Details
SK 58 SE SHIREOAKS SHIREOAKS COMMON
(East side)
1/2 Church of St.Luke
the Evangelist,
and boundary wall
G.V. II
Parish church. Decorated style. 1861-63 by T. C. Hine for fifth
Duke of Newcastle. Rockfaced ashlar with banded slate and slab
roofs; ashlar dressings, chamfered plinth, moulded sill, lintel
and eaves bands. All openings have hood moulds with ornamental
stops. Lateral and diagonal buttresses and coped gables with
kneelers throughout. Nave, apsidal chancel, aisles, transepts,
north and south porches, crossing tower with stair turret. Nave
clerestorey, 4 bays, has on each side 4 double lancets with four
centred arched heads. West end has central buttress with
inscribed panel and above, gabled shrine containing figure,
flanked by single cusped lancets and above again, circular
window. Chancel has 4 nodal buttresses and 5 cusped double
lancets. South aisle has 3 decorated lancets and similar lancet
in west end. North aisle identical. Single bay south transept
has gabled roof running into lean-to against tower. South side
has spherical triangle window, and to right, doorway. East end
has single lancet. Similar north transept has large coped
flanking buttresses adjoining tower, that to left carrying
octagonal chimney. Porches have moulded doorways and a single
lancet on each side. 3 stage crossing tower has 2 string
courses, 4 gargoyles and coped parapet; spire removed 1973.
Circular stair turret to east. First stage has 2 lancets on
north and south sides; second stage has clock on north and south
sides; third stage has on each side a double lancet bell opening
with single shafts. Nave arcades, 4 bays, have round piers with
round bases and capitals, chamfered arches and hood moulds.
Kingpost roof with stencilled decoration. Crossing has east and
west arches with cove, roll and filletted moulding and hood
moulds. Triple marble shaft responds with foliate capitals and
angel corbels. Pair of corner shafts with similar capitals.
Western arch has 7 bay iron screen. Crossing has on each side
an archway containing 4-panelled traceried screens with doors.
Stencilled panelled ceiling with gilt bosses. Chancel has
alabaster and marble inlaid panelling and elaborate Decorated.
style credence, gabled reredos and crocketted gabled sedilia; 5
stained glass windows, all in memory of Henry Pelham, fifth Duke
of Newcastle, 1865. South aisle has organ at east end. North
aisle east end has elaborately stencilled ceiling to lady chapel.
Fittings include plain pews and panelled benches; inscribed
octagonal font with octagonal stem and 8 minor shafts; carved,
painted and gilt ashlar pulpit; brass eagle lectern on ringed
shaft. 2 brasses to Duke of Newcastle, 1865, single brass, 1900,
war memorial brass on south wall. Outside, boundary wall along
Shireoaks Common and Shireoaks Road, approx. 150 M long, in 2
sections. Coursed squared rubble and rounded ashlar coping. 2
wrought iron gates, one with chamfered square piers and both with
pyramidal caps.
Listing NGR: SK5537680940
