Church of St Swithin

Heritage listing

Details MERTON SP5717 10/99 Church of St. Swithun 07/12/66 GV I Church. C13 and C14, restored 1865-72 by C. Buckeridge. Limestone rubble, partly rendered, with ashlar dressings; lead and Welsh-slate roofs. Nave, chancel, south aisle, west tower and south porch. Rendered chancel has a large 3-light east window, originally C14 but altered to have a 4-centred arch with Perpendicular tracery; to south are 3 tall 2-light windows, with transoms and Perpendicular tracery, plus a priest's door. Wide C14 south aisle, with a moulded parapet, has a fine 3-light east window with flowing tracery and, to south, 2 early C14 windows of 2 lights below quatrefoils and a 3-light Perpendicular window with a shallow triangular arch; the C14 porch has an outer arch with continuous moulding, and shelters a more elaborately moulded south door below a C15 panel containing 3 image niches (identical to one in the same position at Charlton-on-Otmoor). The north side of the nave has 2-light C14 windows, re-set following the demolition of the north aisle. The C13 tower of 3 stages with a C15 panelled parapet has stepped clasping buttresses to the bottom stage, lancets, and 2-light bell-chamber openings with Y-tracery. Interior: chancel has, to south, a fine C14 triple-sedilia and piscina with cusped ogee canopies and crocketted pinnacles, plus a matching canopied recess to north; to south also an ogee-headed tomb recess with pierced cusping. The elaborate carved roof corbels are also C14 and match those on the chancel arch. 4-bay early C14 nave arcade has octagonal piers and round capitals with arches of 2 chamfered orders and head stops; a similar 3-bay arcade is now built into the north wall. The C13 tower arch is of 2 unchamfered orders. The south aisle contains a C14 sedile and piscina, elaborat

From the Historic England List Entry under OGL v3.