead roofs. Western tower, nave, chancel, south porch, north vestry. The 2 stage C14 ashlar tower has bell moulded plinth, double chamfered string course, battlemented parapet with corner grotesque clasping buttresses, recessed octagonal spire with 2 sets of alternating lucarnes with finial gables and steeply pointed cinquefoil openings. The spire has an ornate finial replaced in C20. To the belfry stage are paired louvred openings with cinquefoil heads and mouchette over, having chamfered surround and hood mould. On the south side a sundial of 1766. The west window is of 2 lights with C19 tracery and C14 hood. The coursed limestone rubble north aisle has C19 3 light window, late C12 doorway with semi-circular chevron moulded head, plain outer order on angle shafts with debased waterleaf imposts and hood mould. To the east a C15 window with trefoil heads to the lights and triangular head. C19 vestry cusped, single and paired lights and Tudor arched north doorway. The chancel east window has C19 tracery in 3 lights with C15 moulded surround. South wall has 2 C15 2 light windows with ogee heads to the lights, panel tracery, 4 centred heads and hoods. South wall of nave has single 3 light and 2 light windows, flat heads, ogee heads to lights and hood moulds, and beyond the porch a 3 light C15 window with cusped heads to lights, panel tracery, triangular head and C18 wall plaque. C14 gabled porch with pointed outer doorway, concave moulded arch and reveals. Moulded imposts with small grinning human heads. Hood mould with human head stops. Porch has side benches. In porch an Anglo Saxon cross shaft with interlace and a C12 muzzled bear's head built into wall. The south door is late Cll, tall, semi-circular headed, of 2 plain orders and hood with shallow cable moulded imposts. Over the door a bearded human head. Interior. Tall pointed double chamfered tower arch with semi-circular responds and octagonal abaci. In the tower a pointed doorway to the stair and an 8 ribbed vault with circular bell rope hole. Either side of the tower arch are quoined full height reveals. The north and south doorways have tall semi-circular headed rear arches. In the nave walls earlier blocked openings can be seen and a small section of herringbone masonry. In the north wall an archway to the organ loft is steeply pointed and triple chamfered and has recut wave moulded reveals and C19 imposts. The hood mould has finely carved C14 heads, it possibly lead to an original chantry chapel. The late Cll chancel arch is a single narrow semi- circular headed square order with billet and fluted moulded imposts. To either side later pointed openings have been cut. In the chancel north wall a double chamfered C15 4 centred arch leads to the vestry. Above, to one side, a small pointed opening with chamfered rear arch. Further west an arched tomb recess, aumbry at low level and a pointed opening at low level. On the south side a further low level aumbry. Nave roofs and chancel have moulded ties with ogee stops and moulded principals from 1710. Stained glass in south nave window by Kempe, 1903. Fittings. Delicate early C18 turned altar rails and moulded top. C19 other fittings including carved wood beam and crucifixion. C13 tub font with trefoil headed blank arcade, alternating trefoils and quatrefoils in the tympanum, an octagonal base. In the sanctuary the altar is raised on 3 steps in the centre. Behind is an oak cabinet made from a C15 square pew containing the arms of the family of de le Launde of North Witham. Re-used and made into a chest in 1840. Monuments. In the chancel floor a brass inscription and base of brass figure to William Miskerton, d,1425, and a plaque to Thomas Jackson, d.l697. In chancel north wall an alabaster slab with cross fleury and black letter inscription, c.1430, in tomb recess. Above the recess a grey and white marble wall plaque to Maria Johnson, oval grey plaque on white marble drapery with skull, on scrolled back with shield surmounted by cherubs and urns. Architectural tablet to Sir John Sherard, d.1724, by Edward Stanton and Horsnail. Central inscription with baldacchino of drapery, composite flanking columns, segmental pediment supporting achievement of arms and urns. Richard Sherard of Lobthorpe d.l668. Large tablet with white marble bust of deceased with bible and prayerbook, hand on a skull, in semi-circular surround with highly decorative scrolled brackets. Above the full entablature is an achievement of arms in an ornate segmental pediment. Beneath a slate inscription in moulded surround with flanking fragments of a pediment, scrolled brackets and momento mori. In the south chancel wall an inscribed brass plate in moulded stone surround to Roland Sherard, d,1592. Above a wall monument to Elizabeth Sherard, d.l658, by Marshall of London. Oval tablet in decorative surround with achievement of arms and scrolled pediment. Above the window a smaller early C18 plaque with segmental pediment. In an arched recess a large standing white marble monument to Sir Brownlow Sherard of Lobthorpe d.l736 by F. Sharpe of Stamford. Monumental sarcophagus on chest with obelisk to rear, scrolled legs with claw feet. Achievement of arms, helms and gauntlets on the top. In the tower a white marble wall monument to Sir Richard Sherard, d.1730, by Stanton and Horsnail. Composite columns support broken sgemental pediment with cherubs and urn, gesturing cherubs, putto heads to base. Listing NGR: SK9280921867

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