Plumtree St Mary

Official Listing Description

SK 63 SW

6/86

1.12.65

G.V.

 PLUMTREE

OLD MELTON ROAD
(south side)

Church of St Mary the Virgin

Grade I

Parish church. C11, C13, C14, C15, restored 1873-4 by Bodley and Garner when the north aisle was rebuilt and extended, tower rebuilt 1906. Ashlar, dressed coursed rubble. Lead and slate roofs. Single stack to the north aisle. Embattled parapets to tower, nave and chancel. Buttressed. Tower, nave, aisles, south porch, north vestry/organ chamber and chancel. Dressed coursed rubble and ashlar tower of 2 stages to north and west and 3 stages to south and east with bands. Angle leading to diagonal buttress to the north with angle buttresses to the south. On a low chamfered plinth to the north and west. West wall has a all restored chamfered arched doorway with flush arch over, then moulded arch and further uncut arch, the moulded arch rests on imposts. Above is a single C14 arched 2 light window with cusped tracery, hood mould and label stops. Single clock face over. The north and south walls each have C11 2 bay round arched blind arcading extending the height of the ground floor. That on the north side is extensively restored. Over are single C19 2 light windows with cusped tracery under a flat arch. Each side of the bell chamber has 2 arched C14 openings each with 2 trefoil lights. The north aisle with parapet is on a low chamfered plinth. The west wall has a single arched C19 4 light window with cusped tracery, hood mould and label stops. The north wall has 2 two light windows, that on the right C19 with cusped panel tracery. The single restored C15 window on the left has cupsed panel tracery, both are under flat arches. There are 3 C14 gargoyles. The east wall has a single C15 arched 5 light window with single transom with cusped lights above and below and cusped panel tracery. The C15 clerestory has 3 arched 3 light windows. There are 2 gargoyles. The chancel is set on a plinth, moulded to east and south. A continuous band extends across the north wall. The east wall has a single C19 5 light window with cusped tracery. The south side has a single C14 window with 2 trefoil arched lights, tracery and flat arch. To the left is an Arched doorway with hood mould and human head label stops. Further left is a single C15 window with 2 cinque arched lights, panel tracery and flat arch. The east wall of the south aisle has a single c.1300 arched 2 light window with Y tracery, hood mould and human head label stops. The south wall has 2 C19 arched 2 light windows with cusped panel tracery and hood moulds, the right with 2 human head label stops and the left with single remaining human head label stops. The porch with parapet has a moulded arched entrance with hood mould and label stops. Over is a cinquefoil arched niche under a flat arch. The continuous hood mould over extends to the side walls. The west wall has a single small trefoil arched light. Inner double chamfered arched doorway with C18 door with pointed arched panels. The west wall of the aisle has a single c.1300 arched 2 light window with Y tracery and hood mould. The clerestory corresponds to the north. Interior. 3 bay nave arcades with double chamfered arches, the C13 south with circular columns and responds, the C14 north rebuilt 1873 with octagonal columns and keeled responds, all with moulded capitals. Uncut C11 tower arch with imposts. Wood and glass screen with doorway. Double chamfered chancel arch, the inner order supported each side on C13 corbels, further supported to the north on a single carved head. Some herringbone masonry to the east side. C19 traceried and painted screen under by Bodley and Garner. North aisle/organ chamber with traceried and painted screen. Chancel/north organ chamber moulded arch supported on circular responds with moulded capitals. South chancel with sedilia with cinquefoil arches and hood moulds with finials over. to the left is a trefoil arched piscina with coloured deocrative stencilling over. In the south wall of the south aisle is an arched tomb recess and arched piscina to the left. Traceried and painted panelling to chancel and to east wall of vestry with decorative reredos. Organ decorated with painted open tracery. Panelling to north and south aisle and west nave walls, the majority of furnishings being by Bodley and Garner, also include carved pulpit with gilt decoration. C19 octagonal font with canopy, C19 cast iron stove. C16 wooden chest with carved panels. North aisle has large oil painting. In the south chancel is a wall tablet to Rev. Harcourt, 1682. The apron is decorated with a skull and the scrolled pediment contains a shield. There are further wall tablets to Rev. Williams, 1813, and John Burnside, 1864. In the noreth aisle is an oval wall tablet to Sarah Cole, 1821. coloured stencilled decoration to all roofs by Bodley and Garner with 7 decorative iron candelabra. Stained glass in east chancel reputedly by Burlison and Grylls and in east wall of north aisle by Powell and Sons.