Details
TL 8422-8522 COGGESHALL CHURCH STREET
(north-west side)
9/52 Parish Church of St.
31.10.66 Peter and Vincula
GV I
Parish church. C15, restored in C19, severely damaged by enemy action in 1940,
restored 1955-8 by S.E. Dykes Bower. Flint rubble with fragments of brick,
partly faced with ashlar, with limestone dressings, roofed with lead. Chancel,
Nave, N and S chapels, N and S aisles, W tower and S porch all rebuilt in the
C15. The N arcade and clerestorey, most of the N aisle, the roofs of the Nave
and N aisle, and the tower, have been rebuilt 1955-8, and the remainder
repaired. The Chancel and N and S chapels have walls faced with ashlar, and
plinths enriched with quatrefoil panels and shields, mostly restored, bearing 2
crossed keys; the lower buttresses have plain panels and the upper buttresses
have trefoil-headed panels. The restored E window of the Nave is of 7
cinquefoiled ogee lights with vertical tracery in a 2-centred head, with moulded
external and internal reveals and external label. Externally below the E window
is a recess with hollow-chamfered jambs, defaced cinquefoiled and sub-cusped
4-centred head, each spandrel carved with a pomegranate, and moulded label;
traces of former crucifix and 2 figures. The N and S arcades are each of three
2-centred arches of 2 moulded orders; the columns each have 4 attached shafts
with moulded bases and capitals; the responds have attached half-columns. The
2-centred chancel-arch is of 2 moulded orders, the outer continuous, the inner
on attached shafts with moulded bases and capitals. The clerestorey has an
internal moulded string course, and on each side 3 restored windows each of 3
cinquefoiled lights with tracery in a 4-centred head. In the E wall of the N
chapel is a restored window of 4 cinquefoiled ogee lights with tracery in a
4-centred head, with hollow-moulded splays and rear-arch. In the N wall are 3
restored windows; the easternmost is uniform with the E window; the others are
each of 3 cinquefoiled lights with tracery in a segmental-pointed head, with
hollow-moulded splays and rear-arch. At the W end of the N wall is a small
doorway with moulded jambs and 4-centred head into the semi-octagonal rood-stair
turret. The W arch is 2-centred and of 2 continuous chamfered orders. The S
chapel is generally similar to the N chapel, and has an E window similar to that
of the N chapel. In the S wall are 3 windows similar to the E window; below the
middle window is a doorway with moulded jambs and 4-centred arch in a square
head, with a moulded label; each spandrel is carved with a lion. The arch is
uniform with that of the N chapel. The Nave has N and S arcades each of 5 bays
with moulded 2-centred arches and labels; the columns are similar to those in
the Chancel. The clerestorey has a similar moulded string-course, and on each
side 5 similar restored windows. The N aisle has in the N wall 4 restored
windows each of 3 cinquefoiled lights with tracery in a segmental-pointed head,
with hollow-moulded splays and rear-arch. Between the 2 western windows is the
rebuilt N doorway, with moulded jambs and 2-centred head with a moulded label.
In the W wall is a window uniform with those in the N wall. The S aisle is
uniform with the N aisle except that the restored S doorway has moulded jambs, a
4-centred arch in a square head with cusped spandrels enclosing shields, and a
moulded label. W of it is a small doorway with moulded jambs and 3-centred arch
in a square head with recessed spandrels; the door is original, comprising 3
rebated wedge-shaped planks nailed to 4 rear ledges, with an incised ring-
handle; it leads to a turret-stair to an upper room of the porch. The W tower
and tower-arch are wholly of 1955-8. The S porch is of 2 storeys, with a C19
outer entrance. In each side is a restored window of 2 cinquefoiled lights in a
2-centred head with moulded label, with hollow-moulded jambs and rear-arch, the
sill dropped to form a seat. The ribbed vault is restored, retaining a central
boss carved with a pelican, 3 smaller bosses carved with leopard's heads, and
one with a woman's head. In each angle is an attached shaft with moulded base
and capital. The upper stage has 3 windows, restored. The RCHM reported that
all the roofs are modern (i.e. after 1714), incorporating some old material.
