Listed Building record MDO10981 - Parish church of St Mary Magdalene, Loders

A parish church with elements of the 12th, 13th, 14th and 15th century throughout. Built of rubble-stone and dressed stone and having slate roofs with stone gable-endings. The church was restored in 1836 and 1900.

Parish Church of St Mary Magdalene. Formerly the Priory Church of Loders Priory. The western half of the north wall of the chancel dates fro the C12th, but the rest of the chancel is C13th, which may also be the date of the nave. The west tower and south porch are C14th, the south chapel C15th. Restored in 1836 and 1900. The font is Purbeck marble, square with 4 blind arcades on each face. Rounded stone item with attached shafts ca. 1200.
<1>

The blocked main North doorway appears to be Saxon, and may have led into the priory. A Norman shaft and scalloped capital East of the chancel window may indicate former rib-vaulting. <3>

Le Pard, Gordon, 1998, Medieval sundials in Dorset. Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society 119, 71 Fig 2.3, 77 (Article in serial). SDO21411.

<1> Royal Commission on Historical Monuments England, 1952, An Inventory of Historical Monuments in the County of Dorset, Volume I (West), 137-139 (Monograph). SDO97.

'(1) PARISH CHURCH OF ST. MARY MAGDALENE (Plate 82) stands at the W. end of the village. The walls are of local rubble and ashlar with dressings of the same materials; the roofs are covered with slates and lead. The manor was given by Richard de Redvers in about the year 1107 to the Norman abbey of Montebourg, and the Priory of Loders was founded as a cell of that abbey. The western half of the N. wall of the Chancel dates from the 12th century but the rest of the chancel seems to have been rebuilt and extended in the 13th century, which may also be the date of the Nave. Late in the 14th century the chancel-arch was rebuilt and the West Tower and South Porch added. Early in the 15th century the South Chapel was added and an upper storey built over the porch. Probably during the same century the E. half of the S. wall of the chancel was rebuilt. The Priory was dissolved with other alien houses in 1411. The church was restored in 1836 and in 1900, and the E. wall has been refaced or rebuilt. The monastic buildings seem to have stood to the N. of the church and some of the walls of Loders Court (3), to the N. of the chancel, may be of mediaeval date.

The church is of some architectural interest and among the fittings the font and carvings should be noted.

Architectural Description - The Chancel (36½ ft. by 16¼ ft. at the E. end and 14¾ ft. at the W. end) has a modern E. window. In the N. wall are three windows, the easternmost of c. 1400 and of three cinquefoiled lights with vertical tracery in a two-centred head; the second window is a partly restored 13th century lancet; the third window is of the 12th century and is a single round-headed light, modern externally; below it is the shouldered head of a blocked doorway; the internal lintel is the reversed head of an early window; between the two western windows are the remains of a 12th century respond of one large and one small shaft with remains of scalloped capitals; there was probably a second small shaft to the E. and the whole would seem to be the remains of the respond of a cross-arch, the side shafts perhaps supporting vaulting-ribs. In the S. wall are three windows, the easternmost of the 15th century and of three cinquefoiled lights with vertical tracery in a two-centred head with a label; the middle window is of c. 1400 and of two trefoiled lights with tracery in a two-centred head with a label; the western-most window is modern except the splays; in its W. splay is a squint, from the S. chapel, with a flat triangular head; the 15th century doorway has hollow-chamfered jambs and four-centred head; in the W. splay is a small recess with modern jambs and cinquefoiled ogee head; it is probably a lamp-niche. The late 14th-century chancel-arch is two-centred and moulded and springs from moulded and shafted responds with moulded and carved capitals and moulded bases.

The Nave (57¼ ft. by 20¼ ft.) has, in the N. wall, three windows, the two eastern of late 14th century date and of two trefoiled lights with tracery in a two-centred head with a label; the eastern is much restored; the 15th century westernmost window is much restored and of three cinquefoiled lights with vertical tracery in a two-centred head with moulded reveals and label with returned stops; at the E. end of the wall is the largely rebuilt rood-loft staircase now combined with a partly modern approach to the pulpit; the restored lower doorway has a chamfered lintel and the upper doorway has a flat four-centred head of early 16th century date' between the two western windows are the jambs and two-centred arch of a blocked doorway and near the W. end of the wall is a second blocked doorway with a four-centred head. In the S. wall is an early 15th century arcade of two bays, with two-centred and moulded arches springing from responds each with one shaft and a pier with four attached shafts with moulded bases and capitals enriched with paterae; the late 14th century S. doorway has moulded jambs; four-centred head and label with returned stops; further W. is a much restored late 14th century window similar to those in the N. wall and with a label.

The South Chapel (30½ ft. by 11¾ ft.) is of early 15th century date, ashlar-faced and finished with an embattled parapet, pinnacles and carved stops or gargoyles. At the S.W. angle is a semi-octagonal stair-turret giving access to the room over the porch; it is finished with a moulded parapet, pinnacles and carved half-figures of men, some of whom are playing musical instruments. The E. window is of four cinquefoiled ogee lights with vertical tracery in a two-centred head with moulded reveals and label with head-stops. In the S. wall are two windows similar to the E. window.

