Gargoyles, Church of St Mary the Virgin, Church Street, Wendens Ambo, Essex. CB11 4JZ
Posted by: greysman
N 52° 00.315 E 000° 12.159
31U E 308001 N 5765317
There are two operational gargoyles on the tower of this old village church.
Waymark Code: WMMT5R
Location: Eastern England, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 11/01/2014
Views: 2
The Grade I listed Church of St Mary the Virgin dates from the latter part of the C11th and comprises a west tower, nave with north and south aisles and a chancel. It is of flint rubble, the tower is C11th, having three bell openings with colonettes. The semi-circular arch of the west door is entirely of Roman tiles with a single storey tympanum. The tower has a later embattled parapet and is surmounted by a slender spire, a Hertfordshire Spike. The nave also is Norman but there was considerable restoration in the late C19th when the north aisle and south porch were rebuilt. The south aisle is C13th and the clerestorey to the nave is C15th. Amongst roof timbers are C15th king posts along with the modern timbering of the roof. The chancel is C13th and has two cusped lancet windows. The most impressive internal features, to my mind, are the remains of a C14th cycle of wall paintings depicting episodes in the life of St Margaret, the martyr of Antioch.
There are two gargoyles on the tower of the church, on the western wall just below the top string course. Both are in good condition and feature a humanoid head and four-fingered limbs with spouts issuing from their mouths.