Church of St Mary the Virgin

Details

TL 6624 STEBBING CHURCH END 10/312 Church of St. Mary 20.2.67 the Virgin

G.V. I

Church mainly circa 1360 with later restorations. Walls mainly of flint rubble with clunch and shelly oolite dressings, and some bricks. Roofs one of lead, grey slate to Aisles and red plain tile to Chancel. The Church comprises of West Tower, Nave with crenellated clerestorey, North and South aisles also crenellated, and South porch, Chancel with North vestry. The West Tower is of 3 stages with crenellations, 3 stage angled buttresses, a timber spire and grotesques to each face. The S.E. stair turret with red tiled roof is C15. C19/20 west doorway and C19/20 mullion and tracery to 3 light W. window. Above are two, single light windows, originally with trefoiled heads but now restored. Similar windows to north and south walls, the south window now blocked. Bellchamber has in each wall, trefoiled, two light windows, with a quatrefoil in a two centred head. The two centred tower arch is of 2 moulded orders, the responds with semi-octagonal attached shafts with moulded capitals, bases and outer orders. The Nave with N & S arcades of 5 bays each having 2 centred arches of 2 moulded orders and moulded labels with head stops, many of which are C19/20. Columns with 4 semi-octagonal shafts with small rolls moulded capitals and bases and responds with attached half columns. The clerestory was inserted early C16 when the Nave roof was raised and has on each side, 5 windows of 3 cinquefoil lights under 4 centred heads. The roof has crenellated moulded wall plates and 6 cambered, moulded tie beams. At the feet of the intermediate principals are carved angels holding blank shields and at the purlin intersections are foliated bosses. Externally The North Aisle has 4 grotesque gargoyles below the crenellations. There is a C15/16 doorway with chamfered jambs and three centred head in the East wall. Of the 4 north wall windows the easternmost and third one of 2 cinquefoil lights in a two centred head, the second is late C14 of 3 lights under a 4 centred head and the fourth is similar to the easternmost, but with different tracery. Between the third and fourth window is the blocked North Doorway with moulded jambs, two centred arch and moulded labels. In the west wall the window is as the easternmost. The South Aisle has 3 grotesque garoyles below the crenellations. The East wall window is of three trefoiled lights with net tracery in a two-centred head. Of the 4 south wall windows the easternmost and third one of two cinquefoiled lights with tracery in a two centred head as is the west wall window. The second and fourth windows are similar but the tracery is different and the splays are shafted. Between the third and fourth windows the South Doorway has a two centred arch of moulded orders. The label and rear arch are moulded. The door is nailed board. Internally between the first and second windows are the upper and lower doorways of the stairs to the rood-left, with chamfered jambs and three centred heads of late C15-early C16. Seven lower steps remain of the staircase. There is a C14 Piscina with moulded trefoil head and label and basin. The South Porch walls were raised with brick, C16, the outer archway is moulded and two centred, and has a niche above with a Madonna statue. Above which is a band and parapet. In the East wall is a brick restored, rectangular window, and the west wall has a similar brick quatrefoiled window. The Chancel C14 has chamfered external and moulded internal string courses. East window of 5 cinquefoiled lights with C15 tracery with a two-headed centre head, the jambs, head, labels and rear arch are moulded and the internal splays have each two attached shafts with moulded capitals and bases. Of the two N. walls window the Eastern is of 2 plain lights under a pointed head, the western of two pointed lights, is now blocked, there is a two centre arch doorway. There are three windows in the south wall of two lights, two trefoiled and the centre cinquefoiled with various tracery under two centred heads. The southernmost with a transom. Between the windows is a doorway with a two centre head of two moulded arches. The two centred Chancel Arch is of two moulded arches, with shafted responds with moulded bases and capitals. The arch is filled with a stone screen, of which only two others exist, one at Great Bardfield in Essex and one in Trondheim Norway. It is of three bays, divided by clustered shafts which have moulded bases and capitals and continue up to form three pointed sub-arches, which are trefoiled and sub- cusped, crocketted and ball-flowered etc. There are grotesques to the centre sub-arch stops. Above the centre sub-arch in the middle bay is a transome supporting the Rood. The head of the main arch is filled with elaborately enriched tracery. The base of the side bays is filled with fleuron panelling with a moulded coping. C15 roof is of braced collar beam type. The wall plates are crenellated, all timbers are moulded and the purlins and wall plates are foliated. The curved braces have traceried spandrels. C14 Piscina, double with two cinquefoil heads and a quatrefoil in a two centred main head, two drains, octofoil with shelf at back. C14 Sedilia, in range with Piscina, three arched, with moulded cinquefoil heads on double shafted jambs and piers with 3 attached shafts, all with moulded capitals and bases and carved faces to label stops. In the North wall is a projecting wood block with slotted soffit, for the pulley of the Lenten veil. There is a carved wooden reredos and an antique carved stone used as a credence. C18 Communion rails with fluted and twisted balusters and middlegate. There is an ornately carved wooden chair. North Vestry East wall window with a square head. Two square head windows to north wall, one blocked and the other with two trefoiled lights. There is a plain board door with a flat lintel. There is a raised door in the south wall with steps to Rood Loft. Brasses In Chancel to Thomas Jernigon circa 1608. In Nave of a widow circa 1390, possibly Margaret de Ferrers, and other indents. Chest C15/C16 with iron bound lid cover and 3 locks. Font Octagonal, with plain bowl, moulded at base and cusped panelled stem. C16 Stoup in South Porch with pointed head and broken basin probably C16. Then are remains of wall paintings in chancel, nave and aisles. C16 Reredos in north aisle on East wall, the remains of elaborate canopy with vaulted soffit and projecting brackets, now cut back to face of wall. The Clock in West Tower approx. 200 years old. RCHM 1

Listing NGR: TL6639424004

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:

122749

Legacy System:

LBS

Sources

Other
An Inventory of the Historical Monuments in Essex North West, (1916)

End of official list entry

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