St Arild's Church, Oldbury-on-the-Hill
Encyclopedia
St Arild's Church, Oldbury-on-the-Hill, is a redundant
Anglican
church near the village of Oldbury-on-the-Hill
, Gloucestershire
, England. It has been designated by English Heritage
as a Grade II* listed building, and is under the care of the Churches Conservation Trust
. 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
. Access to the church is across fields or through a farmyard.
and chancel
, with a small north porch, and a west tower. The tower is in three stages divided by string courses, with diagonal stepped buttress
es 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 battlement
ed parapet
. The north porch is gable
d, 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
.
Internally there is a tall pointed tower arch. The ceiling is plain and plastered. Some 18th-century box pew
s are still present on the south side of the church, and there is also a two-tier pulpit
.
Redundant church
A redundant church is a church building that is no longer required for regular public worship. The phrase is particularly used to refer to former Anglican buildings in the United Kingdom, but may refer to any disused church building around the world...
Anglican
Anglicanism
Anglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures. The word Anglican originates in ecclesia anglicana, a medieval Latin phrase dating to at least 1246 that means the English...
church near the village of Oldbury-on-the-Hill
Oldbury-on-the-Hill
Oldbury-on-the-Hill is a small village and former civil parish in Gloucestershire, England, ninety-three miles west of London and less than one mile north of the village of Didmarton.-History:...
, Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
, England. It has been designated by English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
as a Grade II* listed building, and is under the care of the Churches Conservation Trust
Churches Conservation Trust
The Churches Conservation Trust, which was initially known as the Redundant Churches Fund, is a charity whose purpose is to protect historic churches at risk, those that have been made redundant by the Church of England. The Trust was established by the Pastoral Measure of 1968...
. The church is dedicated
Dedication
Dedication is the act of consecrating an altar, temple, church or other sacred building. It also refers to the inscription of books or other artifacts when these are specifically addressed or presented to a particular person. This practice, which once was used to gain the patronage and support of...
to Arilda
Arilda
Saint Arilda a little-known female saint from Oldbury-on-Severn in the English county of Gloucestershire. She probably lived in the 5th or 6th century and may have been of either Anglo-Saxon or Welsh origin....
, 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
Oldbury-on-Severn
Oldbury-on-Severn is a small village near the mouth of the River Severn in South Gloucestershire. It is home to the nearby Oldbury nuclear power station, a Magnox power station which opened in 1967 and is due to cease operation in 2011....
. Access to the church is across fields or through a farmyard.
History
The church originated in the 13th century, although most of its fabric dates from the late 15th or early 16th century. Repairs were carried out in the 18th century.Architecture
St Arild's is constructed in stone with a stone slate roof. Its style is Perpendicular. The plan consists of a naveNave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
and chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
, with a small north porch, and a west tower. The tower is in three stages divided by string courses, with diagonal stepped buttress
Buttress
A buttress is an architectural structure built against or projecting from a wall which serves to support or reinforce the wall...
es in the lowest stage. Also in the lowest stage is a two-light arched west window. The middle stage has a small lancet window
Lancet window
A lancet window is a tall narrow window with a pointed arch at its top. It acquired the "lancet" name from its resemblance to a lance. Instances of this architectural motif are most often found in Gothic and ecclesiastical structures, where they are often placed singly or in pairs.The motif first...
on the west side, and on all sides in the highest stage are two-light louvred
Louver
A louver or louvre , from the French l'ouvert; "the open one") is a window, blind or shutter with horizontal slats that are angled to admit light and air, but to keep out rain, direct sunshine, and noise...
bell openings. At the top of the tower is a battlement
Battlement
A battlement in defensive architecture, such as that of city walls or castles, comprises a parapet , in which portions have been cut out at intervals to allow the discharge of arrows or other missiles. These cut-out portions form crenels...
ed parapet
Parapet
A parapet is a wall-like barrier at the edge of a roof, terrace, balcony or other structure. Where extending above a roof, it may simply be the portion of an exterior wall that continues above the line of the roof surface, or may be a continuation of a vertical feature beneath the roof such as a...
. The north porch is gable
Gable
A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of a sloping roof. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system being used and aesthetic concerns. Thus the type of roof enclosing the volume dictates the shape of the gable...
d, and in the north wall is a three-light ogee
Ogee
An ogee is a curve , shaped somewhat like an S, consisting of two arcs that curve in opposite senses, so that the ends are parallel....
-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
Tracery
In architecture, Tracery is the stonework elements that support the glass in a Gothic window. The term probably derives from the 'tracing floors' on which the complex patterns of late Gothic windows were laid out.-Plate tracery:...
.
Internally there is a tall pointed tower arch. The ceiling is plain and plastered. Some 18th-century box pew
Box pew
Box pew is a type of church pew that is encased in panelling and was prevalent in England and other Protestant countries from the 16th to early 19th century.-History in England:...
s are still present on the south side of the church, and there is also a two-tier pulpit
Pulpit
Pulpit is a speakers' stand in a church. In many Christian churches, there are two speakers' stands at the front of the church. Typically, the one on the left is called the pulpit...
.