Church of St Mary Arwarton, England

Text courtesy of Historic England. © Crown Copyright, reprinted under the Open Government License.

TM 23 SW ERWARTON THE STREET

6/11 Church of St Mary

22/2/55 GV I

Parish church. Probably C15 chancel which was shortened circa 1782. According to Whites Directory of Suffolk 'Rebuilt 1837'. C15 nave with clerestory, C15 north and south aisles, north porch and west tower. Mainly septaria, random flint and ashlar, with red brick repairs, plastered south wall to south aisle. Chancel roof of grey slate, nave and aisles roofs not visible above parapets, possibly lead. Chancel: Buttresses to eastern angles. C19 east window of 4 cinquefoil lights, wheel tracery over, chamfered 2-centred head, label with king and queen stops. Plaque beneath window relates 'This Chapel rebuilt and Church repaired 1838'. North wall window of 2 trefoiled lights, trefoils and quatrefoil over. Parapet verge and band of stone and red brick continues through north and south aisles. Nave: Parapet verge and band continue through returns. 6 clerestory windows each to north and south walls, of 2 trefoiled lights, moulded 4-centred heads and labels. South Aisle: Buttressed at angles. One window each to east and west walls, 2 to south wall, all of 3 trefoiled ogee lights, vertical tracery over, moulded 4-centred heads and labels. Blocked doorway to south west corner, moulded 2-centred head and label. North Aisle: buttressed at angles and between windows. 4 windows similar to those in south aisle. North porch, buttressed at northern angles. Stone parapet verge and band, hollow chamfered 2-centred arch of 4 orders, square head, carved Tudor roses to spandrels. West Tower: Red brick repairs to third stage and parapet. Of 3 stages, buttressed at angles, stone bands to each stage, moulded bands to plinth. Angled stair turret to second stage of south east corner with 3 square- headed lights and one trefoiled light in a square head. The repaired bell chamber with 2 tie-plates to north and south faces and 4 tie-plates to east and west faces, each face with a restored or repaired 2-light window, those to south and west with fragments of the original windows, 2-cinquefoiled lights, tracery over, 4-centred heads, those to east and north, short Y-tracery, 2-centred heads, all partially blocked. North, south and west faces of second stage each with a small trefoiled light under a square head and label. West window of 3 cinquefoiled lights above and below centre transom, vertical tracery over, segmental head, label carries through as band. West doorway, moulded 2-centred arch, moulded square head and label, crowned lion stops, carved angel above apex, shields of arms to spandrels. Double-nailed vertically-boarded doors, each with strap hinges. Interior: North Porch: Moulded side purlin ridge board roof of 2 bays, moulded arched braces to moulded collars, moulded wall plates, moulded wall posts and brackets. Red square tiled floor. Chamfered niche with pointed head to north west corner. North doorway, moulded 2-centre arch and label. Gothic panelled door. Chancel: Roof of 3 bays, moulded side purlins, ridge board and principal rafters. Moulded and crenellated wall plates, 4 bosses to ridge board. Wall posts with moulded bases and crenellated capitals to attached shafts, arched braces to principal rafters. No reredos. Diagonal red and yellow tiled floors throughout with some red tiles set square. Five C17 and C18 floor slabs to Parker and Cornwallis families. Altar rails C19, wrought-iron posts with scrollwork, moulded wood top rail. No piscina. Chamfered 2-centred chancel arch of 3 orders resting on attached polygonal shafts with contin- uous moulded capitals and bases. Nave: Roof of 6 cambered bays, moulded side purlins, ridge board and wall plates. Wall posts on stone corbels with attached shafts, moulded capitals and bases, arched braces to cambered tie-beams. Diagonal red and yellow tiled floor. Black marble floor slab: Dorothy Gandy, wife of Sir Philip Parker 1638, coat of arms. Poppyhead pews, foliate carved ends. C15 stone octagonal font,