St Mary's, Stoneleigh
Stoneleigh church is one of the most ancient and interesting in the county, St Mary’s is still largely a 12th century Norman building with later additions, most apparent on the north side of the nave where a blocked Norman doorway with a worn tympanum carved with beasts can be found between windows enlarged in the 14th century. The sturdy tower too is Norman in its lower stages, with an oddly narrow top-storey added in the 15th century. The nave has a single side-aisle on the south side added in the 14th century, with a chapel to its east (now the vestry) built in 1665 with a bizarrely raised roof. Finally a much larger chapel was added to the north side in 1823 to serve as a mausoleum for the Leigh family.
The interior still feels much as it did in the 1800s thanks to the box-pews in the nave and gallery at the west end. The focal point is the richly decorated Norman chancel arch with chevron moldings (surprisingly re-cut in places with small griffin and serpent motifs). The chancel beyond is dark and mysterious with pilasters either side suggesting a vault was originally intended. Here are gathered the best monuments in the church, although the Dudley monument to the left of the altar is rather overpowering. The single most important furnishing is the fine Norman font in the south aisle, said to have come from Maxstoke Priory and carved with the figures of apostles in niches.
Of the aforementioned monuments that to Alice Duchess of Dudley (d.1688) and her daughter is the most notable although it is a rather inelegant thing, a huge box-like mass of black and white marble dominating the sanctuary. The marble effigies of the mother and daughter lying separately in their shrouds are however beautifully carved. The 1850 Chandos Leigh memorial opposite takes the form of an alabaster tomb-chest within a vaulted recess. Of the two medieval effigies the 14th century priest lying in the chancel is the far better preserved, the 14th century lady lying in the porch beneath the tower is so badly worn as to have lost all its detail.
Stoneleigh church is happily generally open to visitors during the day (though I have found it locked on two previous occasions over the years). As one of Warwickshire's oldest and most rewarding churches it is well worth a visit.
www.greatenglishchurches.co.uk/html/stoneleigh-in-arden.html
St Mary's, Stoneleigh
Stoneleigh church is one of the most ancient and interesting in the county, St Mary’s is still largely a 12th century Norman building with later additions, most apparent on the north side of the nave where a blocked Norman doorway with a worn tympanum carved with beasts can be found between windows enlarged in the 14th century. The sturdy tower too is Norman in its lower stages, with an oddly narrow top-storey added in the 15th century. The nave has a single side-aisle on the south side added in the 14th century, with a chapel to its east (now the vestry) built in 1665 with a bizarrely raised roof. Finally a much larger chapel was added to the north side in 1823 to serve as a mausoleum for the Leigh family.
The interior still feels much as it did in the 1800s thanks to the box-pews in the nave and gallery at the west end. The focal point is the richly decorated Norman chancel arch with chevron moldings (surprisingly re-cut in places with small griffin and serpent motifs). The chancel beyond is dark and mysterious with pilasters either side suggesting a vault was originally intended. Here are gathered the best monuments in the church, although the Dudley monument to the left of the altar is rather overpowering. The single most important furnishing is the fine Norman font in the south aisle, said to have come from Maxstoke Priory and carved with the figures of apostles in niches.
Of the aforementioned monuments that to Alice Duchess of Dudley (d.1688) and her daughter is the most notable although it is a rather inelegant thing, a huge box-like mass of black and white marble dominating the sanctuary. The marble effigies of the mother and daughter lying separately in their shrouds are however beautifully carved. The 1850 Chandos Leigh memorial opposite takes the form of an alabaster tomb-chest within a vaulted recess. Of the two medieval effigies the 14th century priest lying in the chancel is the far better preserved, the 14th century lady lying in the porch beneath the tower is so badly worn as to have lost all its detail.
Stoneleigh church is happily generally open to visitors during the day (though I have found it locked on two previous occasions over the years). As one of Warwickshire's oldest and most rewarding churches it is well worth a visit.
www.greatenglishchurches.co.uk/html/stoneleigh-in-arden.html