Nominal: 1385 Hz Weight: 386 lbs Diameter: 25.43" Bell 1 of 3
Founded by James Keene 1626
Dove Bell ID: 59405 Tower ID: 23147 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Salford: St Mary
Diocese of St.Albans
Church, 632338
https://www.hulcotewithsalfordchurches.co.uk/Overview
Grid reference: SP 935 390
Occupying a central village location by the Georgian manor house, St Mary’s church is notable as a design of about 1300, incorporating significant fabric and furnishings from that time. The building has been altered and added to on many occasions, most notably in 1867 when it was restored in somewhat idiosyncratic fashion by William White. The building is listed Grade I, a fair reflection of its high archaeological, architectural and historical significance. The church has several medieval monuments, most of them thought to be to members of the de Salford family, most notably an effigy in chain mail under a slightly later canopy in the south aisle. All surviving medieval fabric, including the late medieval nave roof, is of high significance. So too is the Victorian bellcote, while the remaining 1860s work to the fabric is of moderate to high significance. The vestry of 1900 is of moderate significance.
Visiting and facilities
Building is open for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Footprint of Church buildings: 245 m²
Exterior Description
Salford church was granted to Newnham Priory by Nigel de Salford in the twelfth century. The bulk of the present church dates from the late thirteenth or early fourteenth century although the nave roof dates from the fifteenth century, and a broad squat tower formerly over the western bay possibly from the same time. Repairs to the church were carried out in 1662 and 1663, and in 1750 the benefices of Salford and Hulcote were united. In 1760 the upper stage of the tower was rebuilt in brick, with corner turrets and a spirelet over a pyramidal roof. Two early nineteenth century engravings hanging in the vestry show the tower as adapted; one also shows the north porch with solid side walls, before its Victorian rebuilding. In 1824 the vicarage was demolished and the rectory at Hulcote enlarged. In 1836 the St Mary’s church was re-pewed and the south doors in the nave and chancel stopped up. The main Victorian restoration took place in 1867, under the direction of the architect William White of London. He removed the west tower and replaced it with a timber framed bellcote. He also took out a gallery at the west end of the nave, repaired the fabric (including new window tracery) and reroofed, reordered and refurnished the chancel. In 1900 a north vestry was added, from designs by William Poole of Woburn Sands, a memorial to the Revd Boteler Chernocke Smith (rector from 1865-98), who is also memorialised in a nave window. In 1920 a lychgate was built at the churchyard entrance, a memorial to the parish dead of the First World War. More recently (in 1971) White’s marble reredos was removed from the chancel; at first it was relocated to the west end but subsequently it was removed from the church. White’s choir stalls have also been removed, possibly in c.2010, when the chancel arch was enclosed with a canvas screen. This was intended as a temporary expedient, to reduce heating bills and to create an area where worship could take place untroubled by bats. These had been increasingly making their home in the church, the increase possibly due to loss of habitat following the demolition of some nearby old agricultural buildings. Architectural description On plan (figure 1), the church consists of a chancel with north vestry, nave with north porch, and south aisle. The walls are faced with coursed rubble, a mixture of limesone and ironstone, with ashlar dressings. The chancel, vestry and porch roofs are covered with plain tiles, e the nave roof (which continues down over the aisle, there is no clerestorey) has concrete interlocking tiles and the spirelet over the bellcote has oak shingles. Exterior Working from east to west, the chancel was much restored in the nineteenth century, when the window tracery (with cusped ogee heads, of one light in the low side window to the north, of two lights on the south side and three at the east end) was renewed. On its south side is a small thirteenth century priest’s door in a plain pointed surround (the door is blocked internally). Giving off the north side is the gabled vestry of 1900, of matching rubble masonry and with a three-light north window with Y-tracery lancets, taking its cue from the windows on the north elevation of the nave. The open gabled north porch has been rebuilt, probably in 1867, with low rubble walls at the sides. Above this it retains many of its old timbers, including the original crown-post roof and a beam with dogtooth and other thirteenth century ornament. One of the rafters also bears the date 1633, referring presumably to repairs carried out at that time. The western gable end of the nave has a three-light window with bar tracery of threee uncusped circles, renewed in 1867 but appearing to replicate the pattern shown in the engraving of 1817 (figure 2). The gable is surmounted by White’s idiosyncratic timber framed bellcote, likened by The Buildings of England to a lychgate, with a shingled spirelet over. The south aisle retains a small single-light window, a rose window of 1867 in the blocked south door, a three-light lancet and a three-light east window with cusped intersecting tracery.
