Woodhill: St Mark
Overview
Grid reference: TL 267 58
The church was built as a chapel of ease to Hatfield by the Marquess of Salisbury in 1852. The architect is unknown. A Faculty was granted in 1886 for enlargement H. Hardwicke Langstone. The church is faced externally with flint, the dressing to windows, gables and buttress weatherings being of Bath stone while the rest (the plinth, angles of buttresses and vestry chimney) are of red brick. The roofs are tiled.
Visiting and facilities
Building is closed for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
Four bay aisleless nave with north vestry and south porch, small west bell-cote; chancel with south organ chamber.
Description of Archaeology and History
The church was built as a chapel of ease to Hatfield by the Marquess of Salisbury in 1852. The architect is unknown. A Faculty was granted in 1886 for enlargement H. Hardwicke Langstone.
Exterior Description
The church is faced externally with flint, the dressing to windows, gables and buttress weatherings being of Bath stone while the rest (the plinth, angles of buttresses and vestry chimney) are of red brick. The roofs are tiled.
The chancel is in Early English style with lancet windows, one in the south wall and two in the north, and three grouped under an arch as an east window. The nave, however, perhaps to give variety while suggesting continuity, is Decorated, with six traceried windows of uniform design in the lateral walls and a three-light traceried window in the west wall. The south porch occupies the second bay from the west, and the vestry a similar position on the north, an uncommon arrangement.
The west wall has, apart from a horizontal stringcourse, all the main features grouped in a vertical line - the west door (now disused) with moulded arch supported on attached nook-shafts has weathered heads at the label stops. Above it is the three-light window, also with heads at the label stops, and above that a small quatrefoil light within a triangle with curved sides. At the apex of the gable stands the small gabled bell-cote, now empty.
The vestry on the north of the nave is arranged symmetrically about the brick chimney, with two trefoil-headed lights each side on the north wall. Beneath them is a small doorway. The roof is steeply pitched and comes within five feet of the ground. The organ chamber south of the chancel has a lean- to roof, and similar windows, one in the east wall and a pair in the south.
The variation achieved by the use of both brick and stone for the dressings is interesting, and the same spirit appears in the alteration of strips of fish-scale tiles with rectangular on the chancel, vestry and organ chamber roofs. The nave is roofed with uniform rectangular tiles. In spite of the diagonal buttresses at every corner of the church, the outline is harsh because of the unweathered quality of the materials used.
Building Fabric and Features
Stained Glass
1860
The east window commemorates a death in 1860; it is of three lights, with scenes from the life of Christ - His Baptism, Ascension and The Last Supper . Above the panels are crocketted architectural canopies executed in vivid yellow and red which, together with the predominance of blue as the back ground to the panels makes the window a gamut of primary colours. The stylized postures of the figures contrast with the slightly sentimental treatment of the faces.
Stained Glass
Nave south-east window: of two lights, the Virgin and Child in the left and St. Joseph with the young St. John the Baptist in the right. In the tracery light is The Holy Spirit in the form of a dove.
Stained Glass
1888
Nave south west window: two lights, with figures of St. George and St. Patrick, the latter dressed as a Bishop and treading on the snakes which he cast out of Ireland.
Stained Glass
1894
Nave north window of two lights, St. Mark (with his lion) and St. Peter (with his keys). Death commemorated 1894.
Stained Glass
1879
Nave north-east window: of two lights, each depicting a musician angel. That on the left is male and plays a dulcimer, that on the right, a female, plays a viol or rebec.
Interior
Interior Description
Within the church the architecture is severly plain, the window surrounds and chancel arch being chamfered rather than moulded; the white plastered walls accentuate the impression. They do, however, also set off by contrast both the roof structure and the stained glass in several of the windows, which is of quite good quality. The roof of the nave is carried on prominent arch braces which mark the bays. These stand on stone corbels with a small bunch of naturalistic leaves under each. The spandrelsof the braces are pierced with trefoils.
The church is floored with tiles, set diagonally, and the alleys are intersected by grilles for the heating system. At the back of the church on the north side stands the font.
The double chanfers of the chancel arch are continuous, unbroken by any capitals or other decoration, and the form of the arch is reflected in the shape of the arch which contains the three lancets of the east window. The chancel is furnished with ordinary wooden fittings, the east wall being panelled in oak to form a reredos. On the south side an arch opens into the organ chamber, which also communicates through a side-arch to the nave. The case of the organ is as plain as it could be. The roof of the chancel is scissor-braced, contrasting with the arch bracing of the nave.
Fixtures and fittings
Organ (object)
The organ is said to be by Snetzler. Its present appearance is entirely nineteenth- century, with a case front of undecorated Diapason pipes arranged in an inverted V. The action is tracker, with two manuals and pedals governing twelve speaking stops. Several ranks of pipes are certainly by Snetzler.
Rail
The Communion Rails appear to have eighteenth-century uprights, though they may be later. The design is unusual, like flattened balusters with leaf carving on each side. The top rail of oak is more recent.
Stall
1893
The priest's stall is in a roughly Jacobean style with turned uprights and minimal strapwork decoration, dated 1893.
Lectern
c. 19th Century
The lectern, of wood, is in the form of a particularly vicious eagle with hooked beak and powerful talons, the book-rest on its back carved as a twig.
Font (object)
1891
The font commemorates a death in 1891; an octagonal bowl set low on eight short colonettes.
Churchyard
Grid reference: TL 267 58
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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