The Royal and Ancient chapel of Canford Magna, SZ032 988, SZ03200 98823,50.7890 -1.9560. Lead author: JT

The oldest part of Canford church is the present chancel, which originated as the nave of a Saxon church built of Heathstone and was damaged by King Canute in 1015 as he invaded the Stour valley. After the Norman Conquest the north tower and the nave aisles were built of heathstone in the 12th century.  The late 12th century outer walls of the north and south aisles are a mixture of Purbeck limestones from the Inter-marine beds and the local Heathstone.

A closer view of the Heathstone in the north wall of the church.

Canford Magna church from the north. Note the Norman tower entirely of heathstone.

The south aisle walls are largely of Heathstone, recently heavily re-pointed.

The south chapel, set slightly skew to the chancel, was added in the late 14th century, and is mostly Purbeck limestone, while the south aisle of the chancel, built in the 15h century, has both Heathstone and Purbeck limestone.

The 14th century south chapel is built of Purbeck limestones, including a block of Purbeck Marble that weathers more quickly than the others.

The north and south porches were dismantled and rebuilt during the mid-19th century renovation, which included extending the nave westwards and adding the vestry. The porch stonework was replaced, but the western wall was built of a lighter colour Heathstone.

The north porch was dismantled and rebuilt during the 19th century.

The Purbeck Limestone was carried from Swanage by boat up the river Stour, but the Heathstones were gathered from iron-cemented sandstone concretions in the London Clay or Poole Formation.

The 15th century south aisle exterior wall is built of Purbeck limestones.

In 1829 the western end of the nave at Canford was extended in a lighter colour heathstone.

The south chapel has occasional blocks of heathstone in the Purbeck limestone walls.

References:
Anon: Canford Magna parish church leaflet. www.canfordparish.org
Pitfield FP, 1981, Dorset Parish Churches A-D, Sherborne.
Royal Commission for Historic Monuments. Vol. II South East.
                                                                                                                                                                                   All text and images by JT 07/17