Church of St Mary, Sturminster Newton. Grade: 1 NGR: ST 78804 13951.
Lead author: PS
The market town of Sturminster Newton is situated about 7.5 miles north-west of Blandford Forum and 7.5 miles south-west of Shaftesbury in the Blackmore Vale in central Dorset.
The main building stones are Jurassic Corallian Todber Freestone, an oolitic limestone widely quarried in the area in the past, and Cretaceous Upper Greensand (Shaftesbury Sandstone) quarried to the northeast of the town.
The town is approached from the south by a 15th century mediaeval bridge over the river Stour which featured in the poem “On Sturminster Bridge” by Thomas Hardy. A medieval working mill is situated about 250 yards upstream from the bridge (1). Both are primarily constructed of Shaftesbury Sandstone ashlar. The 18th century south wing of the mill was built with brick on a stone base.
The main building stones are Jurassic Corallian Todber Freestone, an oolitic limestone widely quarried in the area in the past, and Cretaceous Upper Greensand (Shaftesbury Sandstone) quarried to the northeast of the town.
The town is approached from the south by a 15th century mediaeval bridge over the river Stour which featured in the poem “On Sturminster Bridge” by Thomas Hardy. A medieval working mill is situated about 250 yards upstream from the bridge (1). Both are primarily constructed of Shaftesbury Sandstone ashlar. The 18th century south wing of the mill was built with brick on a stone base.
1. The Mill
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2. The plaque
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The church is situated to the south west of the town, on rising ground above the river. The exterior of the church was re-furbished in the 19th century (architect William Evans). A marble plaque below the east window of the chancel records the beginning of the work of rebuilding in 1825 (2). Much of the interior dates to the late 14th and early 15th centuries refurbished under Abbot Selwood of Glastonbury.
3a. The tower of the church
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3b. Loupe of Upper Greensand in the Tower
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The exterior
The roofs are covered with stone-slabs (not identified) and lead. The walls of the church are of Shaftesbury Sandstone ashlar. Typical example of the stonework can be seen in the late 14th to early 15th century west tower (3a, 3b) and the 1827 east end of the church (4a).
The roofs are covered with stone-slabs (not identified) and lead. The walls of the church are of Shaftesbury Sandstone ashlar. Typical example of the stonework can be seen in the late 14th to early 15th century west tower (3a, 3b) and the 1827 east end of the church (4a).
4a. The east wall
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4b. Loupe of Todber Freestone
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The stone used in the windows and doorways varies. The 19th century church windows, such as those in the east wall of the chancel, are Todber Freestone (4b). Earlier windows are Shaftesbury Sandstone (5) or a mix of both where they have been repaired.
5. Western wall of the north transept window all in Greensand
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6. Window in the north aisle showing Ham Hill Stone repairs to the mullions at the west end
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Some windows also have Ham Hill Stone repairs in them. For example, the 15th century window in the north wall at the west end of the north aisle has a Shaftesbury Sandstone surround with Ham Hill Stone mullions and tracery (6). The window in west wall of the south aisle (date not recorded) has a Ham Hill Stone surround with Shaftesbury Sandstone tracery above Todber Freestone mullions (7). The west tower door surround is made of blocks of Shaftesbury Sandstone (8).
7. Window in the west wall of the south arcade
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8. The west doorway
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The doorway into the north vestry in the east end of the north wall is Corallian Todber Freestone (9). The doorway into south chapel in the south wall is Shaftesbury Sandstone but it is blocked with ashlar Todber Freestone (10).
9. Doorway into the north vestry
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10. Doorway into south chapel
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The interior (11)
A number of the features seen in the interior are of late 14th to early 15th century in origin, when the existing church was re-built by the abbots of Glastonbury. The interior walls are roughly hewn blocks of Corallian limestone (12) and appear to be from the earlier church rather than having been rebuilt in the 19th century. There is evidence of a blocked north doorway between two existing windows with a blocked window above (12).
A number of the features seen in the interior are of late 14th to early 15th century in origin, when the existing church was re-built by the abbots of Glastonbury. The interior walls are roughly hewn blocks of Corallian limestone (12) and appear to be from the earlier church rather than having been rebuilt in the 19th century. There is evidence of a blocked north doorway between two existing windows with a blocked window above (12).
11. General view of the interior
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12. The interior north wall of the nave
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The floor in the porch of the West Tower doorway is Blue Lias and the floor in the central aisle is paved with Corallian limestone slabs. There are 3 floor slabs in the north aisle which are Purbeck Marble (no photo). The altar steps are shelly Corallian limestone from the Trigonia Clavellata beds possibly Marnhull Stone (13a, 13b).
13a. The altar steps
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13b. Loupe of the altar steps
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The tower arch is mainly Corallian limestone in the lower sections with some Shaftesbury Sandstone blocks in the arch above (14). The chancel arch is Corallian limestone (no photo).
14. The tower arch
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15.The north arcade
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Parts of the north (15) and south arcades are of the late 14th century with 19th-century restoration but the eastern most arches appear to be 19th century replacements and are Portland limestone from the Vale of Wardour. The earlier parts of the arcades are Shaftesbury Sandstone with Wardour Portland repairs (16a, 16b).
16a. A pillar in the south arcade
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16b. Loupe of the replacement stone in the pillars
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The 19th century font (17a) has a bowl of Portland limestone from the Vale of Wardour in Somerset (17b), a stem of Shaftesbury Sandstone and a base of Todber Freestone.
Of interest is the framed advertisement dated 1876 in the vestry advertising for masons to re-point the stone with coal ash mortar (18). Coal ash was added to the lime mortar to reduce the setting time.
Of interest is the framed advertisement dated 1876 in the vestry advertising for masons to re-point the stone with coal ash mortar (18). Coal ash was added to the lime mortar to reduce the setting time.
17a. The font
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17b. Loupe of font bowl
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18. The advertisement
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References
'Sturminster Newton', in An Inventory of the Historical Monuments in Dorset, Volume 3, Central (London, 1970), pp. 269-286. British History Online
http://www.british-history.ac.uk/rchme/dorset/vol3/pp269-286 [accessed 14 December 2018].
'Sturminster Newton', in An Inventory of the Historical Monuments in Dorset, Volume 3, Central (London, 1970), pp. 269-286. British History Online
http://www.british-history.ac.uk/rchme/dorset/vol3/pp269-286 [accessed 14 December 2018].
