Church of St Mary, Barking

Heritage listing

Details BARKING PARSONS LANE TM 05 SE 2/43 Church of St. Mary 9.12.55 I Parish church, principally C14 and C15. Nave, chancel, west tower, north and south aisles; sacristy north of chancel, and south porch. Mainly plastered rubble walls with freestone dressings. Mainly leaded roofs; embattled parapets and parapet gables with a number of fine mediaeval gargoyles. The chancel roof is slated. Nave arcade of 5 bays; on the north side the piers have mid C14 mouldings, and on the south they were rebuilt in early C15 when the clerestory and roof were added. 6-bay crownpost roof, the tie-beams with massive arch-braces and the wall-pieces beneath with angel corbels. Crownposts are octagonal with moulded caps and bases and 4-way bracing. The clerestory windows have some mediaeval glass in the spandrels. The chancel has a C14 east window with intersecting tracery; the side windows are of c.1500 and one has a dropped cill with linked piscina. The canted and boarded roof is a restoration of 1905 with perhaps a little mediaeval work. C15 chancel arch, with image niches on either side and a complete but blocked rood loft stair and doors. The screen of c.1500 has the original vaulting ribs springing from figure corbels; at the base the solid panels have some original colour. Mid C14 tower: west doorway and traceried window above. (The upper stage was rebuilt c.1880). The early C16 doors have carved panels (compare Needham Market Church). The tower arch has shafts springing from good grotesque corbels. The 3-light windows in the north aisle are C15, but one has inserted mullions, jambs and reveals of terracotta; these are by the same craftsman as the windows at Shrubland Old Hall, Coddenham of c.1520. Good early C16 lean-to aisle roof, the principal members enriched with vinescroll. At

From the Historic England List Entry under OGL v3.