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I Location

II General Description

The church, which was rebuilt in 1852-53 and restored in 1887-88 (Pevsner 1968, 120), comprises a W tower, a nave with a S aisle and porch, and a chancel. The only 12thc. survivals are the two reset doorways on the nave: the N one is plain and blocked; that on the S, protected by the porch, bears Romanesque sculpture.

III Exterior Features

1. Doorways

(i) S doorway, nave

Round-headed, two orders.

Dimensions

First order

Continuous, chamfered, with pyramidal stop-chamfers.

Second order

Detached nook shafts on bulbous bases with small foliate spurs. Plain neckings, carved capitals (see below), either renewed or re-cut, and hollow-chamfered imposts with a roll between two grooves on the face.

L capital: Corinthian type, with two rows of leaves, each face symmetrically carved. Two fluted stems with furled leaf terminals rise up the centre of each face and curl to L and R, forming a volute at the angle. Below the volute is a large symmetrical leaf (acanthus type) with fluted surface, lobed edge and volutes at the base continuing into similar leaves at the N and E edges of the block.

R capital: Corinthian type, with three rows of leaves, each face symmetrically carved. The upper register resembles the L capital, but the stems have drilled holes instead of flutes. Below are the tips of plain leaves with central grooved veins. The bottom register has a lily in the centre of each face, a leaf with a central tapered rib at the angle and a half-leaf at the N and E edges of the block. The capital is probably unfinished. In the arch is a thick nook roll with a thinner one outside it. Plain hollow-chamfered label.

VII History

There was a priest at Church Lench in 1086, when the manor was held by the abbot and convent of Evesham; the existence of a church at that time is also suggested by the prefix 'church'. Abbot Walter (1077-86) granted the manor to Urse d'Abitot, Sheriff of Worcestershire; Urse's grandson, William de Beauchamp, held it at a survey of the Abbey's lands, probably takenc.1150. The advowson belonged to the abbots of Evesham, but it passed into the hands of the Beauchamps after 1208.

VIII Comments/Opinions

The reset S doorway shows signs of renewal, particularly of the imposts, and the capitals were probably re-tooled, if not renewed. The delicate little spur ornaments, however, are probably untouched. The L capital is related to sculpture at Leigh, Worcs. (E end of S arcade). Pevsner dates the doorway to the late 12thc.

IX Bibliography