Nominal: 909.5 Hz Weight: 784 lbs Diameter: 35.5" Bell 1 of 3
Founded by Abraham I Rudhall 1698
Dove Bell ID: 5872 Tower ID: 16184 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Sapperton: St Kenelm
Overview
Grid reference: SO 947 34
Norman origin with alterations, extensions and additions in the 14th, 16th and 18th centuries. The church mostly escaped Victorian reordering. The interior is tightly packed with furniture and monuments of high quality and interest.
Visiting and facilities
Building is closed for worship
Building
Ground Plan Description and Dimensions
Ground plan:
Cruciform. 3-bay nave with tower to east of transepts, 2-bay chancel. Boiler house on north side of chancel.
Dimensions:
[Approximate] Nave 12m (40ft) x 5m (16ft).
Footprint of Church buildings: 286 m²
Description of Archaeology and History
Sapperton village (but not a church) is referenced in the Domesday Book, where it is called Saperton. Until the Dissolution, the rectory was rented from the Priory of Belvoir, the advowson then passing to the Lord of the Manor, then the Poole dynasty.
The church seems to have been built in the 12th century (a priest is first mentioned in the 1190s, names are known since 1292) of which little can be seen now, apart from perhaps some of the nave fabric, and most notably a lancet and some relocated decoration to the tower stair doorway, both in the north transept. The chancel was lengthened in the late 13th or 14th century and the north and south transepts and the tower added in the 14th century. As noted above the church and estate belonged to the Poole dynasty in the 16th and 17th centuries, many of whom are buried in the church. The north transept was remodelled by them as their mortuary chapel. The house was then owned by Sir Robert Atkyns, the Gloucestershire historian, who is also buried in the church. A print in the church shows the house as the “seat of Sir Robert Atkyns”, and shows the church as effectively within the grounds of the house; unfortunately little detail of the church is shown.
The western half of the south transept was rebuilt as the squire’s pew over an internal porch in the mid-18th century as part of a general remodelling by the Bathhurst dynasty, so that the church now appears externally as a church of this period, although the plan form betrays its antiquity. The nave and south transept furnishings come from Sapperton Manor, demolished c1730 by the first Earl Bathhurst. This dynasty still owns much of the village and land, and supported the Arts-and-Crafts artists who settled in the village in the early 20th century, designing or converting some of the houses as noted above. The church was lightly restored in 1874 and again in 1930 by Norman Jewson, one of the Arts-and-Crafts artists living in the village.
The vault in the south transept floor to the floor next to the Atkyns monument was opened and investigated by Dr Julian Litten for the Atkyns Society as part of conservation on the monuments in the 1980s, when archaeological investigations also discovered footings outside the south chancel. The churchyard monuments were conserved in 2002-3, the churchyard contains mature trees including ancient yews, lichen and grasses.
Exterior Description
The church is exceptional even seen within the corpus of historic Cotswold village churches, and if there was such a designation as Grade I*, this would surely be a candidate.
The building appears simple at first sight in its Georgian mantle. The roofs have coped gables surmounted with cross saddlestones, and a cross finial to the chancel gable. Tower of two stages with off-sets, double belfry openings with trefoil heads, short broach spire and weathercock. The south transept has twin gables with an animal head gargoyle between, with one round-headed window to each gable.
The nave and chancel windows are 18th-century, round-headed with some of the original clear greenish glass of early 18th century within leading. The exception is the 3-light east window to the chancel with Decorated tracery, and the north transept north elevation which has small lancets lighting the tower stair protrusion, and a 2-light square-headed window to the east, 17th-century, which lights the Poole monument. The north wall has two square lights high in the wall either side of the latter. Indeed, this interesting elevation seems to have survived the Georgian face-lift.
Building Fabric and Features
Nave
12th century with rebuilding
Chancel
13th century with additions in 14th c
Tower (component)
14th century
Transept
14th century north and south, added to form cruciform tower
Boiler Room
19th century
Building Materials
Stone
13th / 14th century squared and coursed rubble stone
Ashlar
12th / 14th century to nave and south transept
Cotsworld Stone
Various stone-slate roofs
Interior
Interior Description
One enters through the porch, part of the south transept, through a 14th-century doorway with 18th-century moulded head with keystone, with much 17th-century graffiti to the jambs. The font is located within this on the right, a very fine 15th-century example with tracery and quatrefoils, all very fresh. Contemporary linen-fold benches adjacent, above this the Bathhurst pew with panelling and figures.
