Church of St Mary, Powerstock. Grade: I, NGR: SY 51695 96196. Lead author: PS
The village is situated in a deep valley about 5 miles east of Bridport. The earthworks of a motte and bailey castle, once owned by King John (r.1199-1216) as a hunting lodge, are close to the village. His son, Henry III, stayed there in 1230.
The church (1) is in an elevated position above the village. Of interest in the churchyard, in front of the south porch, is a 13th century dole table (2) made of Ham Hill Stone slabs. The poor of the parish collected bread from the table in times of need.
The church (1) is in an elevated position above the village. Of interest in the churchyard, in front of the south porch, is a 13th century dole table (2) made of Ham Hill Stone slabs. The poor of the parish collected bread from the table in times of need.
1. The church from the south- east
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2. The dole table
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The original church, consisting of a chancel, nave and tower, was built about the middle of the 12th century. The church still has some 12th century masonry in the tower and a Norman chancel arch. Both north and south aisles were added in the 14th century. The tower was also altered at the same time, and again early in the 15th century when its height was increased. The church was restored in 1859 by the incumbent at the time, the Reverend Thomas Sanctuary who was who was Vicar in the parish for 41 years (1848 to 1889). He was also the responsible for building a school in the village and replacement churches in New Milton and North Poorton. The restoration entailed removing galleries from the west and south side and rebuilding the walls of the chancel and porch. The south aisle was restored and the north arcade built to match the existing south arcade.
The exterior
All the exterior walls, regardless of age, are built of local Jurassic Inferior Oolite (3a, 3b). Additional Stone for the rebuilding programme came from quarries owned by Thomas sanctuary at Nettlecombe, a hamlet within the parish. The church is roofed with slate tiles. The 14th century windows in the north wall of the north aisle are also Inferior Oolite (4).
All the exterior walls, regardless of age, are built of local Jurassic Inferior Oolite (3a, 3b). Additional Stone for the rebuilding programme came from quarries owned by Thomas sanctuary at Nettlecombe, a hamlet within the parish. The church is roofed with slate tiles. The 14th century windows in the north wall of the north aisle are also Inferior Oolite (4).
3a. The 14th century doorway in the west tower
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3b Detail of the 14th century archway above the west door
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4. A 14th century window of Inferior Oolite in the north aisle
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The windows in the south aisle (5a, 5b), chancel (6) and south porch were installed in the 19th century refurbishment and are Bath Stone. The outer doorway of the porch is also Bath Stone (7).
5a. A Bath Stone window in the east wall of the south aisle chancel
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5b Loupe of the Bath Stone in a south aisle window mullion
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6. The south wall of the chancel
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7. The 19th century outer doorway in the south porch
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8. The inner doorway in the south porch
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The 15th century inner doorway is elaborately carved Ham Hill Stone (8). A carving of a Madonna and child is above the doorway with side figures of a king holding a book and a queen holding bread. A full description can be found in the R.C.M.E. church description.
The interior (9a,9b)
A variety of flooring is used in the church. The walkway across the back of the pews and the south aisle consist of large slabs of Lower Jurassic, Blue Lias. The centre aisle is paved with Inferior Oolite slabs. The north aisle is paved with new dark grey stone slabs, possibly slate or composite. The chancel is paved with Minton tiles.
The aisle walls are plastered. The north and south arcades are Inferior Oolite (10). The plaster walls above the arcades are decorated with painted foliage in brick red (Harland and Fisher 1850). The work is said to have been commissioned by the wife of Thomas Sanctuary.
A variety of flooring is used in the church. The walkway across the back of the pews and the south aisle consist of large slabs of Lower Jurassic, Blue Lias. The centre aisle is paved with Inferior Oolite slabs. The north aisle is paved with new dark grey stone slabs, possibly slate or composite. The chancel is paved with Minton tiles.
The aisle walls are plastered. The north and south arcades are Inferior Oolite (10). The plaster walls above the arcades are decorated with painted foliage in brick red (Harland and Fisher 1850). The work is said to have been commissioned by the wife of Thomas Sanctuary.
9a. The chancel with Minton tiles
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9b. The interior from the west
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10. The south aisle arcade
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11a. The Norman chancel arch
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11b. Caen Stone in the chancel arch
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The interior chancel walls are ashlar Inferior Oolite. The chancel arch (11a) has survived from the original Norman (mid12th century) church and is made of Caen Stone (11b). Caen Stone is a Bathonian (166 -168 Ma.) Middle Jurassic limestone from northern France.
The carved 19th century pulpit (12) by R.L. Boulton of Worcester with sculptured figures of St. Peter, St. John and the Virgin Mary, and the reredos (13) which was installed in 1917, are also in Caen Stone. Unglazed diapered Majolica Minton tiles are incorporated into either side of the reredos (13).
12. The carved Caen Stone pulpit
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13. The Caen Stone reredos
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In the chancel there is also a late Saxon or early Norman piscina (14a), which was found on a local farm in 1925 and is a relic of the original church furnishing. The stone is probably Portland Stone (14b).
14a. The late Saxon piscina
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14b. Loupe of the stone used for the piscina
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The font (15a) is thought to date to the 13th century and sits on stem which is of uncertain date and made of Inferior Oolite. The font was reinstated in 1972 having for a time been removed to the churchyard. Several accounts say that it is Purbeck Marble. The Stone appears to have none of the characteristic Viviparus gastropods visible under magnification (15b). The Stone appears to be slightly oolitic and more likely to be Portland limestone. Note: Some accounts give different dates for both stem and font.
15a. The font
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15b Loupe of the font stone
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A medieval coffin lid in the tower, engraved ‘Thomas Larcombe 1610’, is Purbeck Marble (16a, 16b).
16a. The Purbeck Marble grave slab
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16b. Loupe of the grave slab
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References
1) An Inventory of the Historical Monuments in Dorset, Volume 1, p. 181, West (London, 1952),
2) British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/rchme/dorset/vol1
3) Hill M., Newman J., Pevsner N. (2018), The Buildings of England, Dorset, Yale U. Press,
p. 491.
4) Best R., (3rd edition 1992), Powerstock in Dorset, published on behalf of Powerstock PCC.
1) An Inventory of the Historical Monuments in Dorset, Volume 1, p. 181, West (London, 1952),
2) British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/rchme/dorset/vol1
3) Hill M., Newman J., Pevsner N. (2018), The Buildings of England, Dorset, Yale U. Press,
p. 491.
4) Best R., (3rd edition 1992), Powerstock in Dorset, published on behalf of Powerstock PCC.
