Details
MISTLEY NEW ROAD
TM 1131
10/250 Church of St. Mary and
St. Michael (Formerly listed
17.11.66 as Church of St Mary)
- II
Parish church of Mistley with Manningtree. Circa 1868-70. Wadmore and Baker,
Great St. Helens, London. Builder, Hawkins of Monks Eleigh, stone and marble
work, Messrs. Chinnock and Co., Ipswich. Kentish ragstone with Bath stone
dressings. Red tiled roofs. Carved stone corbels to all eaves. Apsidal
Chancel. Plinth, band below windows, 7 trefoiled windows with 2 centred-heads
and foliate stops to labels, 2 quatrefoiled roundels to south west above. the
lean-to south vestry, this with similar east window, buttress to angle, small
light to south wall and Caernarvon head to doorway. Nave, buttress to southwest
angle. West window, 2 pair of trefoiled lights with quatrefoil over, cusped
roundel under a 2 centred arch, label.with stops. Small trefoil to apex.
Gargoyle to north gable angle. Clerestorey with 5 southern and 4 northern
windows of 2 trefoiled lights, trefoil over, 2 centred heads. South aisle.
Buttressed between windows, 4 trefoiled 3 light windows with .3 roundels over, 2
centred arches. South wall window similar but with one roundel and 2 pointed
trefoils. Gabled south porch,. stone coping, cross finial, angle buttresses.
Moulded 4 centre arch, the outer mouldings resting on chamfered jambs. The
inner on attached shafts with moulded capitals and bases,label with foliate
stops. Carved cinquefoil over witha carved head and flowers to cusping. 4
pierced lights with shaped heads to each return: South doorway with arch
similar to porch, king and queen head stops to label. North aisle similar.
Apsidal north organ chamber with trefoiled windows. North west tower of 4
stages, the lower 3 buttressed to western angles, with angle stair turret to
north east. Plinth. West face, lower 2 light window with quatrefoil, label
with foliate stops, single light with similar label to second stage, light over,
north door, similar to south door, 3 small lights to stair turret. Splayed base
to fourth stage this with angle pilasters to each face and corbelling above the
double trefoiled sounding louvres with moulded capitals, bases and rings to side
and central shafts, pierced quatrefoil over. Moulded label with stops.
Gargoyles to eaves angles, dentilled cornice. Splayed base to octagonal spire.
Gables to each compass face with 2 centre arches, moulded capitals bases and
rings to attached shafts, smaller similar gables over. Weathervane to apex.
Interior. North porch. Stone vaulted ceiling with green man and leaf bosses.
Chancel. Ribbed apsidal roof, painted red and gold. Foliate carved corbels.
Shafts with foliate capitals support the moulded cornice. Labels with foliate
stops above the 7 stained glass windows. Piscina, chamfered 2 centred arch,
label with foliate stops, round drain. Similar double Sedilia with moulded
capital and base to central shaft. Carved and painted reredos. Ornate carvings
some reputed to be by Grinling Gibbons, to organ case which was made for
Worcester Cathedral 1667. The organ and case were presented 1879 by Rev. L.G.
Hayne Mus. D. who built the organ for the music room at Eton when he was
Succentor there before succeeding his father as Rector of Mistley with Bradfield
q.v. 3/86 in 1871. His organ was reputed to be the largest in the world and
required 10 of the largest trucks the railway could find to move it from Eton
to Bradfield; from it the present organs at Bradfield and Mistley were built.
Rev. Hayne composed the Hymn Tunes St. Celia, Buckland and St. Lawrence. Carved
choir stalls, carved and traceried panelling to south wall in memory of Cpl.
John Tipping 26.11.1914. Wrought iron and moulded wood altar rails. Wrought
iron Chancel screen. Moulded 2 centred Chancel arch, 3 black marble shafts with
foliate carved capitals stand on carved corbels attached to the jambs. Nave
roof of 5 bays, carved corbels support wall posts and arched braces to alternate
scissor braced trusses, arched braces to double side purlins. Large ornately
carved stone ocatagonal pulpit, black angle shafts with moulded capitals, each
face with a coloured marble roundel. Brass Eagle lectern. North and south
aisles of 5 bays, circular columns with moulded capitals and bases, moulded 2
centred arches. Font. Circa 1870, gift of Janet Norman. Circular bowl of
alabaster, carved flowers to soffit, 3 serpentine support shafts, moulded base,
octagonal plinth. Inscription in encaustic tiles. The font from Mistley
Georgian Church, in the entrance porch. On the west wall are memorials to the
Rigby, Rivers and Norman families from the Mistley Georgian Church. On the
north wall a memorial to Thomas Osgood a fuller who was burnt at Manningtree
during the Marian persecution, 15 June 1555, erected by the inhabitants 1748.
On the south wall a memorial to 'Thomas Tusser of Rivenhall who resided at
Braham Hall, Cattawade and wrote the Poetical Treatise '500 points of good
husbandry' died London 1580 age 65. Tablet erected at the expense of the late
Mr. George Blencowe", "He benefited the area by introducing the improved culture
of Barley," from Manningtree Church. By the south door a floor slab to Jhone
Boner 1533 from Mistley Heath Church and above the south door are the Royal Arms
1816-1837, again from Manningtree Church. Said to be 6 bells, one by Thos.
Bridges and Thos. Gardiner 1747, the others by Bowells of Ipswich 1898. A
plaque in the north porch relates that the Church and organ were restored
1962/1969 at a cost of £13,000. Following the union of Manningree and Mistley in 1967 the dedication of the church was changed to St. Mary and St. Michael.
Manningtree Church is now demolished with the exception of a wall remnant q.v.
9/145 of Mistley Heath Church only low ruins remain q:v. 3/231 and of Mistley
Georgian Church, Mistley Towers remain q.v. 10/265 and 266. The Parish Church
of St. Mary and St. Michael, Histley with Manningtree compiled by W.J.F. Moore,
undated but 1984-86. "'
Listing NGR: TM1139231782
