St John the Baptist
Pitchcombe, Gloucestershire
Lies in the Cotswolds Area of Outstanding Beauty. and surrounded by a stunningly beautiful churchyard overlooking the Painswick valley.
According to the Domesday book there was a church in Painswick in Norman times and there is some evidence for a Saxon church having existed.
The present building dates from around 1377 when parts of the north aisle and St. Peter’s chapel were constructed. The nave and tower date from around 1480 and the 53m high spire was added in 1632. The spire was struck by lightning in 1883 and collapsed, falling through the nave roof. Both spire and roof were repaired and lightning conductors added. The tower has a set of 14 bells, a large number for a parish church, and the bells are well known in the campanology community.
The church stands at the centre of the churchyard which contains a number of ancient yew trees. Local folk lore has it that there are always 99 yews in the churchyard, but never more. Some of the “altar” or ”chest” tombs in the churchyard are amongst the finest examples in the country.
St Mary’s was occupied by both sides during the English Civil War and there is evidence of shot and fire damage on the exterior walls. At this time the church was used also used as a prison as witnessed by carved graffiti on a column in the nave.
More information can be found in the booklet A Guide to St Mary’s Church Painswick, Gloucestershire available in the church’s bookstall.