Church of All Saints, Gussage All Saints. Grade: I, NGR: ST 9984 010829 Lead author: PS
Gussage All Saints is one of three villages (the other two being Gussage St. Andrew and Gussage St Michael) on Cranborne Chase in East Dorset which have ‘Gussage’ in their title. The word appears to have a choice of two Saxon roots – either a combination of two Saxon words, ‘gyse’ and ‘sic’ or the word ‘gwysych’. Both have roughly the same meaning which is a watercourse that dries up for part of the year. They refer to the Gussage Brook that rises at Gussage St Andrew and flows through the other two villages and into the River Allen
1. The church from the south-east
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The church is situated on a rise at the north-west corner of the village (1). The chancel, nave and the lower part of the South Tower are of the early 14th century; the upper stages of the tower and the turret are of the 15th century; the vestry on the north side of the chancel was added in the 19th century. The roofs are tiled.
The building materials used in the church are remarkably uniform throughout the building. The walls of the nave (2) and the chancel (3, 4) are mainly knapped flint with a scattering of Shaftesbury sandstone blocks and Heathstone. The Heathstone blocks have a range of grain sizes between coarse and fine (5, 6). |
2. The nave south wall
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3. The chancel south wall
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4. The east wall of the chancel
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5. A coarse grained Heathstone
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6. A fine grained Heathstone
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Most of the tall buttresses are a mixture of Portland stone (Wardour Main Building stone), Heathstone and Shaftesbury Sandstone (Upper Greensand) in varying proportions (7). Some low buttresses are all Wardour Main Building stone (8). The wall immediately behind each buttress, where the knapped flint is missing, is mainly Shaftesbury Sandstone (7, 8). The windows are Wardour Main Building stone, but the windows in the south wall of the nave have an arch pattern above them made up of heathstone and Shaftesbury Sandstone (9).
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The south tower (10) is mainly knapped flint with some scattered Heathstone and Shaftesbury Sandstone in the lowest stage; a pattern of bands of Shaftesbury Sandstone ashlar and flint in the second stage; and Shaftesbury Sandstone ashlar in the third stage and parapet. The main entrance to the interior is the south doorway in the tower (11). The stone used is Wardour Main Building stone (12). The doorway in the turret (13) is Shaftesbury Sandstone.
10. The south tower
12. Loupe of the stone in the south doorway
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11. The south doorway in the tower
13. The stair turret
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The interior of the church was closed to visitors due to Corona virus restrictions at the time of the visit. Notes on the interior made previously by J. Thomas state:
The 19th century chancel arch is Bath stone with Purbeck Marble columns.
The 14th century chancel arch has been moved to the north chapel, and includes Greensand and heathstone, but is mostly whitewashed.
The 19th century chancel arch is Bath stone with Purbeck Marble columns.
The 14th century chancel arch has been moved to the north chapel, and includes Greensand and heathstone, but is mostly whitewashed.
References
https://www.british-history.ac.uk/rchme/dorset/vol5/18-22
https://www.british-history.ac.uk/rchme/dorset/vol3/pp200-207
Hill M., Newman J., Pevsner N. (2018), The Buildings of England, Dorset, Yale U. Press, p.p. 307-308.
https://www.british-history.ac.uk/rchme/dorset/vol5/18-22
https://www.british-history.ac.uk/rchme/dorset/vol3/pp200-207
Hill M., Newman J., Pevsner N. (2018), The Buildings of England, Dorset, Yale U. Press, p.p. 307-308.
