Church of St Mary the Virgin, Kempsford

Church of St Mary the Virgin
Church of St Mary the Virgin is located in Gloucestershire
Church of St Mary the Virgin
Church of St Mary the Virgin
51°40′01″N 1°46′05″W / 51.6670°N 1.7681°W / 51.6670; -1.7681
DenominationChurch of England
Architecture
Heritage designationGrade I listed building
Designated26 November 1958
Administration
ProvinceCanterbury
DioceseGloucester

The Anglican Church of St Mary the Virgin at Kempsford in the Cotswold District of Gloucestershire, England was built in the 12th century. It is a grade I listed building.[1]

History

The church was built in the 12th century, with the nave being dated to around 1120.[2] The chancel was added in the 13th century with further alterations in subsequent centuries. The tower was also a 13th-century construction but rebuilt in the 15th.

A Victorian restoration was carried out by George Edmund Street around 1858, and most of the internal furnishings date from this time.[1][3]

In 2009 a National Lottery Heritage Fund was received to restore the tower and Victorian paintings.[4]

The parish is part of the South Cotswold Team Ministry benefice within the Diocese of Gloucester.[5]

Architecture

The church has an eight-bay nave, chancel with wagon roof and a three-stage tower supported by diagonal buttresses.[1] The tower is surmounted by pinnacles and parapet.[2] It is supported by buttresses.[6] The tower has six bells, the oldest of which date from 1678.[7]

Inside the church is a plaque commemorating parishioners who died in World War II.[8] Because of limited space the organ was built over and around the tomb of Lord Coleraine.[9][2]

Many of the monuments in the churchyard are also listed.[10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17]

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to St Mary's church, Kempsford.
  1. ^ a b c "Church of St Mary the Virgin". National Heritage List for England. Historic England. Archived from the original on 1 March 2020. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  2. ^ a b c Mynors, A.B. "Kempsford" (PDF). Kempsford. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2 October 2020. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
  3. ^ "Kempsford Pages 96-105 A History of the County of Gloucester: Volume 7". British History Online. Victoria County History. Archived from the original on 1 March 2020. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
  4. ^ Tilley, Emma (7 January 2009). "Kempsford church to be retored [sic] with heritage grant". Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
  5. ^ "St Mary, Kempsford". A Church Near You. Church of England. Archived from the original on 12 October 2020. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
  6. ^ Verey, David (2007). Cotswold Churches. The History Press. pp. 137–138. ISBN 978-1845880286.
  7. ^ "The Bells". Kempsford Bell Ringers. Archived from the original on 12 October 2020. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
  8. ^ "St Mary's Church - WW2". Imperial War Museum. Archived from the original on 12 October 2020. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
  9. ^ Verey, David (2007). Cotswold Churches. The History Press. pp. 18–19. ISBN 978-1845880286.
  10. ^ "Group of ten monuments about 5m north of chancel in churchyard of Church of St. Mary the Virgin". National Heritage List for England. Historic England. Archived from the original on 1 March 2020. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  11. ^ "King monument, about 8m north of north porch in churchyard of Church of St. Mary the Virgin". National Heritage List for England. Historic England. Archived from the original on 1 March 2020. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  12. ^ "Dadge monument, about 5m west of west end in churchyard of Church of St. Mary the Virgin". National Heritage List for England. Historic England. Archived from the original on 1 March 2020. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  13. ^ "Unidentified monument, about 6.5m west of west end in churchyard of Church of St. Mary the Virgin". National Heritage List for England. Historic England. Archived from the original on 1 March 2020. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  14. ^ "Packer monument, about 2.5m west of west end, in churchyard of Church of st. Mary the Virgin". National Heritage List for England. Historic England. Archived from the original on 1 March 2020. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  15. ^ "Group of 7 monuments to Iles and Arkell families, immediately south of south nave wall in church- yard of St. Mary the Virgin". National Heritage List for England. Historic England. Archived from the original on 1 March 2020. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  16. ^ "Pair of Pope monuments, about 8m north-east of Couling monument, in churchyard of Church of St. Mary the Virgin". National Heritage List for England. Historic England. Archived from the original on 1 March 2020. Retrieved 1 March 2020.
  17. ^ "Couling monument, about 8m north- east of north porch in churchyard of Church of St. Mary the Virgin". National Heritage List for England. Historic England. Archived from the original on 1 March 2020. Retrieved 1 March 2020.