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SK 88 SE STOW CHURCH LANE (north side) 4/48 Church of St.Mary 16.12.64 G.V. I Parish church. c.1034-49, c.1090, c.1150, c.1170, C13, early C15, chancel restored 1850-2, remainder restored 1864-7 by J. L. Pearson on both occasions, 1983. Uncoursed and coursed limestone rubble, limestone ashlar, lead roofs with stone coped gables and cross finials of various designs. Some slate. Nave, north-west vestry, north stair turret, north and south transepts, crossing tower, rectangular chancel. Mid C12 nave with C12 and C19 west front with plinth and flanking pilaster buttresses. Steps lead up to partially restored central C12 doorway of 4 orders with inner rectangular jambs and 3 shafts on each side, the central shafts with chevron decoration. Scalloped cushion capitals with geometric decoration above and abaci. Round head with 2 chevroned inner orders, a roll moulded order and chevroned outer order. Plank doors. Early C15 pointed niche with cusping, to north. 2 pointed C19 lights above set in C19 rubble filling large C14 opening. C12 flat string course above and upper oculus. North side of nave with plinth and flat string course running over corner pilaster buttress. Round headed window to east immediately above string course with pilaster buttress just beyond. C20 lean-to vestry below string course to east, with 2 re-set windows to east, one with pointed, the other a round head, and coal-hole door below. North side of vestry with double glazed doors with 3 lights to east with pointed heads. Above vestry, C12 round headed window with C12 stair turret to east, removed in C19 from original position against the north-west jamb of interior crossing arch. Turret with C19 string course, quoins and pyramidal slate roof, and 4 Anglo Saxon round, and round headed lights re-set on north and west sides. North transept lower levels of c,1034-49, and upper levels of 1090. Stepped plinth. West side of north transept with tall, pointed mid C13 window of 2 pointed lights with quatrefoil above and hood mould. Slab quoins. North side with narrow window with massive through stone jambs and rectangular head. C12 oculus above. Coped gable with C19 cross finial with interlace decoration. East side with tall, poointed mid C13 window of 2 pointed lights with quatrefoil above and hood mould. In corner of chancel and transept projects corner of C11 chancel bonded into transept wall, with slab quoins. North side of later C12 chancel with clear masonry break from Cll work. Stepped plinth runs round chancel. 4 pilaster buttresses alternate with 2 tiers of 3 windows restored in C19. 3 lower windows withr'ouniicheor&nedhbads and nook shafts. 3 upper, smaller round headed windows. Corbelled eaves and parapet above. East end of chancel with flanking pilaster buttresses. Wall and windows in between reconstructed in C19 with central pilaster running up to_just below gable. Single round headed window on each side with chevroned heads, nook shafts and cushion capitals. Single smaller round headed windows flank pilaster above. Single oculi with cable decoration flank pilaster in gable. South side of chancel with 4 pilaster buttresses alternating with 2 tiers of 3 windows restored in C19. 3 lower windows with round chevroned heads and nook shafts. 3 upper, small round headed windows. Corbelled eaves and parapet above. In corner of chancel and transept projects corner of C11 chancel with slab quoins and bonded into transept wall and with clean masonry break from C12 chancel. Lower levels of south transept of c.1034-49, and upper levels of cl090. Stepped plinth with square and chamfered profiles. Slab quoins on south-east and south-west corners. East side with small round headed opening with hood mould. Mid C13 window to south, of 2 lights with quatrefoil and hood mould. South side with narrow round headed light of cl090 with hood mould with Jews' harp decoration. Tall early C13 window to west of 2 pointed lights with plate traceried quatrefoil and hood mould. C12 oculus above. West side of south transept with single small narrow C12 window with round head and hood mould with small monster head label stops. South side of- nave with 3 pilaster buttresses, that to east masking join with C11 transept. Large mid C12 doorway partially restored in C19. 4 orders with inner rectangular jambs with moulded profile, and 3 shafts on each side, the 2 outer shafts on each side with chevron decoration. Scalloped cushion capitals with geometric patterning above, and scored abaci. Round head with 5 orders, the 2 inner orders with chevroned decoration, third order roll moulded, fourth order with complex chevron and outer order with double billet. Plank doors. C11 stone coffin against wall to east. String course runs above doorway with scallop decoration. 