Diameter: 10.5" Bell 1 of 3
Dove Bell ID: 52335 Tower ID: 19162 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Chiselhampton: St Katherine
Overview
Grid reference: SU 592 992
The church is a plain rectangle with a gabled roof. The west front faces the road, and is the show front with a double doorway under a heavy entablature in the centre. The walls are all stuccoed, and the gable is given the appearance of a pediment by the moulded course which runs all round the building crossing in the position of the lower member of a pediment Stone facings continue the effect up the slopes of the gable, and the corners are crowned with urns of stone garlanded with flowers. The centre of the gable is broken by the clock tower, which is set back, between the two ends of the pediment terminating in small scrolls.
Visiting and facilities
Building is closed for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
A rectangle of four bays with a small west bell-cote and west door. The altar stands within a recess which projects a little beyond the line of the east wall.
Dimensions:
The church is 55 feet long and 20 feet wide.
Description of Archaeology and History
The church was built in 1762, and consecrated on 27th August 1763, and form of service being the same as that used at Hailey near Witney. The mediaeval church was down the hill by the river, and had been dedicated to St. Mary. The designs of the eighteenth-century church do not survive, but have been attributed on no very firm evidence to Samuel Dowbiggin who built the house.
The alteration of dedication to St. Katherine to conform with the name of Peers' wife, the move of the church to a position by the gate of his new house, the elevation of the church from the status of a chapelry (as it had been all through the Middle Ages to Stadhampton and Dorchester) to an incumbency; everything speaks of the confidence of the newly-rich porcelain merchant who had ordered for himself a splendid set of armorial porcelain from China to grace his table.
The church was renovated in 1882 and again in 1894 when the bell-turret was restored. In 1936, the plaster vault was removed to show the roof timbers brought from the old church, cross and candlesticks were placed on the altar and the Decalogue on the reredos was covered with fabric. In 1952-4 the was repaired by Oswald Brakspear, the ceiling re-instated, the fabric on the reredos removed and the bell-cote again refurbished, the clock face being repainted by John Piper John.
Exterior Description
The walls are of brick, covered with stucco externally. The roof is of hand-made tiles.
The church is a plain rectangle with a gabled roof. The west front faces the road, and is the show front with a double doorway under a heavy entablature in the centre. The walls are all stuccoed, and the gable is given the appearance of a pediment by the moulded course which runs all round the building crossing in the position of the lower member of a pediment Stone facings continue the effect up the slopes of the gable, and the corners are crowned with urns of stone garlanded with flowers. The centre of the gable is broken by the clock tower, which is set back, between the two ends of the pediment terminating in small scrolls.
The bell-turret, of two stages, is all of wood. The lower stage has a clock face in three sides (except the east), with rusticated uprights framing the faces; these are light blue with gold Roman numerals and scrolls repainted in 1952 by John Piper. The date 1762 appears on the west face. The upper stage holds two small bells, and has a big arched opening in each direction with key stones to the arches, above which is a heavy dentilled cornice.
The north wall is blind save from some evidence of a small priest's door towards the east end. The south wall has the only windows in the church - four big lights with round arches and keystones but no other ornament save stone sills.
Interior
Interior Description
The gallery is carried on two Tuscan columns with marked entasis and heavy capitals. The front is panelled and has a dentilled frieze.
The church is an auditory building with two focal points of liturgi inportance the communion table and the pulpit. The box pows survive throughout the church, each in two blocks on side of the central alley. Those towards the east are larger and slightly taller, to give more privacy, than those at the back of the church.
The chancel is not marked structurally but is marked both by a step and is marked by more refined paving - diagonally laid squares with black squares at the intersections.
The atmosphere of the church with its big windows, simple architecture and uncluttered furnishings is representative of the best of eighteenth-century country churchmanship.
Fixtures and fittings
Font (object)
The Font stands on a square moulded plinth and panelled grained pedestal of wood with a moulded top. The font itself is a pudding basin of white marble flecked with grey, the octagonal cover being modern although the acorn finial may be eighteenth-century.
Desk
The reading desk faces south below the pulpit, and has a seat with a serpentine armrest and a desk with extending nineteenth-century candle sconces.
Pulpit
17th Century
The pulpit is seventeenth-century, of oak with a heavily moulded and gadrooned base. Each of the panels of the hexagonal body is arched, enriched with guilloche and scrolls in the corners. The uprights are fluted and have small Ionic capitals too small to make much effect. Moulded top and cornice of egg-and-dart are convincingly classical. The small eighteenth-century catch to the door survives but has lost one handle. The support for the pulpit is modern.
Rail
The Communion Rails are of the same wood as the pulpit handrail (possibly yew), of hard appearanceand lively figuring, rather pale in colour. The entrance to the chancel is by a two-leaf gate in the centre, the uprights at each side and at the corners having panelled faces while the rest are turned wood.
Table
The Communion Table is small and low. The panelled legs have ornamentation in the form of garrya husks hanging from a ring, executed in papier mache. The front frieze has a band of X's interspersed with florets, and the back legs are only decorated on the westward side. The mensa is of grey variegated marble.
Reredos
The Reredos is in oak, stained dark brown. The central part is under a segmental pediment with bunches of flowers and C scrolls in the frieze. The Decalogue is painted upon a rectangular panel upon two round arched gold grounds with the Name of God in Hebrew above surrounded by cherubs. The side panels are lower and are topped with scrolls which lead up to the pediment. The Lord's Prayer and Creed are also painted on gold grounds, and have swags of flowers above. The returned panels on the north and south walls of the alcove have garlands of fruit and flowers hanging from rings.
Bells
Diameter: 21.5" Bell 2 of 3
Founded by Unidentified (blank)
Dove Bell ID: 52336 Tower ID: 19162 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Diameter: 22" Bell 3 of 3
Founded by Unidentified (blank)
Dove Bell ID: 52337 Tower ID: 19162 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Churchyard
Grid reference: SU 592 992
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 | N/A |
| Solar Thermal Panels | N/A |
| Biomass | N/A |
| Wind Turbine | N/A |
| Air Source Heat Pump | N/A |
| Ground Source Heat Pump | N/A |
| Ev Charging | N/A |
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
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