St Mary the Virgin
Charminster, Dorset
A Saxon church minster was on or near where the church is today first in the 8th century giving 1,200 years of Christian church in this place.
The building was designed by Reading architects Poulton and Woodman in the gothic style, and constructed by John Wellspring of Dorchester. The church subsequently acquired and adapted residential properties adjacent to Charles Street. These rear premises and the church hall were demolished in 1981, the original worship area modified and a new central entrance provided from South Street.
The original building is constructed with local rubble limestone, laid on the two visible elevations, uncoursed with rough cut edges, and incorporating Bath stone dressings.
The buttresses have steep setbacks, allowing the upper surfaces of the masonry to be visible from the narrow street. Simple decoration is achieved above the arched heads of windows with stones of alternating colour. The main elevation is terminated at the south west corner by a staircase tower and elegant spire. The leaded window glass was installed by Lavers of London, comprising plain glass with coloured margins. Three windows have been replaced with painted memorial glass, one to the first nonconformist Minister in the town:
'In memory of the Revd. Wm. Benn, Rector of All Saints, Dorchester; ejected 1662'
The impressive main roof has a unique timbered ceiling, complicated by splayed external walls towards the east end; necessary due to the tapering nature of the site boundaries. Glazing in the roof pitches originally admitted natural light through triangular clerestory lights. The upper part of the roof is now illuminated internally.
The gothic organ case, designed by the architect, is accommodated in a recess at the east end. Side towers and a low central section maintain a view of the east window. The case pipes are of solid timber and retain their original colour scheme of crimson and ultramarine with gold stencilling, (although the blue pigment proved to be fugitive). The organ itself was replaced in 1888 by Nicholson and Lord of Walsall.
Chairs have replaced the pews at ground floor level. The pews in the rear gallery, with poppy head ends, have been retained.
The building is listed Grade II.