The West Tower (12 ft. square) is ashlar-faced and of late 14th century date; it is of three stages with an embattled parapet and gargoyles. The two-centred tower-arch is of two orders, the outer chamfered and continuous and the inner moulded and springing from attached shafts with moulded capitals and bases. The W. doorway has moulded jambs and two-centred head; above it is a window of three trefoiled lights with vertical tracery in a two-centred head, with a moulded label and returned stops. The second stage has, in the S. wall, a window of two transomed and trefoiled lights with tracery in a two-centred head with a moulded label and head-stops. The bell-chamber has in each wall a similar window but without transoms or labels.

The South Porch is of late 14th century date, but the upper storey was added early in the 15th century and has a parapet similar to and continuous with that of the S. chapel; it is continued along the W. part of the S. wall of the nave. The outer archway has moulded jambs and segmental-pointed arch with a label and returned stops. The upper storey has, in the S. and W. walls, a window of one cinquefoiled light in a square head with a label.

The Roofs of the chancel and nave are of barrel-form and plastered; the latter has a moulded cornice on the side walls. The S. chapel has five chamfered tie-beams. The roofs of the porch, the storey over and the ground stage of the tower have chamfered beams.

Fittings - Bells: six; 3rd (not hung) perhaps by Thomas Purdue, 1647; 6th by Thomas Pennington, 1626. Brass: see under Monuments (3). Chest: In S. chapel (used as altar) - incorporates four traceried and four linen-fold panels, one panel with a shield bearing a dolphin and another with France modern, French, late 15th century. Coffin-lid: In chancel - broken tapering slab of Purbeck marble with cross on calvary, 13th century. Door: In tower-staircase - of nail-studded battens, with iron fleur-de-lis and strap-hinges, probably late 14th-century; in doorway to second stage, of battens with strap hinges, mediaeval. Font (Plate 13): square bowl of Purbeck marble with four round-headed panels in each face, rounded stone stem with four attached shafts or lobes, c. 1200. Glass: In E. window, to Margaret Nepean, 1833, figure subjects in the main lights, the birth of Christ, the Crucifixion, Resurrection and Baptism, with Evangelists' symbols, and figures in tracery. In nave - in N.W. window, in tracery, blue rose and rays, 15th century. In S. chapel - in tracery of S.E. window, figures of (a) bishop or abbot; (b) St. Barbara with tower; (c) St. Dorothy with basket flowers; in tracery of second window, (d) Benedictine abbot, with manacle in right hand, probably St. Leonard; (e) man with bag and staff, 15th century, largely in situ. Images: In E. wall of S. chapel - carved stone Crucifixion (Plate 10) with the Virgin and St. John, top missing, 15th century. On W. wall of tower - carved stone Crucifixion with the Virgin and St. John and two smaller figures of donor and wife in recess with trefoiled ogee head, 15th century, much weathered. Monuments and Floor-slabs. Monuments: In S. chapel - on S. wall, (1) to Rt. Hon. Sir Evan Nepean, 1822, wall-tablet with bust in low relief. In churchyard - S.E. of chancel, (2) to John Marsh and Maud his wife, 1708, also to their children Maud, 1703, Joan, 1707, Robert, Katherine and Elizabeth, 1708, table-tomb; (3) to Samuel Strong, 1779, Mary his wife, 1769, their daughters Elizabeth, 1796, and Grace, 1791, and others, table-tomb with shield-of-arms on brass inset in E. end; (4) to Joan Moss, early 18th century, headstone; (5) to John Read, 1710, and Edith, his wife, headstone; further W., (6) to Edward Hansford, early 18th century, slab; (7) to Robert, 1663-4, Matthew, 1709-10, and Robert Travers, 1709, on later table-tomb. Floor-slabs: In chancel - (1) to John Sampson, vicar, 15th century; (2) to…Larder (?), 17th century. In S. chapel - (3) to Robert Larder (?), 1616. Niches: In S. chapel - flanking E. window, two, with moulded brackets, side buttresses with pinnacles, canopy with trefoiled ogee heads, pinnacles and panelled soffit, early 15th century. Paintings: In nave - on W. wall, remains of painted figures of Death (a skeleton) and Time, probably 17th century. Piscina: In S. chapel - in S. wall, recess with cinquefoiled ogee arch in square head, quatrefoiled drain, early 15th century. Plate: includes a stand-paten of 1728 given by John Sutton, vicar, in 1730, the year he gave similar patens to Bothenhampton and Frome St. Quintin. Recess: In chancel - in N. wall, with moulded jambs and ogee head, window-sill above formerly embattled, 14th century, probably tomb-recess. Sundials: On E. side of entrance to S. porch - two scratch-dials. Weathervane: On tower - copper cock, probably late 17th or early 18th century (Plate 54).'

<2> Ordnance Survey, 1:2500 scale, 1973 (Map). SWX1197.

(SY 4911 9425) St Mary Magdalene Church [NAT]

<3> Newman, J, and Pevsner, N, 1972, The Buildings of England: Dorset, 255-6 (Monograph). SWX1290.

<4> The Church Of St. Mary Magdalene, Loders, near Bridport, Dorset (Monograph). SDO18175.

<5> Guide Book, The Church of Saint Mary Magdalene, Loders, near Bridport, Dorset (Monograph). SDO18176.

<6> National Record of the Historic Environment, 867128 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

May 1 2025 12:07PM