The nave has close packed benches either side of a narrow central aisle, with a fine and fascinating collection of individually carved 17th-century pew ends with “exotic” human figures. Also 2 ornately carved chairs of perhaps the same period. This furniture and the linenfold panelling in the south transept, the gallery front and oak cornice with strapwork all came from Sapperton Manor after it was demolished c1730. There is a Post-Reformation text panel painted on the north wall of the nave. 1980s tiled nave floor, arch-braced timber roof incorporating Medieval timbers.
The tower is supported on four tall 14th-century double-chamfered arches, there is an ogee-arched tomb recess under the north arch. The north transept has the large Poole monument against the north wall with a chamber above the ceiling lit by the 17th-century window described above, and a recumbent knight effigy against the west wall, see below for detail. A square-headed doorway in the east wall leads to the tower stair, the jamb has Norman bead carving, re-located here. Tight newel stair-case to the ringing stage, then a ladder to the bells. The south transept is dominated by the huge Atkyns monument against its east wall. Stone floors throughout, with several vault entrances.
The chancel has a number of fine ledgers in the floor, but is otherwise quite plain, with some good stained glass, and a chandelier in 17th century style by Oliver Hill, another of the Arts-and-Crafts artists of Sapperton. The organ also stands here. There is Victorian oak panelling around the walls, and simple choir stalls with fielded panels, which may retain earlier material. Bench with trefoiled open back, Victorian. The arch-braced roof may contain Medieval timbers, restored.
Fixtures and fittings
Altar
18th century piece from Sapperton Manor, good quality frontals and other textiles
Reredos
19th century oak panelling, Victorian
Pulpit
18th century square oak pulpit with fielded panels
Lectern
19th century plain wooden reading stand, Victorian
Font (component)
15th century octagonal stone bowl with fine tracery
Rail
17th century oak with turned balusters
Stained Glass (window)
19th / 20th century East window, 1922 by James Powell & Sons, Joan of Arc and St George flanking Christ, a war memorial. Earlier east window now in north transept, 1874 by Cox & Son, Christ bearing the cross. Both good.
Tomb (component)
18th century In the north transept large Renaissance tomb of Sir Henry Poole, died 1616, with kneeling marble effigies of him and his family within canopy. Two outer kneeling figures appear to have just entered through blocked rectangular doorways. BoE attributes this to Samuel Baldwin c1730. Very fine. In the south transept against east wall, monument to Sir Robert Atkyns, historian of Gloucestershire, died 1711, by Edward Stanton. Reclining figure of Atkyns under Ionic canopy with elaborate carved structure above and long inscription at the back. Fine iron railings. A monument of the highest quality and interest.
Plaque (component)
16th / 17th century In chancel, several 17th-century wall tablets, and one dated 1584. This tablet is signed by Gildo or Gildon of Hereford. Many ledgers in chancel floor, including to Major General Henry Wentworth died 1644, a general in the Royalist army in the Civil War.
Plaque (component)
19th century In the nave, wall tablets to John Yarnton 1803 by Lewis of Gloucester, and Sarah Yarnton 1809 by Cooke.
Organ (component)
20th century 2-manual organ by Nicholson and Lord, augmented and decorated 1980. Electric blower.
Bells
Nominal: 1104 Hz Weight: 560 lbs Diameter: 29.5" Bell 2 of 3
Founded by Sandre
Dove Bell ID: 38067 Tower ID: 16184 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Nominal: 1000 Hz Weight: 756 lbs Diameter: 33.5" Bell 3 of 3
Founded by John Barber
Dove Bell ID: 38068 Tower ID: 16184 - View Tower Listed: No Canons: Removed Cracked: No
Portable Furnishings and Artworks
Registers: Transferred to Gloucestershire Record Office, from 1661, continuous.
Churchyard
Grid reference: SO 947 34
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
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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