Listed Building record MDR776 - Church of St Cuthbert, Mill Lane, Doveridge

Church of St Cuthbert, Mill Lane, Doveridge, built in the late 12th century. 'The church of Dovebridge dedicated to St Cuthbert is probably early 13th century with 14th century aisles and many 15th century alterations.' (1) 'In normal use (1966).' (2) A bell in St Cuthbert's is of historical significance. Dating from 1633, it is an ornamental example of the work of founder T II Hancox of Walsall. (3) A watching brief carried out inside the southern aisle in 2010 revealed the tops of brick walls, which may date to an earlier, internal construction of the chuch, or may be related to under-floor burials. (4) From the National Heritage List for England: 'SK 13 SW; 2/4 PARISH OF DOVERIDGE, CHURCH LANE (West Side) Church of St Cuthbert 13.09.67 GV I Parish church. Late C12, C13, early C14, C15. Restorations in 1840 and 1869. Sandstone ashlar, welsh slate south aisle roof, other roofs lead with coped gables. West steeple, clerestoried nave with aisles and chancel. Chamfered plinth. Plain parapet to clerestory and aisles. West tower of three stages with clasping buttresses. The lower part late C12, remodelled and raised in the C13. C14 ashlar spire, with one tier of lucarnes. C13 west doorway with one order of colonettes. Two closely spaced lancet lights above under a single dogtooth hoodmould. To the south a single narrow lancet, coupled lancets above under single dogtooth hoodmould, and a small lancet above again. A similar arrangement to north. Battlements and spire. North aisle has Dec west window of two cusped ogee lights, with hoodmould, low double chamfered north door now enclosed in c1980 corridor leading to church hall, not of listable quality. To the left are two 2-light Dec windows similar to the west window and between them a buttress. Angle buttress and 3-light east window with reticulated tracery. All windows with deep outer chamfer. The South aisle has a 2-light west window of two cusped lancets with mouchettes and quatrefoil. Hoodmould with head stops. The South side has a single chamfered doorway and hoodmould with head stops. C20 doors. To the right two Dec windows either side of a buttress as on the north side. Angle buttress and 3-light east window with renewed reticulated tracery. Clerestory has to the south four 3-light windows, the easternmost one has a segmental head and crudely trefoiled lights. The others have plain mullions under flat arches. The north side has two similar windows, one plain, the easternmost one as on the south. Tall chancel with blind clerestory. To the north five tall lancets, double chamfered and partly recut. Hoodmould continuing as string course. Heavy string course at sill level of windows, above the plinth and beneath the clerestory. One heavy C19 buttress, a buttress at the east and west ends and two low buttresses. The South side from the east has three similar lancets, a priests doorway with filleted roll moulding and hoodmould, and a tall 2-light C14 window with almost triangular headed cusped lights under one segmental head. Four string courses as on the north side. Two large buttresses and two smaller buttresses. Large 5-light Perp east window, much renewed, with panel tracery. Buttresses on either side. Beneath the east window a wall tablet to Katherine Wall died 1713, metal inscription plate with coat of arms and classical stone aedicule. INTERIOR has four-bay south arcade and three-bay north arcade. Octagonal piers and capitals and double chamfered arches. The capitals all look re-cut. In the south aisles evidence of an earlier clerestory. Low tower arch, double chamfered, the inner order on corbels low down, that to the south with a head and nailhead. No chancel arch, nave and chancel continue uninterrupted. Continuous moulded hoodmould over the windows and string course above. C15 nave and chancel roof with arch-braced tie beams. Moulded principal rafters and purlins. North side of the chancel has a tomb recess with moulded arch. In front of it a brass surround to Ralph Okeover died 1487. To the right two aumbrys, one with an early C19 door. Double piscina on the south side with octagonal colonette and moulded arches. C13. The right-hand arch is cut into by a large wall monument above, to William Davenport and his wife, died 1640 and 1639. Free standing figures face each other across a prayer desk, architectural surround, three praying children below and a child in a cot. Arabella Cavendish died 1739, bold surround with frieze of gadrooning along the bottom. Henry Cavendish died 1698, with a bolection moulded surround. Francis Cavendish died 1650, tablet framed by paired columns with a kind of round-arched pediment. Rev. John Fitzherbert died 1785, tablet surmounted by an urn against a slate obelisk. Small brass to the left of the aumbrys to Francis Cavendish died 1650. Rev Thomas Cavendish died 1859, tablet by C Maile Sc of London. In the south aisle a wall monument to Thomas Milward died 1658 with crudely carved figures holding back curtains from the tablet. Incised alabaster slab, to a priest, C14 (north aisle). Chest, probably C17, in the Chancel. Stained glass: Two lancets in chancel south c1924 by Kempe and Tower. In the north windows glass of the 1860s possibly by Clayton and Bell. Two windows in the north aisle 1960 by Patrick Nuttgens. In the south aisle west window, jumbled fragments of C15 glass. Font, circular bowl on a cluster of shafts, probably C13 but completely recut. C18 cover. Three C18 hatchments (chancel north). C19 woodwork. Listing NGR: SK1138334103.' (5)