Church of the Holy Cross, Avening

Church

Church of the Holy Cross

Church of the Holy Cross

51°40′50″N 2°10′32″W﻿ / ﻿51.6806°N 2.1755°W﻿ / 51.6806; -2.1755
Denomination| Church of England
Website| www.aveningchurch.info
Architecture
Heritage designation| Grade I listed building
Designated| 6 September 1954
Administration
Province| Canterbury
Diocese| Gloucester
Parish| Avening

The Anglican Church of the Holy Cross at Avening in the Cotswold District of Gloucestershire, England was built in late 11th century. It is a grade I listed building.[1]

## History

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Outside the church is a stone coffin from before the Norman Conquest.[2]

Parts of the church date from the late 11th century.[1] It was commissioned by Queen Matilda of Flanders, wife of William the Conqueror.[3]

The tower, west bay of the chancel, north aisle, and north doorway were added in the 12th century.[4] The transepts were added in the late 13th.[1] The top storey of the tower was added in the 14th century.[5]

From the 11th to 14th century the church was the property of the Abbey of Sainte-Trinité, Caen,[2] although this was disputed by Tewkesbury Abbey.[4]

The building was restored in 1902,[1] after part of the tower had collapsed causing damage to part of the nave and north aisle.[4]

The parish is part of the benefice of Avening with Cherington within the Diocese of Gloucester.[6]

## Architecture

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The Cotswold stone building is cruciform in layout. It has a two-bay north aisle with a porch. The nave has a 14th-century wagon roof. There are parts of the Norman architecture still intact including the doorway, arcade and chancel arch. The three-stage tower is supported by buttresses.[1]

The interior includes a table from 1657. There are several monuments and tablets along with a kneeling effigy of Henry Brydges of Avening Court. The stained glass of the East Window is by Clayton and Bell and two in the nave by Christopher Whall.[1]

The war memorial tablet commemorates villagers who died in the First World War, Second World War and the Iraq War.[7]

## References

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Holy Cross Church (Avening).

1. ^ a b c d e f "Church of the Holy Cross". National Heritage List for England. Historic England. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
2. ^ a b "Historical Information". The Church of Holy Cross, Avening. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
3. ^ "Parish Profiles" (PDF). Avening & Cherington. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
4. ^ a b c "Avening: Church A History of the County of Gloucester: Volume 11, Bisley and Longtree Hundreds". British History Online. Victoria County History. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
5. ^ "Historical Notes and Guide to Avening Church Gloucestershire" (PDF). Avening Church. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
6. ^ "Holy Cross". A Church Near You. Church of England. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
7. ^ "War Memorial Holy Cross Church". Traces of War. Retrieved 26 October 2019.