The church of St.
Lawrence, which stands on high ground to the west of the village of
Ardley, is built of flint rubble,
mostly covered with rough-cast, with stone dressings, and roofed
with tiles and with lead. It consists of a chancel, nave, aisles,
west tower, north porch and north
vestry.
In the 13th century
the church probably consisted of a chancel and nave only. The nave,
the oldest portion of the church now remaining, was in existence
early in the 13th century, when the old chancel was rebuilt and a
north aisle added. The south aisle was not built till a century
later, when the present chancel arch appears to have been built,
and the west tower in about the fourth decade of the 14th century.
During the 15th century the clerestory was added, the north porch
was built, the north windows of the north aisle were inserted, and
those of the south aisle altered externally; both aisles were
partly rebuilt, the windows of the bell chamber inserted, and the
embattled parapets of the tower and north aisle added. The church
was also re-roofed and was seated with the existing pews. In the
19th century the chancel was almost entirely rebuilt and the north
vestry was added.
The nave, of three
bays, has on the north side an arcade of the early 13th century,
consisting of two-centred arches on octagonal columns with plain
bell capitals. The south arcade is similar, but more massive, and
is a century later in date. None of the detail of the original nave
now exists, but the walling over the arcades is a survival from the
first fabric, dating from before the 13th century. The rather late
15th-century clerestory consists of three two-light windows on each
side.
If anybody would like to expand to this series please do, I would
just ask that you could let Sadexploration know first so he can
keep track of the Church numbers and names to avoid
duplication.