St Barbara, Ashton-Under-Hill, Worcestershire

I Location

Site Location: Ashton-Under-Hill
National Grid Reference: SO 997 377
County: traditional: Worcestershire
now: Worcestershire
Diocese: medieval: not confirmed
now: Worcester
Dedication: medieval: St Andrew
now (or name of monument): St Barbara
Type of building/monument: Parish church

II General Description

The church consists of a 12thc. nave with a later medieval N aisle, a chancel of 1624, a S porch and a 13thc.-15thc. W tower. There is Romanesque sculpture in the S doorway of the nave and on fragments set into the interior S chancel wall.

III Exterior Features

1. Doorways

(i) S doorway, nave

: S doorway, general view

: S doorway, arch

: S doorway, R capital

: S doorway, L capital

: S doorway, L base

Round-headed, two orders, with plain and much repaired tympanum, which comprises an irregularly shaped monolithic slab with ashlar infill at the top and sides.

Dimensions

h. of opening	2.15 m
w. of opening	1.18 m

L capital:
h. incl. necking	0.225 m
h. without necking	0.19 m
w.	0.2 m
d.	0.2 m

R capital (w. and d. as L capital):
h. incl. necking	0.225 m
h. without necking	0.185 m

First order

Plain.

Second order

Nook shafts on eroded bulbous bases; cable neckings and triple scallop capitals, the L with a tapered fillet at the angle and both with sheathed cones and with a groove outlining the lower edges of the shields; chamfered imposts with a shallow roll between two grooves on the face. Thick angle roll in the arch. Damaged label with pellets on the chamfered inner edge, and a groove above the chamfer.

IV Interior Features

5. Interior Decoration

c. Miscellaneous

(i) Carved fragments

: Chancel, S wall, reset fragment

: Chancel, S wall, reset fragment

In the S chancel wall are two carved fragments, now covered with plaster, one bearing three chip-carved saltires, the other three pellets separated by raised rings, a form of bobbin ornament, and possibly part of a string course.

VII History

In 991 land at Ashton belonged to the Bishopric of Worcester, but it seems later to have passed to the crown. Until 1931, the parish lay within Gloucestershire. In 1066 Turbert, a royal thegn, held eight hides, which by 1071 had been joined to Beckford manor. In 1086, Girard held four hides at Ashton. The estate may then have passed to the lords of Tewkesbury manor. In 1071 the church of Ashton was granted, with that of Beckford, to Cormeilles abbey.

VIII Comments/Opinions

The capitals of the S doorway, which are less refined than those of nearby Beckford, may be of the late 12thc. The weathered condition of the doorway indicates that it was exposed for a long period before a porch was built.

IX Bibliography

N. Pevsner, The Buildings of England. Worcestershire, Harmondsworth 1968, 71–72.
The Victoria History of the Counties of England. Gloucestershire, vol. VIII, London 1968, 245-250, 249.