Interior
Interior Description
An ancient door leads from the north porch into the church. The interior has plastered walls but the rubble stonework has been exposed in the window splays. The floors are covered mainly with encaustic tiles, with flush herringbone woodblock flooring beneath the pews. The chancel arch, although restored, is contemporary (i.e. c.1300) with the south nave arcade. The latter is of four bays with quatrefoil piers, moulded capitals with some nailhead details and arches of two chamfered orders with labels. The hollowing out of the bottom of the capitals is noted by the VCH (‘probably […] cut down to their present shape by way of repair’) and The Buildings of England (‘had the masons made a mistake?’). The nave roof has arched braces to the tie beams and appears to be of fifteenth century date, although the stone corbels have been renewed. The south aisle roof appears to have been mainly renewed in 1867, though some old timbers are incorporated, while the chancel roof is entirely of 1867. At the time of writing the chancel is screened off from the nave, and its floor carpeted. Furnishings Figure 4: Peddar brass in south aisle The church contains a number of medieval and later furnishings of note. These are, in broadly chronological order: Low in the south wall of the chancel, a trefoil-headed piscina, c.1300 In the south aisle (former chapel), a second trefoil-headed piscina, with shallow incised circular drain, c.1300 Alongside, under the window, a mutilated fourteenth-century canopied tomb with a cross-legged clunch effigy of a knight, possibly Sir Nigel de Salford (d.1336). The figure is chainmailed and carries a sword, with a lion at his feet Nearby, on the sill of the east window of the aisle, is a coffin lid with a cross and an inscription in medieval French, early fourteenth century Lying on its side in an arched recess in the north wall of the chancel, a tomb top with a cross and sword and a shield, shields and flowers to sides; possibly to Sir Peter de Salford (d.1375) Placed upright against the wall at the west end of the nave is a similar tomb top, carved with a cross and shield, possibly to another de Salford The font, with a plain circular tapering bowl, may be fourteenth century, although the cylindrical stem and square plinth are nineteenth century There are some fifteenth century pews in the nave In the floor of the south aisle, brasses with inscription (reinstated) requesting prayers for the repose of the souls of John Peddar (d.1505), his wife Alys, and their six sons and four daughters There are several slate ledger slabs with inscriptions to the Woodward family, the earliest being to Robert Woodward, 1629, and Mary Woodward, 1638 The VCH lists three bells hanging in White’s bellcote, the first by James Keene, 1626, the second by Christopher Graye, 1661, and the third by Roger Landon, c.1450 and inscribed Ave Maria. The second bell was stolen in the mid-twentieth century and was replaced in 1999 by the John Hill Millennium Bell, cast by Taylors of Loughborough The majority of the nave and aisle pews repeat the detailing of the few fifteenth century pew ends, being square with moulded tops and applied pilaster detail. They may date from 1836, when the church was re-pewed (Pickford), although the herringbone blockwork below is probably by White (see below) The Communion table, Communion rail, lectern, encaustic tile floors and (possibly) a pair of benches with inverted Y ends at the west end of the nave belong to White’s restoration of 1867 The oak pulpit was presented by S.C. Denton in 1916 (brass plate) The organ was rebuilt in 1966 by Leighton Organs of Wing, Leighton Buzzard Stained glass: in the nave, a three-light window to the Revd Boteler Chernocke Smith, Christ appearing to the Disciples, by Hardman, 1901; and a two-light window to Annie Yerburgh (d.1917), ‘Her children arise up and call her blessed’, signed T.F. Curtis of Ward & Hughes, 1921 Wall monuments: In the nave: a black and white marble wall tablet to Maria Dale Smith of Salford Manor House (d.1887); a marble cross and scrolled inscription, a memorial to the men of the parish who died in the First World War; a Hopton Wood stone wall tablet to Edith Marion Scott and Emily Katharine Scott, with incised border, erected by the Mothers’ Union; in the chancel: a marble and stone tablet to Selina Sarah Chernocke Smith, widow of the above (d. 1921) and a stone tablet to Richard Curtis Folliot Scott, former rector and Hon. Canon of St Alban’s Cathedral, d.1944.
Fixtures and fittings
Clock
20th Century located in Tower made by Thwaites & Reed from London in 1920
Historical Notes
1920 - 1920
Period Qualifier: 2
Bells
Nominal: 1226 Hz Weight: 453 lbs Diameter: 26.88" Bell 2 of 3
Founded by John Taylor & Co 1999
Dove Bell ID: 59406 Tower ID: 23147 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Nominal: 1078 Hz Weight: 588 lbs Diameter: 30.43" Bell 3 of 3
Founded by Roger Landen
Dove Bell ID: 59407 Tower ID: 23147 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Churchyard
Grid reference: SP 935 390
Burial and War Grave Information
It is unknown whether the building is consecrated.
It is unknown whether the churchyard has been used for burial.
It is unknown whether the churchyard is used for burial.
It is unknown whether the churchyard has war graves.
National Heritage record for England designations
There are no records of National Heritage assets within the curtilage of this site.
Environment
Ancient, Veteran & Notable Trees
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
There are no records of Ancient, Veteran or Notable Trees within the curtilage of this site.
Renewables
| Renewable | Installed |
|---|---|
| Solar PV Panels | No |
| Solar Thermal Panels | No |
| Biomass | No |
| Wind Turbine | No |
| Air Source Heat Pump | No |
| Ground Source Heat Pump | No |
| Ev Charging | No |
Species summary
There are no records of species within the curtilage of this site.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
'Seek advice' Species
More information on species and action to be taken upon discovery.
Caring for God's Acre is a conservation charity working to support groups and individuals to investigate, care for, and enjoy the wildlife and heritage treasures found within churchyards and other burial grounds. Look on their website for information and advice and please contact their staff directly. They can help you manage this churchyard for people and wildlife.
To learn more about all the species recorded against this church, go to the Burial Ground Portal within the NBN Atlas. You can check the spread of records through the years, discovering what has been recorded and when, plus what discoveries might remain to be uncovered.
Further information
Sources
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