St Mary's Church, Pitstone
Encyclopedia
St Mary's Church, Pitstone, is a redundant
Anglican
church in the village of Pitstone
, Buckinghamshire
, England. It has been designated by English Heritage
as a Grade I listed building, and is under the care of the Churches Conservation Trust
. The church stands to the southeast of the village, some 9 miles (14 km) east of Aylesbury
.
and north chapel which date from about 1250. Some carved fragments of stone dating from the 12th century indicate that an earlier church stood on the site. The north and south aisle
s were added in the later part of the 13th century. During the 15th century the chancel was lengthened, the north vestry
and the tower were added, the nave
arcades
were demolished and the north arcade was rebuilt. The church was restored
in 1893. A further restoration took place during the 20th century. The church was declared redundant on 23 January 1973, and was vested
in the Churches Conservation Trust on 28 June 1974. It is cared for by a group known as the Friends of Pitstone Church. The church is open to visitors on Sunday afternoons in the summer. Events and occasional services are held in the church.
and flint
. The upper part of the nave
walls and the north aisle are roughcast. Brick repairs have been carried out to the chancel, and the roofs are covered in lead. The plan consists of a wide nave, incorporating the former south aisle, a north aisle, a south porch, a chancel with a chapel and a vestry to the north, and a west tower. The axis of the chancel is inclined to the north. The tower is in three stages, and has diagonal buttress
es, an octagonal southeast stair turret
, and an embattled
parapet
. In the bottom stage is a west doorway, above which is a three-light window. In the middle stage on the north, west and south sides is a slit window. On the south side of the top stage are two lancet
bell openings; on the other sides the bell openings have two lights. The south wall of the nave has a plain parapet, two three-light windows, and a projection at the east for a stairway to the rood
loft. The south porch also has a plain parapet. Along the wall of the north aisle are buttresses, two lancet windows, and a doorway. The north chapel has a plain parapet, and two Perpendicular style windows. At the east end of the vestry is a lancet window. The chancel is in Decorated style, with a battlement
ed brick parapet with a stone coping
, a three-light east window, and three two-light windows in the south wall.
, and to its east is the entry to the rood loft stairs. In the east wall is a squint
. The north arcade has three bays
with octagonal piers
. In the north chapel is a piscina
with a crocket
ted gable
, a recess in the north wall, and a 19th-century grate in the northeast corner. The chancel is floored with tiles from the 14th and 15th centuries. The font
dates from the 12th century and has a fluted
bowl and stem. The 17th-century pulpit
is hexagonal and has a sounding board
. The triangular reading desk is dated 1685. The altar table and the pews also date from the 17th century; two of the pews are box pew
s. The 18th-century communion rails have twisted baluster
s. The east window contains stained glass from the 19th century. Also in the church is a small brass
dating from the 14th century depicting a female figure. Over the chancel arch is a painting of royal arms
dated 1733, flanked by painted panels containing the Ten Commandments
and the Lord's Prayer
. The single-manual
organ was built in 1858 by A. W. Bryant. The ring
consists of three bells, although they are no longer ringable. The oldest bell was cast in 1652 by Anthony Chandler, and the other two in 1786 by Robert Patrick.
Redundant church
A redundant church is a church building that is no longer required for regular public worship. The phrase is particularly used to refer to former Anglican buildings in the United Kingdom, but may refer to any disused church building around the world...
Anglican
Anglicanism
Anglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures. The word Anglican originates in ecclesia anglicana, a medieval Latin phrase dating to at least 1246 that means the English...
church in the village of Pitstone
Pitstone
Pitstone is a village and civil parish within the Aylesbury Vale district of Buckinghamshire, England. It is located at the foot of the Chiltern Hills, about seven miles east of Aylesbury and six miles south of Leighton Buzzard...
, Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
, England. It has been designated by English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
as a Grade I listed building, and is under the care of the Churches Conservation Trust
Churches Conservation Trust
The Churches Conservation Trust, which was initially known as the Redundant Churches Fund, is a charity whose purpose is to protect historic churches at risk, those that have been made redundant by the Church of England. The Trust was established by the Pastoral Measure of 1968...
. The church stands to the southeast of the village, some 9 miles (14 km) east of Aylesbury
Aylesbury
Aylesbury is the county town of Buckinghamshire in South East England. However the town also falls into a geographical region known as the South Midlands an area that ecompasses the north of the South East, and the southern extremities of the East Midlands...
.
