Listed Building: CHURCH OF ST GEORGE, REFORNE (382074)

PORTLAND SY67SE WESTON ROAD, Easton 969-1/1/83 (West side) 16/01/51 Church of St George, Reforne (Formerly Listed as: REFORNE Church of St George) GV I Former Anglican parish church, now in care of Redundant Churches Fund. Begun 1754, consecrated 1766; to designs of Thomas Gilbert, master stone-mason. North porch added early C19. Portland ashlar, lead roofs, except sanctuary, slate. A complete C18 church and interior, with some references to Wren, especially the west tower and steeple, and central low cupola wider than nave. Cruciform symmetrical unaisled plan with sanctuary apse and west tower; the crossing dome expressed externally with a low capping rising above normal ridge level. Identical north and south facades in two storeys with arched windows above segmental-headed lights, all small-pane casements in plain raised plat-bands; 2:3:2 lights. Broad transept arm has full-width pediment with lunette, and transept returns have oculus over blind segmental-headed light. Central arched doorway with fanlight. To right and left a brought-forward blocking with semi-domed niche over raised apron panel; window and panel repeated on west face of blockings flanking the tower which is in 3 square stages and a fourth octagonal stage with 'pepper-pot' cupola. West front has window set in former door opening beneath oculus, with oculus and blind light on returns, then blind arched light to each face of low intermediate stage below aedicular fronts with Doric columns carrying entablature with urns at base of octagonal stage. Apse has central light with stained glass over a RCF dedicatory panel, with oculus above blank panel to south and original panelled door to north. Square north porch has C20 flush doors to north, and blind recessed openings E and W. Continuous plinth and moulded eaves string course, also carried round tower. Interior has been carefully restored, with plain plastered barrel vaults and central saucer dome on plastered walls and stone flag floors to aisles. Paired pilasters at crossing and to chancel entrance, with entablature blocks, plain cornice band throughout. Galleries on three sides with narrow panel fronts on paired cast-iron columns; spiral stairs in niches to E of transepts with balancing niches to W, and tight stone spiral at tower base to W gallery. Numbered painted box pews throughout, facing into crossing, special pews flanking chancel; pulpit and reading desk flank E side of crossing, octagonal wooden units on stems, with spiral stairs to stick balustrades and wreathed handrails. Oak communion rail with turned balusters and moulded rail, painted reredos with Pater Noster and Credo under stained glass of 1878, flanked by panels in responds and arches with Decalogue. Circular bowl font with gadroons, wooden cover at W end, and small pipe organ in W gallery. Various monuments include one in sanctuary inscribed: 'Underneath lyes interr'd the body of THOMAS GILBERT of this island, Gentleman, Architect and master builder of this ch. departed this life the 25th of July Anno Domini 1776 aged 70 yrs'; also to John Penn, of Pennsylvania Castle (qv) died 1834. A full list appears in RCHM volume. The church, replacing the decayed St. Andrew's (qv), was itself displaced in 1917 by the completion of All Saints, Easton (qv), and for long was ill cared for and in poor condition. It was rescued in 1979 by the Friends of St. Georges, has been carefully and fully restored, and is now Vested in the Redundant Churches Fund. (Royal Commission on Historical Monuments: Dorset: London: 1970-: 247-8; Buildings of England: Pevsner N and Newman J: Dorset: London: 1972-1989: 341-2). Listing NGR: SY6865372012

Record last edited

Sep 28 2009 4:49AM