The roofs of the N and S chapels appear to be wholly C19, but all the others
have the staining and shakes characteristic of ancient timber; as they were
exposed to rain penetration from 1940 to 1955 it is difficult to determine from
ground level how much of each roof is original and how much is C19 and C20
restoration. The low-pitched roof of the Chancel is in 7 bays, with moulded
tiebeams, and 3 moulded butt-purlins in each bay, with plain rafters of
horizontal section, and carved corbels (restored 1847). The low-pitched roof of
the Nave is in 5 bays, with moulded tiebeams at half-bay intervals, short king-
posts, and tracery above the tiebeams; 3 moulded butt-purlins in each bay;
moulded wallplates, ashlar-pieces on carved corbels, with tracery in the arches
between; plain rafters of horizontal section. The low-pitched lean-to roofs of
the N and S aisles are in 5 bays, with moulded principal rafters at half-bay
intervals, 2 moulded butt-purlins in each bay, moulded wallplates, arched braces
from carved corbels, and plain rafters of horizontal section. Fittings. Piscina
in S chapel, with moulded jambs and 4-centred arch with foliate carved spandrels
and octagonal drain, C15. Recess for former piscina in N chapel, with
segmental-pointed head. In Chancel, range of 3 sedilia with cinquefoiled
2-centred heads and moulded labels, moulded and shafted jambs with capitals and
bases, C15. Stoup on S wall of S chapel, E of doorway, with broken round bowl,
and base of pedestal, C15. Font with round bowl with shallow carved arcade of
trefoiled arches on pilasters with imposts and stepped bases, round stem with 4
detached shafts, partly restored, having moulded capitals and bases, early C13.
In the Chancel, floor-slabs to (1) Sir Mark Guyon, 1690, black marble with
achievement of arms, (2) James Boys, A.M., black marble with achievement of
arms, (3) Dame Dorcas Guyon, 1714, black marble; the last two are partly covered
by the altar; on the N arcade, monuments to (1) William Boys, 1742, white marble
tablet with pediment, (2) Henry Skingley, 1795, tablet of white, brown and black
marble with lamp; on the S arcade, to (3) William Fuller, 1748, slate tablet
with white marble pediment, and (4) Henry Skingley, 1839, white marble
sarcophagus on grey marble. In the N chapel, brasses (1) [of John Paycock,
1533, and his wife] figures of man and woman, with indents of foot and marginal
inscriptions, 5 scrolls, figure of Virgin and child, 2 groups of children and 4
shields, (2) of Thomas Peaycocke, 1580, figure of man in gown, foot and part of
marginal inscription, indents of 5 plates and a scroll, (3) of George Laurance,
1594, inscription and merchant's mark, (4) of Thomas Aylett, 1638, plate with
achievement of arms and inscription, (5) figures of 2 women with butterfly
head-dress, c.1480, (6) said to be of William Goldwyre, 1514, figures of man in
fur-lined gown and woman in pedimented head-dress, and (7) of John Oldam, 1599,
inscription only; monuments of (1) John Grime, 1714, black marble with
achievement of arms, on stone base, (2) Samuel Carter, 1777, with achievement of
arms, (3) Thomas Andrew, 1826. In the S chapel, of (1) Thomas Guyon, 1664,
black, grey and white marble altar-tomb with moulded slab and plain pilasters at
the angles, (2) Edward Coldham Matthew, 1820, oval white marble tablet on black
marble, (3) Mark Guyon, 1839, white and black marble tablet, and (4) Mary
(Waters), wife of Robert Honywood, 1620, painted figure of woman kneeling at
prayer-desk, flanked by Ionic columns supporting a pediment, lozenge and 2
shields of arms, 2 skulls and animal, in black and coloured marble (removed from
Markshall parish church on its demolition in 1932). In the Nave, floor-slab of
Jane and Elisabeth Boehm, 1738, Jane Boehm II, 1740, and Richarda Boehm, 1742,
black marble. In the S aisle, monuments of (1) Robert Townsend, 1728, white
marble tablet with achievement of arms, (2) Richard White Townsend, 1823, white
stone tablet on black marble, with pediment, and loose, (3) Richard Meredith
White, 1796, oval stone tablet, and (4) Mary Ann Dennis, 1827, white marble
tablet. There are 9 bells, the fourth by Miles Graye, 1681, the fifth, sixth
and seventh by Thomas Gardner, dated 1733, 1757 and 1733 respectively, and a
C13/14 bell possibly by William Dawe, removed from Frating parish church, now
used as a clock bell. Externally, against the S aisle and S wall of the tower,
are 9 stone slabs, reversed or illegible, and one broken indent. The base of a
churchyard cross recorded by the RCHM is not known now; and the headstones and
table tomb recorded by the RCHM are not either, unless included in the above.
RCHM 2.
Listing NGR: TL8535023016