History
The earliest parts of the church are chancelChancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
and north chapel which date from about 1250. Some carved fragments of stone dating from the 12th century indicate that an earlier church stood on the site. The north and south aisle
Aisle
An aisle is, in general, a space for walking with rows of seats on both sides or with rows of seats on one side and a wall on the other...
s were added in the later part of the 13th century. During the 15th century the chancel was lengthened, the north vestry
Vestry
A vestry is a room in or attached to a church or synagogue in which the vestments, vessels, records, etc., are kept , and in which the clergy and choir robe or don their vestments for divine service....
and the tower were added, the nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
arcades
Arcade (architecture)
An arcade is a succession of arches, each counterthrusting the next, supported by columns or piers or a covered walk enclosed by a line of such arches on one or both sides. In warmer or wet climates, exterior arcades provide shelter for pedestrians....
were demolished and the north arcade was rebuilt. The church was restored
Victorian restoration
Victorian restoration is the term commonly used to refer to the widespread and extensive refurbishment and rebuilding of Church of England churches and cathedrals that took place in England and Wales during the 19th-century reign of Queen Victoria...
in 1893. A further restoration took place during the 20th century. The church was declared redundant on 23 January 1973, and was vested
Vesting
In law, vesting is to give an immediately secured right of present or future enjoyment. One has a vested right to an asset that cannot be taken away by any third party, even though one may not yet possess the asset. When the right, interest or title to the present or future possession of a legal...
in the Churches Conservation Trust on 28 June 1974. It is cared for by a group known as the Friends of Pitstone Church. The church is open to visitors on Sunday afternoons in the summer. Events and occasional services are held in the church.
Exterior
The church is constructed in limestoneLimestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
and flint
Flint
Flint is a hard, sedimentary cryptocrystalline form of the mineral quartz, categorized as a variety of chert. It occurs chiefly as nodules and masses in sedimentary rocks, such as chalks and limestones. Inside the nodule, flint is usually dark grey, black, green, white, or brown in colour, and...
. The upper part of the nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
walls and the north aisle are roughcast. Brick repairs have been carried out to the chancel, and the roofs are covered in lead. The plan consists of a wide nave, incorporating the former south aisle, a north aisle, a south porch, a chancel with a chapel and a vestry to the north, and a west tower. The axis of the chancel is inclined to the north. The tower is in three stages, and has diagonal buttress
Buttress
A buttress is an architectural structure built against or projecting from a wall which serves to support or reinforce the wall...
es, an octagonal southeast stair turret
Turret
In architecture, a turret is a small tower that projects vertically from the wall of a building such as a medieval castle. Turrets were used to provide a projecting defensive position allowing covering fire to the adjacent wall in the days of military fortification...
, and an embattled
Battlement
A battlement in defensive architecture, such as that of city walls or castles, comprises a parapet , in which portions have been cut out at intervals to allow the discharge of arrows or other missiles. These cut-out portions form crenels...
parapet
Parapet
A parapet is a wall-like barrier at the edge of a roof, terrace, balcony or other structure. Where extending above a roof, it may simply be the portion of an exterior wall that continues above the line of the roof surface, or may be a continuation of a vertical feature beneath the roof such as a...
. In the bottom stage is a west doorway, above which is a three-light window. In the middle stage on the north, west and south sides is a slit window. On the south side of the top stage are two lancet
Lancet window
A lancet window is a tall narrow window with a pointed arch at its top. It acquired the "lancet" name from its resemblance to a lance. Instances of this architectural motif are most often found in Gothic and ecclesiastical structures, where they are often placed singly or in pairs.The motif first...
bell openings; on the other sides the bell openings have two lights. The south wall of the nave has a plain parapet, two three-light windows, and a projection at the east for a stairway to the rood
Rood
A rood is a cross or crucifix, especially a large one in a church; a large sculpture or sometimes painting of the crucifixion of Jesus.Rood is an archaic word for pole, from Old English rōd "pole", specifically "cross", from Proto-Germanic *rodo, cognate to Old Saxon rōda, Old High German ruoda...
loft. The south porch also has a plain parapet. Along the wall of the north aisle are buttresses, two lancet windows, and a doorway. The north chapel has a plain parapet, and two Perpendicular style windows. At the east end of the vestry is a lancet window. The chancel is in Decorated style, with a battlement
Battlement
A battlement in defensive architecture, such as that of city walls or castles, comprises a parapet , in which portions have been cut out at intervals to allow the discharge of arrows or other missiles. These cut-out portions form crenels...
ed brick parapet with a stone coping
Coping (architecture)
Coping , consists of the capping or covering of a wall.A splayed or wedge coping slopes in a single direction; a saddle coping slopes to either side of a central high point....
, a three-light east window, and three two-light windows in the south wall.
Interior
In the south wall of the nave near the door is a stoupHoly water font
A holy water font or stoup is a vessel containing holy water generally placed near the entrance of a church. It is used in Catholic Church and Lutheran churches, as well as some Anglican churches to make the Sign of the Cross using the holy water upon entrance and exit...
