St Leonard's Church, Spernall
Encyclopedia
St Leonard's Church, Spernall, is a redundant church
in Spernall
, Warwickshire
, England . It has been designated by English Heritage
as a Grade II* listed building, and is under the care of the Friends of Friendless Churches
.
arch, and some of the glass, dates back to the 12th century. Additions and amendments were made in the 14th century. The northwest corner of the nave
was rebuilt in brick in the 18th century. The proch was initially timber-framed
, but was rebuilt in 1802 and again in 1847. In or around 1844 the chancel
, and the bellcote were added. The bellcote replaced and earlier pyramidal cap. Oak seating and panelling
were installed in the church in 1935.
with some brick, and the chancel is in lias
. The nave is roofed with old tiles, while the tiles roofing the chancel are from the 20th century. The plan of the church consists of a two-bay
nave and a single-bay chancel with a south porch that was used as a vestry
. At the west end is a single bellcote. The chancel measures 12 in 9 in (3.89 m) by 10 in 2 in (3.1 m). The east window is a wheel window
, and on the side walls are small round-headed windows. The nave measures 37 in 3 in (11.35 m) by 15 in 10 in (4.83 m) and contains two windows and a doorway in both the north and the south walls; the doorway in the south wall opens into a porch. At the west end is a two-light window. The communion rails date from the 18th century, while the font
and other furnishings are later. The north door dates from 1535 and is described as "a work of national interest". The door was damaged in 1994 by vandals, but it still retains its original uprights and wooden tracery
, and a ring pull set in a lion's mouth. At one time there was a sundial
added in 1818, but this has disappeared. There is a single bell that was cast from the two bells present before the restoration of 1844. The church plate includes a cup hallmark
ed London 1655. The parish register
s date from 1562, but are incomplete before 1666.
applied to convert it into a house but this was declined and in 1976 the diocese applied for demolition. The Friends of Friendless Churches and the Ancient Monuments Society
took an interest in conserving it. At the time the Friends of Friendless Churches did not have sufficient funds to purchase it, and on 29 August 1980 it was bought by the Ancient Monuments Society. It is the only church to have been owned by this society. Repairs undertaken at this time included the rebuilding of a section of the nave, and the re-roofing of the chancel; this cost £4,000. Further repairs were undertaken in 2004 which included reconstruction of the porch and bellcote, using original material as much as possible, and the re-roofing of part of the nave roof. This cost about £25,000 and was paid for by the Friends of Friendless Churches. It is planned to carry out further work on the chancel in 2010. Since 1983 the artist Nicholas Jones has been using the church as a workshop.
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...
in Spernall
Spernall
Spernall is a remote village north of Alcester in the Parish of Oldberrow, Morton Bagot, and Spernall, in the Stratford on Avon District of Warwickshire, England. In 2001 it had a population of 153. It is situated on the banks of the small River Arrow, the name meaning Spera's border . Early forms...
, Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
, 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 Friends of Friendless Churches
Friends of Friendless Churches
Friends of Friendless Churches is a registered charity active in England and Wales. It campaigns for and rescues redundant historic churches threatened by demolition, decay, or inappropriate conversion. To that end, as of August 2010, it owns 43 former churches or chapels, 23 of which...
.
Early history
The first documentary evidence of the church is in the 1190s, and much of its fabric, including the chancelChancel
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...
arch, and some of the glass, dates back to the 12th century. Additions and amendments were made in the 14th century. The northwest corner of the nave
Nave
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...
was rebuilt in brick in the 18th century. The proch was initially timber-framed
Timber framing
Timber framing , or half-timbering, also called in North America "post-and-beam" construction, is the method of creating structures using heavy squared off and carefully fitted and joined timbers with joints secured by large wooden pegs . It is commonplace in large barns...
, but was rebuilt in 1802 and again in 1847. In or around 1844 the 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...
, and the bellcote were added. The bellcote replaced and earlier pyramidal cap. Oak seating and panelling
Panelling
Panelling is a wall covering constructed from rigid or semi-rigid components. These are traditionally interlocking wood, but could be plastic or other materials....
were installed in the church in 1935.
