For this church:

Introduction

Location

Pictures

Listing Description

Blidworth St Mary of the Purification

Official Listing Description

The following are listed:

The Church
The gateway
Two collections of headstones

Church

Parish church. C15, west nave and south aisle rebuilt 1739, east part of the south aisle and chancel re-erected 1839. Ashlar. Lead roofs. Single ridge cross to east chanel. Tower, nave, south aisle, south porch, south outbuilding, south vestry with porch and chancel. Restored C15 tower set on a deep chamfered plinth of 2 stages and embattled with single pinnacle at each angle. The west side has a single pair of arched lights with a single similar pair above. Each side of the belfry has a single pair of arched openings now glazed. Above, on the west and east sides are single clock faces. Embattled north wall with 4 C17 round arched windows each with architrave surround, imposts and keystone. The windows alternate with 5 small C14 carved heads. The east wall is set on a chamfered plinth with embattled east chancel having a single projecting bay with single arched window with 3 arched and cusped lights, hood mould and label stops. The south wall is set on a chamfered plinth. South vestry has a gabled porch with pediment formed in the gable. Round arched C17 doorway with architrave surround, imposts andkeystone, now part blocked and with single fixed light. In the re-entrant angle, to the right, is an arched doorway. To the left of the porch are 5 C17 round arched windows each with architrave surround, imposts andkeystone. Gabled south porch set on a chamfered plinth with slate roof and single ridge cross. Pediment formed in the gable. Restored round arched entrance with architrave surround imposts and keystone. Inner similar doorway. To the left of the south aisle and set back is an outbuilding with arched doorway with keystone, to the left is a single pointed arched opening with metal grille and further left the remains of a coffin slab with decoratively carved C13 cross. The west wall has a single small rectangular opening. The embattled clerestory has 6 pairs of arched windows. Interior. 5 bay 1739 nave arcade, Tuscan columns with chamfered arches and keystones. Doorway to tower. In the chancel is a doorway to the vestry. C18 panelled west gallery. C18 panelling to walls below sill level. C15 octagonal ashlar font with panels decorated with blind, mainly panel, tracery, set on a pedestal and with C20 cover. Early C19 pulpit transferred from Southwell Minster, c.1900, decorated with blind tracery, fleuron, crockets and carved heads. There is a C17 chest and 2 chairs with carved backs. C19 pews. Panelled reredos with 8 C17 panels decorated with foliate carving set into decorative arches, transerred from Southwell Minster. There is a meorial to William Bilbie, 1787, surmounting the inscription is a draped urn. That to Joseph Bilbie, 1747, has an arched head with foliate strips flanking the inscription. William Bilbie, 1777, by Christopher Theakston of Doncaster, this is topped with an urn, the apron is decorated with a shield. Alabaster monument to T. Leake, 1608, surround to the inscription decorated with a horn, skull, arrows, deer's head and other trappings of a Sherwood Forest Ranger. Over all is a decorative shaped head. There are a number of C19 memorials and a monument to those who died in the 1914-18 war. In the single central south window is stained glass by Mayer & Co. of Munich and London, 1874. There is a hymn board with King David crudely painted on the reverse by Sheppard, 1779.

Gateway

Gateway and gates. Early and mid C19. Ashlar and iron. Central mid C19 wrought iron double gate decorated with open tracery. Flanked by single pilasters each 2 metres high with moulded ashlar entablature over topped with shallow pediment. Included for group value only.

Headstones

Headstones. C17, C18, C19. Ashlar. 17 headstones with arched or decoratively shaped heads. That 4th from the left with further foliate decoration.

Headstones and memorial cross. C14, C17, C18, C19. Ashlar. 8 C17 and C18 headstones with arched or decoratively shaped heads. Memorial cross shaft comprising part of a C14 octagonal column, the remainder of the cross being C19.