St Martin-le-Grand - Coney Street, York, UK
Posted by: Groundspeak Regular Member Master Mariner
N 53° 57.555 W 001° 05.077
30U E 625667 N 5980686
St Martin-le-Grand church has gargoyles/grotesques around the top of the church's tower and around the eaves of the main roof. The former are thought to be functioning gargoyles and the latter are architectural grotesques.
Waymark Code: WMMEF6
Location: Yorkshire, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 09/09/2014
Published By:Groundspeak Premium Member Norfolk12
Views: 1

On the north west side of the building, entered through an arch in Coney Street, are two grotesques attached to the church above head height (see photos). These may have been made as "spares" but, more likely were recovered after the church was damaged by bombing in the Second World War. As stone restoration is always taking place in York someone has shown their initiative.

The building is Grade II* listed with the entry at the English Heritage website mentioning the gargoyles in the description:

Parish church, and attached gates to garden. Early C15 tower and west end, incorporating vestiges of C11 church; south side rebuilt and porch added in restorations of 1853-54; nave, north side and east end remodelled and reconstructed 1961-68 following bomb damage sustained in 1942. 1856 clock and painted and carved figure of 1778. C19 restoration by JB and W Atkinson. C20 reconstruction, including iron gates and railings, by G Pace. C19 glass by JW Knowles, C20 by H Stammers.

MATERIALS: magnesian limestone ashlar, with areas of gritstone and rubble; fragments of coffin lids with incised crosses incorporated in former north aisle wall: coved eaves string beneath parapet, south side traceried, to lead roof. PLAN: original 5-bay south aisle converted to nave, with narrow north aisle and short transept; south porch and south-west tower; vestry and offices at west end: remainder of church converted to garden.

EXTERIOR: east end of nave rebuilt as tall 2-centred arch of two continuously moulded chamfered orders between gabled buttresses with carved angel gargoyles. Arch closed by set-back iron gates and railings. Clock on scrolled bracket attached to wall supports the figure of the 'Little Admiral'. Former north aisle window blocked: restored south aisle window of three cinquefoiled lights with cusped panel tracery above, in 4-centred head beneath head-stopped hoodmould. South-east angle buttress with offset, upper part re-shaped as flying buttress surmounted by crocketed pinnacle, with gargoyle at eaves level. North side incorporates C11 masonry towards west end, with inserted 4-centred arched doorway: blocked door with 2-centred head in centre, and blocked window with intersecting tracery towards east end. Buttressed south side, on chamfered plinth, has 4 windows similar to that at east end of aisle. Gabled porch towards west end has crocketed diagonal buttresses, traceried parapet, and moulded doorway in 2-centred arch. West end on double chamfered plinth incorporates C11 masonry to north, with blocked round-headed doorway: window above rebuilt. West window rebuilt as 3-light mullion window preserving lower moulded corners and sill of original window. 3-stage buttressed tower to south west on double chamfered plinth. All three stages have windows similar to those on south side, those to ground and belfry stages of 3 lights, to second stage of 2 lights. All have coved hoodmoulds. Coved strings beneath belfry stage, and to eaves below original open parapet. Weathervane with scrolled finial.

Water spout is used: no

Condition: Lightly Weathered

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