The Interior of St. Mary's Church

 

A view west along the nave from the chancel

Having looked at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission headstones in St. Mary’s churchyard in Bolsterstone with Catherine and Sally, for the Bolsterstone Graveyard Project, followed by a very quick walk around the exterior of the church, I entered the porch and immediately noticed the very coarse grained sandstone used for the door surround. 

 

The south door

 

Some of the blocks are planar bedded, with concentrations of orange iron oxides/hydroxides on the bedding planes contrasting with generally light brown colour of the sandstone and, despite its very coarse grain size, the carved head stops are surprisingly detailed. 

 

Head stops on the south door

 

Our visit to St. Mary’s church coincided with their regular coffee morning where, in addition to the usual biscuits and cakes, home-made soup is served – which was very welcome to us after wandering around the churchyard in the rain. 

 

A view east along the nave

 

I just had enough time to take a few record photographs of the principal elements of the interior - the nave, arcades, aisles and chancel – which are all designed in a Perpendicular Gothic style and the unplastered stonework gives an impression that the church is older than it actually is. 

 

The chancel

 

The octagonal columns, capitals and other mouldings to the arcades and arches are well proportioned and very pleasing to the eye and, perhaps due to the lack of wall memorials and brass plaques, the  church does not seem cluttered like many others I have visited. 

 

Views of the interior

 

I did not have the time to stop to examine the colours and textures in the stonework, which is presumably the same throughout the church and I just looked to see if there were any interesting sculpture or other details to photograph. 

 

An angel in the chancel

 

One feature of the church that brings the impression of a ‘mediaeval’ church back to its true date of 1879 are the carvings of heads above the arcade piers. The Early History of Stocksbridge and District no 15 - Bolsterstone 1 by Joseph Kenworthy states that these are the last six incumbents, from when the previous church on the site was built in 1791 to the time it was demolished and the new one built.

 

Incumbents of the church

 

 Looking closely at my photos of the carved heads, the sandstone used does not appear to be very course, as seen in the general walling and the carved angel corbel in the chancel. Next time I am in Bolsterstone, I will take another look at these and the font, about which I can find no information.

The font