Information for record number MWA2284:
Church of St Mary, Halford

Summary The Church of St Mary which was originally built during the Medieval period. Alterations were made to the building in later periods. The Church is situated opposite the end of Queens Street, Halford.
What Is It?  
Type: Church, Building
Period: Medieval - Industrial (1066 AD - 1913 AD)
Where Is It?  
Parish: Halford
District: Stratford on Avon, Warwickshire
Grid Reference: SP 25 45
(Data represented on this map shows the current selected record as a single point, this is for illustrative purposes only and does not represent an accurate or complete representation of archaeological sites or features)
Level of Protection National - Old SMR PrefRef (Grade: )
Listed Building (Grade: II*)
Sites & Monuments Record
Description

  
Source Number  

1 Chancel, nave with N porch, S aisle, and a tower W of the aisle. Nave of c1150, as shown by the chancel arch and two doorways. Chancel possibly 13th century but has been much altered. Nave lengthened in the 13th century and the W wall built, and shortly afterwards (c1270) the S aisle was added, with the tower W of it. In modern times the arcade has been rebuilt. The N porch may be of the 17th or 18th century. Drastic restorations in 1862 and 1883. 14th century font with 16th century cover.
2 Plan of the church.
3 Photograph of the south door.
4 The church possesses a Norman tympanum (in the N doorway) which is the best piece of Norman sculpture in the county. Inside the church is a Norman chancel arch.
5 Photograph.
6 Listed Building description.
7 OS card.
8 A watching brief was carried out (Nov 1994), during the excavation of drainage channels and soakaways. No archaeological features were identified within the churchyard but fragments of disarticulated human bone were noted in the soakaway to the south of the church. An area below the floor of the south aisle was investigated prior to the replacement of several floorboards and some disarticluated bones were discovered in a possible shallow grave. Building recording was carried out around the parapet of the tower roof and two re-used architectural fragements were recorded in detail.
9 The first recorded rector of Halford was inducted at Easter 1150. This was a few years after the stone church, of which parts still remain, was built, and there may have been an earlier, probably timber Building on the same site.
10 General description of the village.
12 Grafitti on the lead roof of the church was surveyed prior to the reconstruction of the bell-frame and restoration of the tower, in 1993. 151 items of grafitti were identified, located on seventeen separate lead sheets. The earliest dated grafitti was from 1703. The grafitti at Halford were recorded through drawings, black and white photographs and, where possible, rubbings.
 
Sources
Source No: 5
Source Type: Bibliographic reference
Title: The Buildings of England: Warwickshire
Author/originator: Pevsner N and Wedgwood A
Date: 1966
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: Warwicks
   
Source No: 4
Source Type: Bibliographic reference
Title: The Buildings of England: Warwickshire
Author/originator: Pevsner N and Wedgwood A
Date: 1966
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: Warwicks
   
Source No: 3
Source Type: Bibliographic reference
Title: Victoria County History, vol 5, Warwickshire
Author/originator: Salzman L F (ed)
Date: 1965
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: 5
   
Source No: 6
Source Type: Bibliographic reference
Title: LBL
Author/originator: DoE
Date: 1986
Page Number: 17
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 2
Source Type: Bibliographic reference
Title: Victoria County History, vol 5, Warwickshire
Author/originator: Salzman L F (ed)
Date: 1965
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: 5
   
Source No: 1
Source Type: Bibliographic reference
Title: Victoria County History, vol 5, Warwickshire
Author/originator: Salzman L F (ed)
Date: 1965
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: 5
   
Source No: 8
Source Type: Excavation Report
Title: The Parish Church of St Mary, Halford, Warwickshire: Archaeological Watching Brief and Building Recording
Author/originator: CAT
Date: 1994
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet: 94212
   
Source No: 7
Source Type: Record Card/Form
Title: OS Card 25NE6
Author/originator: Ordnance Survey
Date: 1968
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 12
Source Type: Unpublished document
Title: The Parish Church of St Mary, Halford, Warwicks: Building Recording
Author/originator: Cotswold Archaeological Trust
Date: 1993
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Source No: 11
Source Type: Unpublished document
Title: The Parish Church of St Mary, Halford
Author/originator: MJP
Date: 1991
Page Number:
Volume/Sheet:
   
Images:  
There are no images associated with this record.  
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Glossary

 
Word or Phrase
Description  
designation Listed Building Buildings and structures, such as bridges, that are of architectural or historical importance are placed on a statutory list. These buildings are protected by planning and conservation acts that ensure that their special features of interest are considered before any alterations are made to them.