2 round headed windows above with pilaster buttress to west with another round headed window beyond. String course continues and runs over corner pilaster buttress. Early C15 crossing tower on C11 foundations. Single narrow rectangular lights flank steep pitched roofs rising against tower. C11 round light re-set in this position on north side. String course with bell openings on all 4 sides above. Each bell opening with pointed head with 3 pointed Lights and vertical tracery above. Moulded eaves above with corner gargoyles and gargoyles in centre of each face. Battlements above with ornate corner pinnacles and standing figures of 4 Evangelists in centre of each face. Nave interior with pointed north doorway, plank doors and C17 lintel. Small pointed aumbry to east. Large crossing 35 foot square, masonry up to impost level of c.1034-49; heads of crossing arches and above of c.1090. Signs of fire damage on earlier masonry. 4 piers stand on massive plinths of one square and 4 chamfered stages. Each jamb decorated with single pilaster strip and half shafts with crude bases. Outer arches of crossing with round moulded heads, the outer order of western arch with Jews' harp decoration. Inner face of crossing with C12 pointed, moulded arches supported on C12 massive polygonal piers on tall, chamfered stepped plinths inserted into Cll corners of crossing. North transept with narrow west doorway of c.1034-49, leading into C20 vestry, with non-radial voussoirs, chamfered imposts and long and short quoins running through thickness of wall. To north of west window of north transept the remnant of Cll window jamb with quoining exposed. East wall of north transept with ornate niche heavily restored in C19, containing remnant of early C13 wall painting of the murder of Thomas Becket, consisting of bishop's robes. To east of outer north transept arch rectangular opening inserted with steps leading to rood screen no longer extant. 2 corbel heads of musicians in north transept, and 2 smaller plain corbels. Floor paved with various C18 gravestones. South transept with 3 corbel heads, 2 wearing hats. Floor paved with various C18 gravestones. Chancel of c1170 heavily restored in C19. Quadrapartite rib vaults of 3 bays with chevroned ribs and ball flower decoration rebuilt in C19. Vaults supported on corbel heads to west and tripartite responds to east with scalloped or beaded cushion capitals, decorated bases and abaci running into string course on wall. Wall arcade runs round north, east and south walls with plain shafts mostly replaced in C19, round heads with rich chevron and ball flower decoration and cushion capitals with various decorations. Windows above with surrounds decorated with chevron and key pattern. East end rebuilt in C19 with scalloped string course above wall arcade and another above lower windows which continues over north and south walls. Upper windows plain except for south east window with nook shafts and roll moulded head. Nave with C17 tie beam roof inscribed 1685. Monument on south wall of nave to Thomas Holbeach, died 1591, of stone with coat of arms and scrolls. C17 polygonal pulpit with decorative panels restored in 1877. 6 pews with C14 bench ends with cusped tracery and flower heads. C15 octagonal stone font, each side with single motif; a green man; serpent; star of David and flower heads. Bowl supported on cluster of shafts with foliate capitals and face and foliate motif in north-east and south-east corners, and long tailed dragon stretching between north-west and south-west corners. 2 C16 chests in nave. Ornate C16 chest in north transept and fragment of base of small shaft. C14 lectern in south transept with cusped tracery, flower heads and ornate finials. Highly ornate C17 chair with arms and back decorated with daisy heads and swirling leaves. C14 fragmentary tombstone with ornate cross inscribed and other ornate fragments. Monument on north-east pier of crossing of metal, to Richard Burgh, died c1616. 2 coffin lids in chancel floor, probably C13, both with faces and hands clasped in prayer viewed through round openings. That on south side with inscription: "Alle men that ben in lif, prai for Emme was Fuk wif." Dating of earlier campaigns controversial. One of major examples of Anglo Saxon architecture in the country. Sources: E. Fernie. The Architecture of the Anglo-Saxons. 1983, pp.124-127; G. Atkinson. Associated Architectural Societies, Reports and Papers, I, 1850-1, pp.319-25; H. M. Taylor. Architectural Journal 131, 1974, pp.362-6; M. Spurrell. St. Mary's, Stow in Lindsey. 1982. Quiney pp.40, 274-5. Listing NGR: SK8819481998

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