St Arild's Church, Oldbury-on-the-Hill

St Arild's Church is a historic Anglican church near the village of Oldbury-on-the-Hill, Gloucestershire, England under the care of The Churches Conservation Trust.[1] It is recorded in the National Heritage List for England as a designated Grade II* listed building,[2] The church is dedicated to Arilda, a female saint who was a virgin and a martyr. This is one of only two churches dedicated to her, the other being nearby at Oldbury-on-Severn.[3] Access to the church is across fields or through a farmyard.[1]

St Arild's Church, Oldbury-on-the-Hill
A stone church seen from the northwest. The tower is battlemented, and the relatively small plain body of the church extends beyond it
St Arild's Church, Oldbury-on-the-Hill, from the northwest
St Arild's Church, Oldbury-on-the-Hill is located in Gloucestershire
St Arild's Church, Oldbury-on-the-Hill
St Arild's Church, Oldbury-on-the-Hill
Location in Gloucestershire
51°35′33″N 2°15′47″W / 51.5926°N 2.2630°W / 51.5926; -2.2630
OS grid referenceST 818 882
LocationOldbury-on-the-Hill, Gloucestershire
CountryEngland
DenominationAnglican
Website[1]
History
DedicationSaint Arild
Architecture
Functional statusRedundant
Heritage designationGrade II*
Designated6 September 1964
Architectural typeChurch
StyleGothic
Groundbreaking13th century
Specifications
MaterialsStone, stone slate roof

History

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The church originated in the 13th century,[1] although most of its fabric dates from the late 15th or early 16th century.[2] Repairs were carried out in the 18th century.[1]

Architecture

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St Arild's is constructed in stone with a stone slate roof.[2] Its style is Perpendicular.[1] The plan consists of a nave and chancel, with a small north porch, and a west tower. The tower is in three stages divided by string courses, with diagonal stepped buttresses in the lowest stage. Also in the lowest stage is a two-light arched west window. The middle stage has a small lancet window on the west side, and on all sides in the highest stage are two-light louvred bell openings. At the top of the tower is a battlemented parapet. The north porch is gabled, and in the north wall is a three-light ogee-headed window. On the south side of the nave are four windows of different types. The east window in the chancel has a three-light window containing Decorated (geometrical) tracery.[2]

Internally there is a tall pointed tower arch. The ceiling is plain and plastered. Some 18th-century box pews are still present on the south side of the church, and there is also a two-tier pulpit.[2]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e St Arild's Church, Oldbury-on-the-Hill, Gloucestershire, Churches Conservation Trust, retrieved 29 March 2011
  2. ^ a b c d e Historic England, "Church of St Arild, Didmarton (1089732)", National Heritage List for England, retrieved 5 October 2013
  3. ^ Bradshaw, Jane (1998), St Arilda of Oldbury on Severn, Gloucestershire, University of Bath, retrieved 25 October 2010
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