Parish Church of St Michael

Details

RAMSEY AND PARKESTON CHURCH HILL TM 23 SW (north side) 2/61 Parish Church of St. Michael Parish church. Mainly C12-16, restored in C19. Chancel and Nave of plastered rubble, W tower of exposed septaria, flint and pebble rubble, repaired with red brick, S porch of red brick in Flemish bond; dressings mainly of limestone, roofs of handmade red clay tiles. Nave early C12, Chancel C13, the upper part C15, W tower early C15, repaired in late C16, C17 and C18, S porch 1816. The Chancel has a late C16 E window of 3 square-headed and double-transomed lights, plastered with a timber lintel and C13 splays. In the N wall is a late C16 window of 2 square-headed and transomed lights with a timber lintel and C13 splays, plastered; further W is a smaller C16 square-headed window, blocked. E of the windows is a recess with moulded cinquefoiled head, shafted jambs with moulded capitals and bases, C14, possibly an Easter sepulchre. In the S wall is a late C16 window similar to that opposite, but with the sill carried down to form a seat. W of it is a C15 doorway, partly restored, with double-ogee moulded jambs, 5-centred arch and timber lintel. Immediately W of it is part of the 2-centred head of a blocked archway, probably C13. W of it is a blocked C16 window similar to that opposite. The late C14 chancel-arch, partly restored, is 2-centred, of 2 moulded orders, the outer continuous, the inner resting on attached semi-octagonal shafts; the moulded capitals are carved with half-angels, the bases are moulded, and below the N base is a mutilated plinth. The roof is of 4 bays, ceiled to the collars, with butt-purlins; the collars are moulded and carved with egg-and-dart ornament and running foliage, and in addition the middle collar is carved with the date 1597 and the name Goldingham; the principal rafters and purlins are ovolo-moulded; at the junction of the principals and collars are double consoles with carved spandrels. The wallplates are carved with running ornament. The Nave has in the N wall 4 windows; the easternmost is early C14, of 2 lights with Y-tracery in a 2-centred head, with chamfered rear-arch. The second window is late C14, of 2 trefoiled lights with tracery in a square head, with moulded label and chamfered segmental rear-arch; the westernmost window is a C13 lancet with chamfered 2-centred rear- arch. Between the second and third windows is the early C12 N doorway, partly restored, with semi-circular arch of one plain order; the imposts have diaper ornament and a chamfered under-edge with zigazg carving. At the E end of this wall is a late C15 rood-loft stair; the lower doorway has double-chamfered jambs and 4-centred arch, rebated for a door, with one original hinge and an iron bolt-socket; the upper doorway has a square head. The stair is complete, the lower steps of stone on brick, the remainder of brick, forming an external projection, with one quatrefoil light. The sawn-off stub of moulded rood-beam is embedded in the N wall. In the S wall are 4 windows; the easternmost is late C16, partly restored, of 2 square-headed lights with timber lintel; the second is mid-C14, partly restored, of two 2-centred lights with uncusped saltire tracery in a segmental head, with a moulded label and grotesque headstops (one decayed); the third window is early C14, partly restored, of 2 lights with Y-tracery in a 2-centred head, with moulded label and chamfered rear-arch; the westernmost window is similar to the third window in the N wall, but with narrower trefoils, the sill carried down to form a bay. E of it is the early C15 S doorway, with jambs and 2-centred arch of 2 moulded orders, with a moulded label and grotesque headstops; the inner order is carved with moons, stars, crowned initials I and M, heads, leopards' heads and foliage; the outer order is carved with a Coronation of the Virgin, crowns, and foliage with hanging shields; the label is carved with shields, winged hearts and foliage. The door is original, with a moulded surround and 3 moulded fillets, and 4 attached shafts cut in the solid, with moulded bases and capitals formerly supporting detached figures, only the fixing holes remaining; at the rear is a dovetailed and nailed portcullis frame; the scutcheon plate and plain drop-handle are of uncertain date. The roof of the Nave is in 4 bays, much restored, of crownpost construction, with ashlar-pieces and soulaces to every rafter couple, and octagonal crownposts with moulded caps and bases; 2 tiebeams are plain; the E tiebeam is chamfered with lamb's tongue stops, probably re-used. The W tower is of 3 stages, with a moulded plinth and C19/20 parapet; the upper part of the S wall, SE stair turret and the SW buttress are of C18 brick. The C15 tower-arch is 2-centred, of 2 orders, the outer double-ogee moulded and continuous, the inner chamfered and resting on attached round shafts with moulded capitals and bases. The early C16 W window, much restored, is of 3 ogee lights with plain vertical tracery in a 4-centred head with moulded label and chamfered rear-arch, the supporting arch of alternate limestone and flint voussoirs. The early C16 W doorway of clunch, partly restored, has moulded jambs, decayed 2-centred arch in a square head with traceried spandrels, a moulded label and chamfered segmental-pointed rear-arch; the supporting arch is of alternate flint and red brick voussoirs. The second stage has in the N, S and W walls a window of one trefoiled light in a square head with a moulded label. The bell-chamber has in the E, N and W walls a C15 window of 2 cinquefoiled lights with cusped tracery in a 4-centred head, with a moulded label; the S window is C18. The doorway to the bell-turret has double-ogee moulded jambs and 2-centred head; above it, the sawn-off stubs of 2 moulded timbers are embedded in the S wall; the stair is lit by 2 quatrefoils, and 2 plain lights in the brick upper part. The bell floor is original, of plain joists of horizontal section framed round a central bellway. Fittings. There are 2 piscinae (1) in the Chancel, with triangular head and round drain, of uncertain date, (2) in the S wall of the Nave, with chamfered jambs, mutilated cinquefoiled head and repaired drain, C14. N of the chancel-arch are 2 narrow niches with triangular heads, of uncertain date. In the S porch is a stoup with chamfered 2-centred head and jambs with broach stops, probably C15. The font is partly C15, partly restored, with a recut octagonal bowl with a shield in each face and a moulded soffit, a panelled octagonal stem, and a moulded base with carved flowers. The pulpit, c.1600, is octagonal, the panels divided into 3 ranges with bolection moulding, enriched arcading and carved foliage respectively, the stem, base and stair restored. In the Chancel is a floor-slab to Sophia Catherine (?) and Catherine Burr, 1747, mutilated; the presence of the floor-slabs to William and Penelope Whitmore, reported by the RCHM, could not be verified. Also in the Chancel is a slab with indent for an inscription plate. On the S wall of the Chancel is a memorial to Daniel Burr, 1782, and his widow Elizabeth, 1785, in white marble inlaid with grey marble, with an urn with guilloche border in full relief, moulded head with paterae and inlaid arcading, inlaid strips at the sides, painted shield of arms and foliate brackets; the inscription describes it as 'This unadorned Memorial'. Also on the S wall is a white marble tablet to Lieutenant-General Daniel Burr, 1828. On the S wall of the Nave is a royal arms of 1727, and a Commonwealth arms of 1651, painted on boards with a simple wooden frame; this was found with traces of canvas behind the royal arms, a rare or possibly unique survival. On the N wall of the Nave is the hatchment of Lieutenant-General Daniel Burr, 1828, with legend "Virtus Verus Honos'. There are 5 bells, 3 by Thomas Gardiner dated 1724, 1724 and 1745 respectively; the bells by Miles Graye, 1638, and John Darbie, 1676, reported by the RCHM, were recast in 1967. A-clock with foliot escapement was removed to Colchester Castle Museum in 1964. RCHM 1.

Listing NGR: TM2181430438

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