St Catherine's Church, Towersey
St. Catherine's Church in Towerseyconsists of a chancel measuring internally 17 ft. 6 in. by 13 ft., nave 56 ft. by 24 ft. with north transeptal recess 12 ft. wide by 4 ft. deep, and south tower; it is built of rubble with tiled roofs. The chancel dates from the early 13th century and the nave from about the middle of the 14th century. The tower added in 1854 replaced a 14th-century porch, the archway of which was re-used in the lower stage. The church was restored in 1850 and again in 1877. The chancel has in each side wall an early 13th century lancet, the rear arch of which, originally round, has been subsequently made roughly pointed. In the east wall is a two-light traceried window of the mid14th century, and at the south-west is a late twolight window. Under the lancet in the north wall is a round-headed recess, and in a square recess on the south is a 12th-century piscina formed in a scalloped capital. The chancel arch, which dies into the side walls, dates from the 14th century. The high-pitched roof over the chancel, with curved wind-braces and moulded wall-plates, is of the 15th century. In the east wall of the nave, on either side of the chancel arch are two traceried 14th-century windows each of two lights with labels linked to that of the arch. In each side wall are two windows of the same number of lights, all renewed, except the heads, which date from the 14th century. In the west wall, which appears to have been rebuilt, is a modern three-light window with a 14th-century label and a contemporary outer order, reset, to the external jambs. The north and south doorways, with arch mouldings continuous with the jambs, are also of the 14th century, and the strap hinges on the south door are probably of the same period. The transeptal recess has been considerably restored and its north wall, which contains a threelight window with a 14th-century rear arch, may have been rebuilt inside the line of the original wall; the archway in the nave wall is similar to the chancel arch. The tower is of three stages surmounted by pinnacles and an embattled parapet; its lower stage forms a porch in which the 14th-century archway of the former porch has been reset. The font is of a plain cylindrical shape with no detail by which its date can be determined, though it is probably ancient. The panelled hexagonal pulpit, which is enriched with foliage and scroll ornament, dates from the early 17th century; the sounding-board support is original though the sounding-board itself is modern. There are also four 16th-century bench ends with poppy heads. The tower contains a ring of four bells: the treble by Richard Keene 1695; the second and third, inscribed 'This bell was made 1627', and the tenor 'Prayes the Lord. 1627,' by Ellis Knight; and a small bell undated. The communion plate includes a late 16th-century cup, the date letter of which is partially obliterated, and also a modern chalice and paten. The registers begin in 1589. Historical information about St. Catherine's Church is provided by 'Parishes : Towersey', in A History of the County of Buckingham: Volume 4, ed. William Page (London, 1927), pp. 105-107. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/bucks/vol4/pp105-107 [accessed 30 March 2023]. St. Catherine's Church is a Grade II listed building. For more information about the listing see CHURCH OF ST CATHERINE, Towersey - 1181108 | Historic England. For more information about St. Catherine's Church see Parishes : Towersey | British History Online (british-history.ac.uk). |
