Dymock, Gloucestershire

St. Mary (parish church)

The church of St. Mary is a building of stone with some remains of Norman work, consisting of chancel, large nave, transepts of unequal height, south porch and an embattled western tower, with oak spire, containing 6 bells, and a clock erected by public subscription at a cost of £120; the church has been partially restored after plans prepared by Mr. J. Middleton, architect; the large oak door in the south porch and the oak choir stalls were designed by Mr. F. Waller, the diocesan architect: the pulpit of stone and alabaster is a memorial to Charlotte Eleanor Thackwell, who died 15th July, 1880, and was given by her children, nephew and nieces; the brass lectern was presented by Mrs. Wynniatt in memory of her husband, Reginald Wynniatt esq, of Dymock Grange: the stained east window was the gift in 1889 of the late Earl Beauchamp, and there are memorial windows to the Rev. Charles Mein Dighton, vicar of Longhope from 1825, d. 24 December, 1826; Maria, his wife, and their great-grandchild; Edmund Story esq. 1874; William Finch Deane, d. 26 June, 1866; Henry Fludyer Deane, d. 1 November, 1874; Richard Grenville Deane, d. 31 January, 1877; Frederick sixth Earl Beauchamp, d. 19 February, 1891; Mrs. Horton, wife of a former vicar, d. 1899, by whom an oak parclose screen in a side chapel was erected, and the tower re-floored with wood blocks: in the chancel is a monument to Robert Wintour, of the Inner Temple, London, gent. son of William Wintour, of Dymock, d. 1718; and in the north transept a monument to John Wynniatt esq. ob. 1670: there are other memorials to Edward Pye Chamberlayne esq. of Boyce Court, d. 1729, and Elizabeth, his wife, d. 1775; the Rev. Evan Evans M.A. of Jesus College, Oxon, vicar of this parish from 1800, d. 1817; David Evans M.A. of Wadham College, Oxon, brother of the preceding and vicar of this parish 1817-20; Thomas Wall, ob. 1664, and his wife, ob. 1672; the Rev. John Simons M.A. 40 years vicar of Dymock, d. 1866; and to the Cam, Hill and other families: the organ was presented in 1885 by C. H. Palairet esq. at a cost of £360: the roof of the north chapel, with the window above, have been completely restored, and in 1880 a new panelled roof was fixed over the chancel at the cost of the late Earl Beauchamp, and that of the porch was repaired in 1896 at a cost of £45; there are remains of a central lantern tower and the piers of a Norman apse, and one window of that date also exists: the Norman south doorway remains in situ: a screen of carved oak, partly reproducing some fragments of the ancient screen found at the Grange, was erected in 1891 from designs by Mr. H. Prothero: the church affords 400 sittings: the old church walk has been planted with a double row of lime trees, and the churchyard with shrubs. A lych gate of oak was erected in 1895 at a cost of £150 as a memorial to Major Stanley Napier Raikes, who died 21 March, 1891.