Listed Building record MDO2828 - St Andrew's church, West Chelborough

A medieval parish church, largely rebuilt in the fifteenth century when the nave was extended to the west. The south tower was added in 1638. The building was restored in the early nineteenth century and again in 1894 when the north vestry was added. Interior fittings include a 12th-century font.

Church of St Andrew. Chancel and nave rebuilt C15th when the nave was extended to the West. The South tower was added in 1638. Early C19th restoration, and again in 1894 when the North vestry was added. Grade I mid/late C12th font. <1< <2> <4>

Le Pard, Gordon, 1998, Medieval sundials in Dorset. Proceedings of the Dorset Natural History and Archaeological Society 119, 83 (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), 91 (Monograph). SDO97.

‘(1) Parish Church of St. Andrew stands near the middle of the parish. The walls are of local rubble with dressings of the same material; the roofs are covered with stone slates. The E. part of the S. wall of the Nave may date from the 12th century, but its thickness is the only evidence of this. The Chancel and the rest of the nave were rebuilt in the 15th century when the latter was extended to the W. The South Tower was added in 1638. The chancel is said to have been rebuilt in 1751. The church was restored early in the 19th century and again in 1894 when the North Vestry was added.
The font and the Kymer monument are noteworthy.
Architectural Description—The Chancel (14½ ft. by 11 ft.) has a modern E. window and modern windows in the N. and S. walls; in the N. wall is a modern doorway. The chancel-arch is also modern. The Nave (34 ft. by 14½ ft.) has in the N. wall an early 15th-century window of two trefoiled lights with vertical tracery in a two-centred head with moulded reveals; this was formerly the E. window, reset in 1894. In the S. wall is a 15th-century window, probably altered in the 17th century and now of two pointed lights with tracery in a two-centred head with moulded reveals; the 15th-century S. doorway has chamfered jambs and rebuilt two-centred head. In the W. wall is a modern window.
¶The South Tower (6½ ft. square) was built in 1638 and is of two stages with a plain parapet and pinnacles. The ground stage forms a porch and has, in the S. wall, a doorway with moulded jambs and elliptical head. The bell-chamber has one loop-light in the S. wall and two in the W. wall. A panel on the S. parapet bears the inscription "William Lardar Esq. Thomas Horsford Warden 1638".’

<2> Newman, J, and Pevsner, N, 1972, The Buildings of England: Dorset, 444 (Monograph). SWX1290.

<3> Ordnance Survey, Ordnance Survey Map 6in, 1979 (Map). SWX1540.

(ST 54170544) St Andrew's Church [NAT]

<4> Department of the Environment, 1986, List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest: Dorset (Parishes of Halstock, East Chelborough, West Chelborough, Melbury Osmond, Melbury Sampford,Evershot,Stockwood and Melbury Bubb), 59 (Scheduling record). SDO16428.

<5> National Record of the Historic Environment, 881870 (Digital archive). SDO14739.

Record last edited

May 1 2025 12:18PM