Diameter: 20" Bell 1 of 1
Founded by Jefferies & Price
Dove Bell ID: 62617 Tower ID: 24960 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Woodmancote: St Mark
Diocese of Gloucester
Church, 616032
http://www.dursleyparishchurch.org.ukOverview
Grid reference: ST 759 977
This church is typical of many chapels of ease (which status it has never lost) built for expanding towns in the 1840's and 50's. It is throughout in a slightly unscholarly lancet style - groups of three lancets in the east and west gables, two lancets with a quatrefoil above in the transepts and single lancets in the bays of the north and south nave walls and the side walls of the transepts.
Visiting and facilities
Building is open for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
Nave of three bays with north aisle and north porch; chancel with a false "crossing" opening into north and south transepts; the chancel proper has a small south vestry with heating chamber below; spirelet in the angle of chancel and north transept.
Footprint of Church buildings: 323 m²
Description of Archaeology and History
The church was designed by George Alexander and built in 1843-4 at the expense of Henry Vizard, a local landowner who also endowed it. It was consecrated on 16 April 1844. Alexander is a little-known architect who seems, like his contemporary Benjamin Ferrey, to have been capable of designing churches in neo-Norman and correct Puginesque Middle Pointed at the same time. Alexander, for example, designed the Dorset churches of East Stour (1842) and Enmore Green (1843) which are both Norman, then this church in 1844 and Sutton Waldron (again in Dorset) in 1847 which is a good essay in accurate Gothic. Clarke records that the church at Woodmancote was "enlarged" by Hugall and Male in 1859; this must, from the plan, refer to the north aisle, but stylistically it is indistinguishable from the rest of the building.
Exterior Description
This church is typical of many chapels of ease (which status it has never lost) built for expanding towns in the 1840's and 50's. It is throughout in a slightly unscholarly lancet style - groups of three lancets in the east and west gables, two lancets with a quatrefoil above in the transepts and single lancets in the bays of the north and south nave walls and the side walls of the transepts. The nave windows are all shafted externally but those further east are not, a reversal of the usual priority. All the angles have paired buttresses and similar single buttresses articulate the bays of the nave walls. The north wall of the north aisle is very like the south nave wall, though rather lower in proportions, and if it is an addition of 1859 perhaps some materials such as window surrounds were re-used. The whole arrangement of windows and buttresses, together with the low pitch of the roofs, is reminiscent of the Commissioners churches. The west doorway has a shafted arched surround and the north-west porch has a similar outer doorway with paired quatrefoils in the side walls. The little square bell-cote with its trefoil-headed arches and slender stone spirelet is a recognisable feature of the area, though not large.
Building Fabric and Features
Stained Glass
18th - 19th Century
The two outer lights of the east window have geometrical patterned glass of c.1844 with Alpha and Omega and IHS in roundels; the centre light represents Christ the Saviour and was inserted in about 1912 to designs by Geoffrey Webb.
Stained Glass
c.1910
One two-light window in the north transept dates from c.1910 and depicts The Nativity and The Resurrection, probably by Heaton, Butler and Bayne.
Stained Glass
c.1859
A single light in the south nave wall depicts Christ and St. Mary Magdalene.
Interior
Interior Description
The interior has white plastered walls and exposed stone details. The roofs are panelled between the principals and purlins, and in the nave the principals have arch braces which rest on colonettes rising from the encircling stringcourse at sill level. Those on the north side are shorter and terminate on the wall above the pillars of the arcade. The pillars have moulded capitals and bases. The four crossing arches are identical, with two chamfered orders, the outer coming down to the floor and the inner supported on short colonettes. In the north-east corner corbelled out stonework forms the sub-structure of the tower. The north transept is arranged as a chapel and the south transept houses the organ, screened by a curtain. The choirstalls are placed in the crossing. The chancel has two steps at the arch and then a further two up to the altar, which is of stone and is set against arcading along the east wall. There is a niche in the north wall and the most surprising feature of the church is a squint through the north- west pier of the crossing which may perhaps have been added by Hugall and Male to communicate with their otherwise rather isolated additional aisle. The strange thing is that it is entirely the same design (a trefoiled arch) as the chancel niche and the belfry openings in the bell-cote floors have stone alleys and boarding under the pews; the chancel is paved with square stone flags set diagonally.
Fixtures and fittings
Altar
c.1844
The altar is all of stone with a front of three recessed cusped panels and a moulded edge to the top, an interesting example at this period.
Pulpit
The pulpit came from the parish church; it is of oak, hexagonal with inlaid panels on each face, the inlay only being a simple cross-banded edging except on the front panel which has the sacred monogram IHS in a glory of rays. It stands on an ogee stem.
Lectern
c.1880
The lectern is an oak eagle.
Font (object)
c.1880
The font is of stone, octagonal on four clustered marble colonettes; the bowl has recessed panels carved with a crown and palms, the cross, the holy spirit in the form of a dove and the sacred monogram IHS.
Organ (object)
c.1900
The organ is a single-manual instrument.
Rail
The communion rails are of iron with oak capping, quite simple.
Bells
Churchyard
Grid reference: ST 759 977
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
Showing 7 entries of 7 View All
Quinquennial Inspections
Submit a change
If you notice something incorrect or missing, please explain it in the form below and submit it to our team for review.