File:The Collegiate Church of Saint Mary - Stafford (33292214915).jpg

The Collegiate Church of Saint Mary in Stafford. Aka Stafford Church.

It is near Earl Street and St Mary's Place. St Mary's Grove runs down one side of the church.

Grade I listed building.

<a href="http://www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/en-384034-church-of-st-mary-staffordshire#.WL3RVX9FaGw" rel="noreferrer nofollow">Church of St Mary, Stafford</a>

   STAFFORD

   SJ9223SW ST MARY'S GATE
   590-1/10/83 (West side)
   16/01/51 Church of St Mary

   GV I

   Former collegiate church. Early C13 nave and aisles; later C13
   chancel and aisles; early C14 north transept; late C14 aisle
   roofs; C15 clerestories to nave and north transept, and
   crossing tower; extensively restored, and chancel south aisle,
   south transept and crossing rebuilt by Sir Gilbert Scott,
   1841-4.
   MATERIALS: coursed squared stone with ashlar dressings; tile
   roofs with fishscale bands and cresting to chancel south aisle
   and south transept.
   EXTERIOR: chancel has aisles under gabled roofs; deep plinth
   and sill courses; shafted windows with hoods with stops; coped
   gables with gargoyle to valley to left; C19 five-light east
   window with Geometrical tracery. 4-bay chancel north aisle
   cornice and coped parapet with gargoyles; 3-light windows with
   Perpendicular tracery between offset buttresses and C19
   four-light Early English east window. 4-bay chancel south
   aisle has large gabled buttresses rising above cornice and
   coped parapet; two C19 three-light Early English windows and
   two 3-light windows with Geometrical tracery, one C19; end
   turret with small broach spire; C19 three-light
   segmental-pointed east window.
   Tower has quatrefoils in square recesses and drip moulds with
   large beast stops; angle gargoyles and C19 crocketed
   pinnacles; octagonal top stage has paired 2-light louvred
   bell-openings; tracery frieze, cornice with gargoyles and
   panelled parapet with crocketed pinnacles, mostly C19. North
   transept has deep plinth and shallow gabled roof, large
   diagonal buttresses with short pinnacles to ends; C14 entrance
   of 4 orders with ball flower and Tudor flower, 7-light north
   window and 4-light west window with Decorated tracery; 3-light
   east window with Perpendicular tracery; 3-bay clerestory with
   3-light windows between Perpendicular panelling; cornice with
   gargoyles and embattled parapet.
   South transept has deep plinth and coped gable with cross,
   large offset angle buttresses; stepped triplet of lancets with
   narrow buttresses between lights and roundel to gable; C13
   west lancet over low entrance. Nave has 5-bay clerestory with
   3-light windows: details as to north transept; C13 shallow
   buttresses; west entrance of 3 orders, hood with stops;
   4-light west window. 4-bay north aisle has three C14
   three-light windows between gabled buttresses and blocked C13
   entrance, missing shafts; cornice with gargoyles and embattled
   parapet; west lancet. 4-bay south aisle has similar cornice
   and parapet; three C14 three-light windows; gabled buttress
   and C19 gabled porch with gabled buttresses; entrance of 3
   orders with foliate capitals, niche above with nodding ogee
   canopy and statue of St Mary; 2-light straight-headed side
   windows; inner entrance of 2 orders with stiff-leaf capitals.
   INTERIOR: 5-bay chancel arcades on keeled quatrefoil columns;
   C19 arch-braced roofs; chancel south aisle has west arch with
   foliate capitals; restored double piscina. Crossing has
   rebuilt arches of 3 orders with transitional capitals; C19
   ceiling beams with dog-tooth moulding. North transept has
   blind arcading with 4 diagonally set pinnacles to north wall;
   C19 roof; arch to east filled with organ.
   South transept has west arch with stiff-leaf capitals, 3
   lights to wall passage above and canted inner angle to right;
   inner west lancet with passage between outer and inner
   windows. Nave has 5-bay arcades on piers with demi-shafts,
   with renewed Transitional capitals, C19 stenciling over
   arches; rich C15 roof with moulded elements and bosses; over
   east arch a blind arcade with 2 trefoil-headed lights and
   opening above; former roof lines visible.
   FITTINGS: chancel has Minton tiles; C19 stalls and rail; altar
   and riddel posts; tiled east wall; C19 timber sedilia; north
   aisle has C19 vestry partition to east and 1909 organ to west.
   North transept has C15 octagonal stoup. Nave has c1200 font on
   C19 base, quatrefoil form on plinth with lions and crouching
   figures, figures to re-entrant angles and inscription to rim
   and plinth; C19 pews with rich fleuron finials; C19 hexagonal
   pulpit on post, with cusped ogee panels; organ to west end of
   1789-90, extended, 1909 and moved to present position, 1974.
   MONUMENTS: many C18 and C19 wall tablets, some floor slabs,
   including 2 iron plates to Ann Gollins, d.1791, and John
   Gollins, d.1805. North transept has ex-situ chest tomb to Sir
   Edward Aston, d.1568, and wife Joan, twisted colonnettes and
   figures to sides, 2 recumbent effigies, one damaged, and wall
   tablet with inscription and armorial bearing; large wall
   tablet in Gothick recess to Barbara Clifford, d.1786, and
   husband Thomas, d.1787, by JF More, tablet with sarcophagus
   above and obelisk with armorial bearing; a group of brass wall
   tablets to north wall. South transept has rich wall tablet to
   Humphrey Hodgetts, d.1730, with apron with cherubs and obelisk
   with armorial bearing above. North aisle has 1878 wall tablet
   to Izaak Walton, d.1683, in blocked entrance, with bust on
   ledge by RC Bett.
   STAINED GLASS: east window, 1844; north transept east window
   by CE Kempe; very good nave west window, 1850, by Gerente;
   north aisle west window, 1846, by Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin;
   other C19 and C20 glass in north transept and south aisle.

   A good example of a large parish church with important
   restoration/rebuilding work by Sir Gilbert Scott and many good
   memorials; the font is a notable example.
   (Buildings of England: Pevsner N and Nairn J: Staffordshire:
   London: 1974-: 240-3; Victoria County History of
   Staffordshire: Greenslade MW: A History of Stafford: London:
   1979-: 242-5; Shell Guides: Henry Thorold: Staffordshire:
   London: 1978-: 152-3; Fisher MJ M.A. Rev: A Guide to St
   Mary's: Stafford).

   Listing NGR: SJ9213823206

This text is a legacy record and has not been updated since the building was originally listed. Details of the building may have changed in the intervening time. You should not rely on this listing as an accurate description of the building.

Source: English Heritage