Bickenhall: St Paul
Overview
Grid reference: ST 282 187
The chapel is built in the lancet style of squared local building stones, blue lias and a grey shale, which form an attractive chequerwork of the nave and chancel walls. The roofs are slated throughout. Ham Hill stone is used for the dressings to windows and doors.
Visiting and facilities
Building is closed for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
Nave, slightly lower chancel, north-easternvestry, south porch and a modest west bellcote.
Description of Archaeology and History
The 13th century chapel-of-ease to Staple Fitzpain stood one and a half miles away towards Hatch Beauchamp and its site is now indicated only by an overgrown and ruinous small churchyard. It was not demolished until 1888. Its successor was built on a new site chosen by the Rector of Staple Fitzpainel the Revd. FitzHardinge Portman in 1849, to the designs by P.C. Hardwick, architect of St. Mary, Lambeth and St. John, Deptford.
Exterior Description
The chapel is built in the lancet style of squared local building stones, blue lias and a grey shale, which form an attractive chequerwork of the nave and chancel walls. The roofs are slated throughout. Ham Hill stone is used for the dressings to windows and doors. The east window of the chancel is a three light composition with heavily cusped trefoils above the ogee headed side lights and a large cinquefoil above the central light. The remainder of the fenestration consists of single lancets. In the south chancel wall two are paired and linked beneath a continuous label. The nave south wall is pierced by two lancets to the east of the gabled porch, the porch itself is simple, gabled and distinguished only by the carving of the heads which form the label stops. There is a further lancet west of the porch. The west elevation has only two tall lancets with an encircled quatrefoil in the gable and the north elevation is articulated by stepped buttresses dividing it into four bays each of which has a lancet light. To the east, the vestry is accessible by a Caernarvon arched doorway and lit by paired lancets on the north.
Building Fabric and Features
Stained Glass
The strident reds and blues of the east window depict three scenes from the Passion with an Appearanceof Christ above.
Stained Glass
1869
A south chancel window is filled with a 'Salvator Mundi' of 1869.
Stained Glass
1849
Four small scenes in a south chapel window. This is signed and dated 'Bell pin(xit): Bristol, 1849'.
Interior
Interior Description
The walls are plastered and covered with stencilled texts in red and black lettering. Whilst the texts are probably coeval with the chapel, they are comparatively plain and undistinguished. Both chancel and nave are floored with grey stone flags. The two-bay chancel roof is boarded and arch-braced with wall posts which rest on simple corbels with roll moulding. The nave roof is unusual. Wall posts rest on moulded corbels, but the bays are sub-divided by braces which rest on cobels at wall plate level above the lancet windows. The rafters produce a strong transverse emphasis and the braces rise through small king posts to form scissors in the gable space. The principal architectural features are the Caernarvon arch to the vestry door, the double chamfered chancel arch with its semi-circular responds and capitals, and the south doorway arch of two orders divided by a deep hollow which is surmounted by a label terminating in good carved foliate and head stops.
Fixtures and fittings
Organ (object)
One manual, hand blown with attractive gilded pipes.
Altar
Oak table of three depressed ogee headed open lights.
Pulpit
It appears to be constructedof 15th century pieces of carved oak, skilfully incorporated into an octagonal pulpit in the early 19th century. The posts and cornice bear leaf trails and carved heads. Together with much of the delicate openwork traceried panels, these elements are mediaeval in appearance and may be of domestic origin.
Font (object)
A standard local Perpendicular type of Ham Hill stone with an octagonal bowl, decorated with quatrefoil panels, a plain stem, chamfered base, retaining, part of the metal clasps for securing the font cover.
Panelling
The sanctuary is fitted to dado level with panelling from Orcnard Portman House which was demolished in 1845. It is plain, of early 19th century appearance.
Churchyard
Grid reference: ST 282 187
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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