Church Of The Holy Cross, Ashton Keynes, Wiltshire, SN6 (Grade I)

SU 09 SW ASHTON KEYNES –

10/1 Church of the Holy Cross 1.7.1.55 I

Anglican parish church. C12, C13, C14, C15 and 1876-7 by William Butterfield. Coursed limestone rubble. Stone slate roofs. Nave of later C12 with aisles and chancel. Aisles remodelled C14 with C15 alterations. C14 west tower. North and south porches of C15, gabled with hollow chamfered arches and hoodmould, and brattished plates and panelled wood vault with moulded ribs. C15 square headed south door. Aisles with 2-light quatrefoil headed windows, but east window on south side C15 or C16 restored C19. Chancel C12 north wall pierced with early C13 arches, now enclosed in early C13 chapel with trefoiled triple lancets and priest’s door. East windows to chancel and chapel C19. Quatrefoil clerestorey windows to nave. Three-stage tower with 2-light bell openings and machicolated parapet. Five-light west window. Bench mark 290.3ft. Interior: Nave of 4 bays. North arcade in 2 sections, 2 arches to east probably late C12 on octagonal column and leaf capitals. Two western arches with round columns and responds and circular abaci, c1200. South arcade early C13, hollow chamfered arches on round columns and abaci. Roof C15, of 5½ bays with moulded and painted ties and trussed collar rafters. Chancel arch late C12 rebuilt wider 1876-7, two orders of chevrons on slender responds with shafts and water holding bases. Chancel of 2 bays with painted barrel vault and brick wall decoration, all 1876-7 by Butterfield. North chapel has 3 pilaster buttresses of original chancel and 2 piscinae with credence shelves. Fittings: Tub font, C12 with chevron and upturned palmette decoration, reset in C19. Oak pulpit also C19. Monuments: North Aisle: Over east wall, probably C14 reredos reset, central vesica with flanking gabled niches and brackets for figures, all in moulded recess. Relief figures in spandrels. Two wall tablets, early C19 white marble on slate. To SARAH MASKELYNE and family, 1837 by Franklin of Purton, and MAURICE MASKELYNE Bennett, died 1800, also by Franklin. At west end of aisle, dismembered fragments of a C17 monument with crest, arms, cherubs etc. South aisle: Tablet, 1778 of white marble, to CHARLOTTE NICHOLAS and husband, daughter of Sir Thomas Frankland, Admiral of the White, by Flaxman. Relief over recording deathbed scene. Tablet, 1911 of white marble, to JOHN BOWLEY recording bequests. Glass: Some C15 or C16 pieces in head of south aisle eastern window. Brass, in chancel, 1658 to 3 generations called HENRY HAWKINS. (Pevsner, Buildings of England, Wiltshire; W.A.M. XXVII. p 29. (1893) by C.E. Ponting).