Depending on how important the buildings are they are classed as Grade I, Grade II* or Grade II. Grade I buildings are those of exceptional interest. Grade II* are particularly important buildings of more than special interest. Those listed as Grade II are those buildings that are regarded of special interest.
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source LBL Listed Building List. Buildings and structures, such as bridges, that are of architectural or historical importance are placed on a list. Buildings placed on the list are protected through various planning and conservation acts which ensure that their special features of interest are considered before any alterations are made to them. The Listed Buildings List is compiled and maintained by English Heritage. It includes details of where the building is, when it was built, a description of its appearance, and any other special features. back
source OS Card Ordnance Survey Record Card. Before the 1970s the Ordnance Survey (OS) were responsible for recording archaeological monuments during mapping exercises. This helped the Ordnance Survey to decide which monuments to publish on maps. During these exercises the details of the monuments were written down on record cards. Copies of some of the cards are kept at the Warwickshire Sites and Monuments Record. The responsibility for recording archaeological monuments later passed to the Royal Commission on Ancient and Historic Monuments. back
technique excavation Archaeologists excavate sites so that they can find information and recover archaeological materials before they are destroyed by erosion, construction or changes in land-use.

Depending on how complicated and widespread the archaeological deposits are, excavation can be done by hand or with heavy machinery. Archaeologists may excavate a site in a number of ways; either by open area excavation, by digging a test pit or a trial trench.
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period Modern The Modern Period, about 1915 AD to the present (the 20th and 21st centuries AD)

In recent years archaeologists have realised the importance of recording modern sites. They do this so that in the future people will be able to look at the remains to help them understand the events to which they are related.
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period Medieval 1066 AD to 1539 AD (the 11th century AD to the 16th century AD)

The medieval period comes after the Saxon period and before the post medieval period.

The Medieval period begins in 1066 AD.
This was the year that the Normans, led by William the Conqueror (1066 – 1087), invaded England and defeated Harold Godwinson at the Battle of Hastings in East Sussex.
The Medieval period includes the first half of the Tudor period (1485 – 1603 AD), when the Tudor family reigned in England and eventually in Scotland too.

The end of the Medieval period is marked by Henry VIII’s (1509 – 1547) order for the Dissolution of the Monasteries in the years running up to 1539 AD. The whole of this period is sometimes called the Middle Ages.
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period modern About 1915 AD to the present (the 20th and 21st centuries AD)

In recent years archaeologists have realised the importance of recording modern sites. They do this so that in the future people will be able to look at the remains to help them understand the events to which they are related.
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monument VILLAGE * A collection of dwelling-houses and other buildings, usually larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town with a simpler organisation and administration than the latter. back
monument SITE * Unclassifiable site with minimal information. Specify site type wherever possible. back
monument ARCHAEOLOGICAL FEATURE * Use only for features assumed to be archaeological but which cannot be identified more precisely without further investigation .Use more specific term where known back
monument BUILDING * A structure with a roof to provide shelter from the weather for occupants or contents. Use specific type where known. back
monument STONE * Use only where stone is natural or where there is no indication of function. back
monument ARCH * A structure over an opening usually formed of wedge-shaped blocks of brick or stone held together by mutual pressure and supported at the sides; they can also be formed from moulded concrete/ cast metal. A component; use for free-standing structure only. back
monument FLOOR * A layer of stone, brick or boards, etc, on which people tread. Use broader site type where known. back
monument TOWER * A tall building, either round, square or polygonal in plan, used for a variety of purposes, including defence, as a landmark, for the hanging of bells, industrial functions, etc. Use more specific type where known. back
monument GRAVE * A place of burial. Use more specific type where known. back
monument PARISH CHURCH * The foremost church within a parish. back
monument CHURCH * A building used for public Christian worship. Use more specific type where known. back
monument INDUSTRIAL * This is the top term for the class. See INDUSTRIAL Class List for narrow terms. back
monument FONT * A vessel, usually made of stone, which contains the consecrated water for baptism. Use a broader monument type if possible. back
monument CHURCHYARD * An area of ground belonging to a church, often used as a burial ground. back
monument SOAKAWAY * A pit filled with rubble, etc., into which rain or waste water flows in order to disperse into the surrounding soil. back
monument SCULPTURE * A figurative or abstract design in the round or in relief, made by chiselling stone, carving wood, modelling clay, casting metal, or similar processes. back
monument WALL * An enclosing structure composed of bricks, stones or similar materials, laid in courses. Use specific type where known. back

* Copyright of English Heritage (1999)

English Heritage National Monuments Record