Details
TL 73 NE LITTLE YELDHAM CHURCH GREEN, North Side
4/12 Parish Church of St. John
21.6.62 the Baptist
GV II*
Parish church, C12/13 and later. Walls of flint and pebble rubble, roof of
red clay tiles. Nave C12/13 but W wall rebuilt, probably in 1874, Chancel
rebuilt in C15, W belfry C15/16, N porch and S vestry 1891. The Chancel is
irregular in plan, wider at the S end, and sharply deflected from the axis of
the Nave. The E window is C19. In the N wall there is a window, doorway and
2 arches, all C19. In the S wall is a C15 window, partly restored, of 2
cinquefoiled lights and tracery in a 2-centred head with moulded label. The
roof is 7-canted and boarded, C19. The Nave has in the N wall a late C14 window
of one wide light with a slightly ogee cinquefoiled head. Further W is a
doorway, probably C13, blocked and partly below ground level, with chamfered
jambs and 2-centred head which has been converted to a window. In the S wall
are 2 windows; the eastern is late C15, partly restored, of 2 cinquefoiled
lights with tracery in a 4-centred head; the western is C19 except the E splay
and semi-circular rear-arch, possibly C12. The W splay is cut back square.
Between the windows is a doorway of uncertain date with 2-centred head, now
plastered. The W wall and window are C19. The roof is of 7 cants, boarded
to the soffit, probably medieval. (Hewett, 1982, 119). The W belfry is
weatherboarded with C19 pyramidal roof, supported on 4 posts with tiebeams and
chamfered arch-braces, with single unchamfered arch-braces against the side
walls, C15/16. There is a C14 piscina in the Chancel with chamfered jambs,
trefoiled ogee head, recessed spandrels and quatrefoil drain. The font has
a C15 octagonal bowl with cusped panels enclosing a molet, roses, blank shields
and a 4-leafed flower, with a C19 stem and base. There are 2 bells of Miles
Graye, 1674. In the Chancel there are 3 floor slabs in black marble, to Thomas
Cracherode, 1701, to Waldegrave Sidey, born 1661 (partly covered by altar
table), and to Sarah Cracherode, widow, 1705. At the W end of the Nave against
the belfry are the painted arms of George I in a gilt frame. Outside, against
the N wall of the Nave there is a stone coffin-lid found during construction of
the S porch, coped slab with beaded edge and cross formy with plain scroll arms
springing from the middle of the stem, and stepped base, early C13. The
architect responsible for the N vestry, chancel screen, S porch and general
restoration in 1891 was J.P. Seddon. The floor-slabs to Thomas and Sarah
Cracherode refer to the family recorded in an inscription at Red House (q.v.).
Listing NGR: TL7792539564
