Gamston St Peter

Official Listing Description

SK 77 NW

3/49

1.2.67

G.V.

GAMSTON

RECTORY LANE
(south side)

Church of St. Peter

Grade I

Parish church. C13, C14, C15, C19, restored 1855 by Gilbert Scott. Ashlar. Single cross to east chancel parapet. Embattled parapets. Buttressed. Tower, nave, north porch, north rood stair turret, south aisle and chancel. The C14 tower of 3 stages with bands is set on a deep chamfered plinth with a heavy moulded band over. The angle buttresses rise to diagonal buttresses. The parapet has 8 pinnacles decorated with blind tracery and crocketed finials. There are 2 gargoyles to each side. The west wall has a moulded pointed arched doorway with heavypanelled door, hood mould and label stops. Above is a pointed arched C19 3 light window with cusped panel tracery, hood mould and label stops. The bell chamber has 4 arched openings each with 2 blind arched and cusped panels surmounted by a single transom and 2 similar lights with mouchettes over and hood mould. There is a single rectangular stair light to the north side and 5 similar lights to the south. The gabled north porch with lead roof, single ridge cross and clasping buttresses is set on a chamfered plinth. Moulded pointed arched entrance with hood mould and worn label stops. The west wall has 2 arched and cusped lights. Inner moulded arched doorway. To the left is a single large ashlar buttress, further left is an arched 3 light C15 window with cusped panel tracery, hood mould and label stops. A band marks the junction of nave and C15 clerestory where there are 4 arched windows each with 3 arched and cusped lights and continuous hood mould broken by the buttress. At the east angle is the attached tall, circular rood stair turret. Set on a plinth. 2 stages with band and 2 small rectangular lights. A moulded band extends around the chancel below sill level. The north wall with 2 gargoyles has 2 windows each with 3 arched lights under a flat arch. There are 2 remaining earlier human head label stops. The diagonally buttressed east end has a C19 arched window with 5 arched and cusped lights. The south wall with single gargoyle has a central doorway with moulded surround and cambered arch flanked by single windows each with 3 arched lights under a flat arch. The south aisle is on a chamfered plinth and there is a single window in the east wall with 3 arched lights under a flat arch. The south wall has 3 similar windows and to the left a chamfered arched blocked doorway with imposts and hood mould. To the left is a flat roofed ashlar extension. The west wall of the south aisle has a single similar window. The clerestory corresponds to the north. Interior. 4 bay C13 nave arcade with octagonal columns and moulded capitals which project to north and south to accommodate fleur de lys label stops of the outer chamfer of the double chamfered arches. To the east and west are moulded capitals supported on decorative corbels. Low double chamfered C13 chancel arch, the inner chamfer supported on capitals decorated with nailhead, in turn supported on decorative corbels. The moulded tower arch is supported each side on responds of triple shafts with moulded capitals. Over is a hood mould and label stops. The north nave wall has at clerestory level a blocked rood loft arch, below a chamfered arched doorway leads to the rood turret. The south aisle, south wall, has an arched piscina. The chancel and nave roofs have decorative bosses and the chancel roof is supported on decorative painted corbels. The furniture is C19 except for a few C18 pews, 2 C17 stools and a C17 decorativelty panelled chest, 2 of the panels being decorated with arcading. The south chancel wall has a fine early C14 monument of a priest with chalice, comprising a demi- figure set into a quatrefoil with triangular crocketed hood mould and finial over. In the north chancel is an early C14 figure of a priest with his head on a diagonally placed pillow held by 2 angels. In the south aisle is a c.1400 monument of a knight with sword and shield, probably Sir Bertram Manboucher. In the north nave is a C14 floor slab decorated with a stylised sword. A wall L monument in the south aisle to John and Eleanor Bailey, 1828, is surmounted by an urn. There is a plain tablet to George and Mary Admigall and Thomas Barker, 1801.