Architecture
The nave is constructed in limestoneLimestone
Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....
with some brick, and the chancel is in lias
Lias Group
The Lias Group or Lias is a lithostratigraphic unit found in a large area of western Europe, including the British Isles, the North Sea, the low countries and the north of Germany...
. The nave is roofed with old tiles, while the tiles roofing the chancel are from the 20th century. The plan of the church consists of a two-bay
Bay (architecture)
A bay is a unit of form in architecture. This unit is defined as the zone between the outer edges of an engaged column, pilaster, or post; or within a window frame, doorframe, or vertical 'bas relief' wall form.-Defining elements:...
nave and a single-bay chancel with a south porch that was used as a vestry
Vestry
A vestry is a room in or attached to a church or synagogue in which the vestments, vessels, records, etc., are kept , and in which the clergy and choir robe or don their vestments for divine service....
. At the west end is a single bellcote. The chancel measures 12 in 9 in (3.89 m) by 10 in 2 in (3.1 m). The east window is a wheel window
Rose window
A Rose window is often used as a generic term applied to a circular window, but is especially used for those found in churches of the Gothic architectural style and being divided into segments by stone mullions and tracery...
, and on the side walls are small round-headed windows. The nave measures 37 in 3 in (11.35 m) by 15 in 10 in (4.83 m) and contains two windows and a doorway in both the north and the south walls; the doorway in the south wall opens into a porch. At the west end is a two-light window. The communion rails date from the 18th century, while the font
Baptismal font
A baptismal font is an article of church furniture or a fixture used for the baptism of children and adults.-Aspersion and affusion fonts:...
and other furnishings are later. The north door dates from 1535 and is described as "a work of national interest". The door was damaged in 1994 by vandals, but it still retains its original uprights and wooden 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:...
, and a ring pull set in a lion's mouth. At one time there was a sundial
Sundial
A sundial is a device that measures time by the position of the Sun. In common designs such as the horizontal sundial, the sun casts a shadow from its style onto a surface marked with lines indicating the hours of the day. The style is the time-telling edge of the gnomon, often a thin rod or a...
added in 1818, but this has disappeared. There is a single bell that was cast from the two bells present before the restoration of 1844. The church plate includes a cup hallmark
Hallmark
A hallmark is an official mark or series of marks struck on items made of precious metals — platinum, gold, silver and in some nations, palladium...
ed London 1655. The parish register
Parish register
A parish register is a handwritten volume, normally kept in a parish church or deposited within a county record office or alternative archive repository, in which details of baptisms, marriages and burials are recorded.-History:...
s date from 1562, but are incomplete before 1666.
Recent history and present day
The church was closed and declared redundant in 1972. The Diocese of CoventryDiocese of Coventry
The Diocese of Coventry is a Church of England diocese in the Province of Canterbury. It is headed by the Bishop of Coventry, who sits at Coventry Cathedral in Coventry, and is assisted by one suffragan bishop, the Bishop of Warwick. The diocese covers Coventry and Warwickshire.The diocese is...
applied to convert it into a house but this was declined and in 1976 the diocese applied for demolition. The Friends of Friendless Churches and the Ancient Monuments Society
Ancient Monuments Society
The Ancient Monuments Society is a registered charity in England and Wales, founded in 1924 "for the study and conservation of ancient monuments, historic buildings and fine old craftsmanship".-National Amenity Societies:...
took an interest in conserving it. At the time the Friends of Friendless Churches did not have sufficient funds to purchase it, and on 29 August 1980 it was bought by the Ancient Monuments Society. It is the only church to have been owned by this society. Repairs undertaken at this time included the rebuilding of a section of the nave, and the re-roofing of the chancel; this cost £4,000. Further repairs were undertaken in 2004 which included reconstruction of the porch and bellcote, using original material as much as possible, and the re-roofing of part of the nave roof. This cost about £25,000 and was paid for by the Friends of Friendless Churches. It is planned to carry out further work on the chancel in 2010. Since 1983 the artist Nicholas Jones has been using the church as a workshop.