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Summary

Grade II* listed church with 12th century door, brick tower of 1622 and many 17th and 18th century wooden fittings inside

Associated Legal Designations or Protected Status

• Listed Building (II*) 1117223: CHURCH OF ST MARY
• Registered Park or Garden (II) 1000525: Hamstead Marshall Park

Other Statuses and Cross-References

• Berkshire SMR No. (pre 2000): 03939.02.000
  
• Church Heritage Record: 9657
  
• National Monuments Record No.: SU 46 NW 4
  SU 42001 66745
• Old Listed Building Ref (pre 1984) (B): ø Map No 25 3/77 Church of St. Mary
  Originally C.14 with C.15 N. aisle altered early C.17 and later, and restored C.20. Tower C.17, brick with stone dressings. N. arcade of 2 bays with flat perpendicular arches on earlier piers. Alter rails C.17. Three decker pulpit dated 1622. C18 box pews and gallery at W. end of nave supported on Doric columns. Balthazar Gerbier, the first architect of Hamstead Lodge, is buried in the chancel.

Monument Type(s):

• PARISH CHURCH (12th century to Early to Mid 20th century - 1175 AD? to 1930 AD)
• WAR MEMORIAL (TRIBUTE) (Early 20th century - 1919 AD? to 1925 AD?)
• WAR MEMORIAL (TRIBUTE) (Second World War to Mid 20th century - 1945 AD? to 1946 AD?)

Full Description

The Grade II* listed church of St Mary is adjacent to the deserted medieval settlement of Hamstead Marshall and the site of the 17th century mansion which burnt down in 1718; the modern village is some distance away to the south. The building is of flint with stone and brick dressings, with a brick tower and plain tile roofs. It shows features from many periods: a Norman doorway, 14th century north aisle, and Perpendicular north arcade. Pevsner <2> dates the tower as 18th century but it is probably early 17th century <3><10>; there is a sundial on its south face. Inside the church is a Jacobean pulpit and altar rails, and box pews survive. There is a memorial to Sir Balthazar Gerbier, the first architect of Hamstead Marshall Mansion, who died here. The church was restored in 1893 and again in 1929-30.

There is a small marble plaque inside the church listing names of men who died in the First World War, although this detail and the date is not included <19>, and a second similar war memorial with the dates of 1939-1945 for those who fell in the Second World War <20>.

West Berkshire Museum has a set of photographs showing the church around 1920; and another taken at the end of the 20th century <18>.

Sources and further reading

Related Monuments

Associated Excavations and Fieldwork

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