2018

SK8613 : Interior, St Mary's church, Ashwell

taken 7 years ago, near to Ashwell, Rutland, England

Interior, St Mary's church, Ashwell
Interior, St Mary's church, Ashwell
View along the nave from the south side of the font.
Church of St Mary, Ashwell

The church consists of aisled nave and chancel, the aisles extending alongside two bays of the chancel to form side chapels, with west tower and south porch.

The church is largely of 13th and 14th century date, based on an older church of the 12th century, of which one arch remains in the north aisle arcade. The nave and its aisles can be dated to the 13th century, probably around 1220-30, and the arcades other than the arch mentioned, are from this date. Externally however, this part of the church was all refaced during the 14th century, at which time the tower was built, as also the chancel side chapels and the eastern bay of the chancel. The church was restored in 1851 by leading Gothic Revival architect William Butterfield LinkExternal link . The main elements of this were the re-ordering of the interior, rebuilding of the roofs, including the tower pyramid, and the addition of the south porch. The main stone fabric was less interfered with than in many churches.

Distinctive details of the exterior are the use of alternate bands of ironstone and faced freestone around the chancel, its chapels and the west tower. Also a profusion of ballflower decoration. A further distinctive feature is the pyramidal roof to the tower.

Internally the fittings including the font date from the 1851 restoration. Of this period is the fine 3-seat sedilia in the south wall of the chancel, but the two-bay piscina adjacent to this is early, although much restored and moved to its current location. On the opposite wall of the chancel is a recess of the 15th century, possibly to hold a memorial. The arch is incised with a series of the letter T, probably relating to the Tuchet family.

Both north and south chancel chapels contain interesting medieval monuments. In the south chapel there are firstly an unusual wooden effigy, c.1320, of a recumbent cross-legged knight, again probably of the Tuchet family and secondly a marble slab with the incised figures of John Vernam (d.1480) and his wife Rosa. In the north chapel, now the vestry, is an alabaster effigy of a priest in vestments, possibly Rector John Vernam (d.1489).

There is a ring of six bells of which the two newest date to the 19th century restoration, the others being of 18th century date.

The church is Listed Grade I . For more detail see the Victoria County History of Rutland LinkExternal link .


Creative Commons Licence [Some Rights Reserved]   © Copyright Julian P Guffogg and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
Geographical Context: Religious sites Church: St Mary Place: Ashwell Primary Subject: Church Interior other tags: Church Interior Click a tag, to view other nearby images.
1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright
+
1:50,000 Modern Day Landranger(TM) Map © Crown Copyright
TIP: Click the map for more Large scale mapping
Grid Square
SK8613, 190 images   (more nearby 🔍)
Photographer
Julian P Guffogg   (more nearby)
Date Taken
Thursday, 26 April, 2018   (more nearby)
Submitted
Monday, 30 April, 2018
Subject Location
OSGB36: geotagged! SK 8657 1374 [10m precision]
WGS84: 52:42.8642N 0:43.1954W
Clickable map
+
NW N NE
W Go E
SW S SE
Image Type (about): inside 
This page has been viewed about 73 times
You are not logged in login | register