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I Location

II General Description

A small church in a rural location, comprising a single nave with opposing N and S doorways and a short, square-ended chancel. Romanesque sculpture is found on a number of reset fragments and on the chancel arch.

III Exterior Features

3. Exterior Decoration

b. Arcading

(i) Chancel, N side

A three-bay blind arcade on the N wall of the chancel has clearly been assembled from carved 12thc. limestone fragments. The arches are pointed, and show some effort to create an intersecting arcade. There are remnants of uncarved arcading on the S side of the chancel, but none on the E.

The easternmost arch (width of arch 0.94 m) is composed of voussoirs carved with beaded straps clasping a thick angle roll (cf: fragment built into nave, N wall, see below). There are six complete voussoirs on the left, seven on the right, and three trimmed voussoirs which form the pointed apex. On both sides, the arch springs directly from a cushion capital, without an impost. Below the right-hand capital, two courses of a column stand on an attic base.

The faces of the voussoirs of the middle arch (width 0.94m) are carved with a hollow filled with spherical hatched bosses and an angle roll. There are four complete voussoirs on the left, seven on the right and two trimmed voussoirs at the apex. There is no capital on the left. That on the right, a cushion capital, is set back to front. Below it is one course of a column and an attic base.

The face of the western arch (0.90m) is carved with a deep V-profile channel that rises up each side of the arch, intersects at the apex, then dies out. There is a cushion capital on each jamb, together with one course of column and an attic base.

IV Interior Features

1. Arches

a. Chancel arch/Apse arches

(i) Chancel arch

Round-headed, of two orders (width 3.01m).

First order, W face

Plain, and square. The N impost is carved with bands of billet, directional chevron and cable on the upright, and a horizontal human figure and a hatched boss on the slanting lower surface. The arch is plain, except for beading carved on one voussoir of the inner arch. Oblique imposts inserted between the first and second orders are supported by capitals.

N capital: scallop capital

S capital: cushion capital.

The capitals are carried by en delit shafts. The N base is an attic type; that on the S is concealed behind the steps of the pulpit.

First order, E face

On the E face of the arch, the N impost band is carved with directional chevron and two rows of cable on the upright and two horizontal grooves on the slanting lower surface. All of that carving lies below the surface plane of the impost, and was probably executed in situ.

Second order, W face

Plain.

5. Interior Decoration

c. Miscellaneous

(i) Voussoir

A voussoir built into the N wall of the nave, towards its E end, has been varnished. It is carved with beaded strapwork, like others reassembled on the exterior of the chancel (see above).

(ii) Carved fragment

Inside the E jamb of the S doorway a band of beading has been carved into a stone measuring 0.07m by 0.23m.

VII History

No church is mentioned in 1066.

Benefice of Wiston with Buncton.

VIII Comments/Opinions

The origin of the sculpture composing the chancel arcading is uncertain. It probably dates from the mid-12thc. The carving on the imposts of the chancel arch seems to have been done in situ, yet is 12thc. in style.

IX Bibliography