Details
This list entry was subject to a Minor Amendment on 28/01/2013
TM 03 NE
3/74 (6/230)
22.2.55
LITTLE WENHAM
CHURCH LANE (EAST SIDE)
Church of St Lawrence formerly Church of All Saints
GV I
Parish Church. C13. Nave and chancel, C15 south porch. C15 west tower. Mainly
rubble and random flint, some flint flushwork to west tower, C16 red brick bell
chamber to tower, ashlar and stone dressings. Timber framed south porch, brick
dwarf wall. Red plain tiled roof continues over nave and chancel. Chancel:-
East wall, buttressed at angles, stone parapet verge with cross finial. Band
below window continues through north and south wall of chancel and nave. East
window of 3 2-centred arched lights, 3 roundels over, 2-centred head, labels with
head stops. Chancel and nave north wall, end and central battresses, plinth and
band. Carved heads below east and west parapet verges. Eastern window, 2-light
with Y tracery, chamfered 2-centred head, label with head stops, to west of this
window is a lancet window which continues below the band, label with head stops.
Western window of 3 cinquefoiled lights, central light lower than outer lights,
vertical tracery over, 4-centred head, moulded label. To west of this window is
the north doorway. 2-centred arch of 2 chamfered orders, imposts, label over.
Nailed vertically boarded door. To east of the central buttress are traces of a
blocked round headed arch. South wall of chancel and nave:- End and central
buttresses, plinth, carved heads below north and south parapet verges. The
central buttress has 3 scratch dials and the gnomon of a former sundial. There
are 4 windows, the eastern is high up and of 6 short trefoiled lights, segmental
heads. Square head over. West of this window is the chancel doorway, 2-centred
head of 2 sunk chamfered orders, moulded imposts, label over. Vertically boarded
door. The other 3 windows are between this door and the south porch, each with Y
tracery, chamfered 2-centred heads, labels with head stops. C15 timber framed,
gabled porch on brick walls. Heavy full height storey posts, arched braces to
tie beam above which are 3 vertical studs each with a crudely cut niche with
trefoiled head. Moulded top plates to side walls and early C17 turned balusters
used as mullions. West tower of 3 stages. The upper stage crenellated of red
brick, with a chamfered round-headed angle buttress with flint panels to north
west and south west angle. Angled stair turret to east of south face. Plinth
with flint flushwork panels. North, west and south faces each have a small
louvred trefoiled opening high up in the second stage and there is a trefoiled
niche with segmental head and label below the west face opening. West window of
3 cinquefoiled ogee lights, vertical tracery over, 4-centred head and label.
Interior:- Nave and chancel roof of 7 cants. Chancel floor of brick pammets and
medieval floor tiles. Sanctuary, five floor slabs:- 1, much worn. 2, Joseph
Thurston 1714. 3, William Bruce 1677 and Coat of Arms. 4, Joseph Thurston 1732
and others. 5, Dame Susanna Brewse 1660. Altar rails C17 style with twisted
balusters. Altar table with twisted legs. Flanking the east window are medieval
wall paintings, to south, under canopies SS Martha, Catherine and Mary Magdalene,
to east seated Virgin with Child on her lap under a canopy. North wall, tomb or
Easter sepulchre. Tomb base with shields in 3 diagonal panels, moulded side
shafts extending above the moulded and enriched 4-centred arch which has shields
of arms to spandrels, to the moulded and enriched square head. There are 3
shields of arms above the arch, the central shield crested. Said to be to a
member of the Brewse Family. South wall, elaborate memorial to Joannes Brewse,
1585. Base, 2 panels each with a crossed crosslet with motto above which
Corinthinan capitals support the moulded and dentilled pediment surmounted each
side by shields of arms, crested shield of arms to apex. 3 panels below a
recessed arch with once a kneeling figure before an altar and book. The figure
has been reclaimed by ne Police and will be restored to its position. Central
panel with inscription to Joannes Brewse. This monument covers the arches of the
former canopied sedilia. Above the priest's door in the south wall is a marble
monument to Alice Walker 1682, 2 cherubs' heads and draped decoration. Low side
north wall window. Adjacent to east of this window is a medieval coffin lid with
carved sword. Central floor slab with brasses of Thomas Brewse and his wife
Jane, 1514, under a double canopy, beneath their feet are 2 sons and 3 daughters,
edge inscriptions and shields of arms. Other much worn floor slabs. The chancel
is divided from the nave by the plastered rubble wall bases of the former rood
screen, which are 62" high and 16" thick. There are simple plastered panels
facing west. there is a tie beam above this wall. Small 2-centred arched
piscinae to north and south walls west of the rood wall. The south wall piscina
is trefoiled and has an octagonal drain. Rood loft doorway and stairs to north
wall, stop chamfered 2-centred arch doorway, brick stairs leading to plastered
upper doorway. To east of the north door is a wall painting of St Christopher
and the Christ Child. Lords Prayer Board to west of the doorway which has a
chamfered segmental arch attached to the north wall, west of the north door are
fragments of C17 panelling. South wall, tomb chest with 4 quatrefoils containing
shields. Large and elaborate canopy, cusped ogee arch rising to a crocketted
finial. Side shafts with tracery and crocketted finials, crenellated head, said
to commemorate Gilbert de Debenham D.1371. C17/C18 hexagonal oak panelled
pulpit, wreathed handrail, twisted balusters. Linenfold panels with carved
pilasters to backs of 2 pews. Wood block floor. Font, C14 much restored, simple
octagonal stem with central drum and hexagonal angle columns, traces of red paint
to original work. Chamfered 2-centred west tower arch; above which is a round
headed opening. Stair turret doorway, stop chamfered 2-centred arch, 2 board
door. There is a wooden bier in front of this doorway. Also in the tower is a
wooden altar with embroidered frontal cloth. Bell by Thomas Gardiner of Sudbury,
1714. Pamphlet, St Lawrence Church. Redundant Churches Fund 1969. N Pevsner
Suffolk 1974.
Listing NGR: TM0809639171