, and to its east is the entry to the rood loft stairs. In the east wall is a squint
Hagioscope
A hagioscope or squint, in architecture, is an opening through the wall of a church in an oblique direction, to enable the worshippers in the transepts or other parts of the church, from which the altar was not visible, to see the elevation of the host.Hagioscopes were also sometimes known as...
. The north arcade has three bays
Bay (architecture)
A bay is a unit of form in architecture. This unit is defined as the zone between the outer edges of an engaged column, pilaster, or post; or within a window frame, doorframe, or vertical 'bas relief' wall form.-Defining elements:...
with octagonal piers
Pier (architecture)
In architecture, a pier is an upright support for a superstructure, such as an arch or bridge. Sections of wall between openings function as piers. The simplest cross section of the pier is square, or rectangular, although other shapes are also common, such as the richly articulated piers of Donato...
. In the north chapel is a piscina
Piscina
A piscina is a shallow basin placed near the altar of a church, used for washing the communion vessels. The sacrarium is the drain itself. Anglicans usually refer to the basin, calling it a piscina. Roman Catholics usually refer to the drain, and by extension, the basin, as the sacrarium...
with a crocket
Crocket
A crocket is a hook-shaped decorative element common in Gothic architecture. It is in the form of a stylised carving of curled leaves, buds or flowers which is used at regular intervals to decorate the sloping edges of spires, finials, pinnacles, and wimpergs....
ted gable
Gable
A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of a sloping roof. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system being used and aesthetic concerns. Thus the type of roof enclosing the volume dictates the shape of the gable...
, a recess in the north wall, and a 19th-century grate in the northeast corner. The chancel is floored with tiles from the 14th and 15th centuries. The font
Baptismal font
A baptismal font is an article of church furniture or a fixture used for the baptism of children and adults.-Aspersion and affusion fonts:...
dates from the 12th century and has a fluted
Fluting (architecture)
Fluting in architecture refers to the shallow grooves running vertically along a surface.It typically refers to the grooves running on a column shaft or a pilaster, but need not necessarily be restricted to those two applications...
bowl and stem. The 17th-century pulpit
Pulpit
Pulpit is a speakers' stand in a church. In many Christian churches, there are two speakers' stands at the front of the church. Typically, the one on the left is called the pulpit...
is hexagonal and has a sounding board
Sounding board
A sound board, or soundboard, is the surface of a string instrument that the strings vibrate against, usually via some sort of bridge. The resonant properties of the sound board and the interior of the instrument greatly increase loudness over the string alone.The sound board operates by the...
. The triangular reading desk is dated 1685. The altar table and the pews also date from the 17th century; two of the pews are box pew
Box pew
Box pew is a type of church pew that is encased in panelling and was prevalent in England and other Protestant countries from the 16th to early 19th century.-History in England:...
s. The 18th-century communion rails have twisted baluster
Baluster
A baluster is a moulded shaft, square or of lathe-turned form, one of various forms of spindle in woodwork, made of stone or wood and sometimes of metal, standing on a unifying footing, and supporting the coping of a parapet or the handrail of a staircase. Multiplied in this way, they form a...
s. The east window contains stained glass from the 19th century. Also in the church is a small brass
Monumental brass
Monumental brass is a species of engraved sepulchral memorial which in the early part of the 13th century began to partially take the place of three-dimensional monuments and effigies carved in stone or wood...
dating from the 14th century depicting a female figure. Over the chancel arch is a painting of royal arms
Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom
The Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom is the official coat of arms of the British monarch, currently Queen Elizabeth II. These arms are used by the Queen in her official capacity as monarch of the United Kingdom, and are officially known as her Arms of Dominion...
dated 1733, flanked by painted panels containing the Ten Commandments
Ten Commandments
The Ten Commandments, also known as the Decalogue , are a set of biblical principles relating to ethics and worship, which play a fundamental role in Judaism and most forms of Christianity. They include instructions to worship only God and to keep the Sabbath, and prohibitions against idolatry,...
and the Lord's Prayer
Lord's Prayer
The Lord's Prayer is a central prayer in Christianity. In the New Testament of the Christian Bible, it appears in two forms: in the Gospel of Matthew as part of the discourse on ostentation in the Sermon on the Mount, and in the Gospel of Luke, which records Jesus being approached by "one of his...
. The single-manual
Manual (music)
A manual is a keyboard designed to be played with the hands on a pipe organ, harpsichord, clavichord, electronic organ, or synthesizer. The term "manual" is used with regard to any hand keyboard on these instruments to distinguish it from the pedalboard, which is a keyboard that the organist plays...
organ was built in 1858 by A. W. Bryant. The ring
Ring of bells
"Ring of bells" is a term most often applied to a set of bells hung in the English style, typically for change ringing...
consists of three bells, although they are no longer ringable. The oldest bell was cast in 1652 by Anthony Chandler, and the other two in 1786 by Robert Patrick.
See also
- List of churches preserved by the Churches Conservation Trust in South East England