Details
FEERING THE STREET
TL 8620-8720 (north side)
7/116 Parish Church of All
21.12.67 Saints
GV I
Parish church. C13-16, restored in C19. Flint and septaria rubble and red
brick in English bond, dressings of brick, clunch and limestone, roofed with
handmade red plain tiles and lead. Nave of C12/13 origin, Chancel mainly early
C14, N aisle early C14, W tower C15, S wall of Nave and S porch early C16, N
vestry C19. The Chancel has an early C14 E window of 3 pointed lights with
plain intersecting tracery in a 2-centred head, the jambs and arch chamfered in
2 orders, and a hollow-moulded rear-arch. The N wall, W of the vestry, is of
roughly coursed rubble, possibly earlier than the main part. In the N wall are
2 windows similar to the E window but of 2 lights, and wholly restored
externally; the eastern window has a low sill, forming a seat. Between the
windows is a C19 doorway to the vestry. In the S wall are 2 windows similar to
those in the N wall; further W is an early C14 doorway with chamfered jambs and
2-centred arch, blocked internally, with a hollow-chamfered rear-arch. Above it
is a blocked early C16 window of brick, of three 4-centred lights in a 4-centred
head, partly restored. The chancel-arch is reported to be by Sir George Gilbert
Scott, 1845, reproducing the original of c.1200. Chancel roof 1960. The Nave
has a N arcade of c.1330, of 4 bays with 2-centred arches of 2 wave-moulded
orders; the columns have each 4 attached shafts with moulded capitals and bases;
the responds have attached half-columns. The S wall is built or faced with
early C16 brick, and has a moulded plinth with panels of flint inlay, and a
crenellated parapet on a trefoiled corbel-table. It has 3 early C16 brick
windows; the easternmost is of four 4-centred lights with plain tracery in a
4-centred head with a moulded label and chamfered rear-arch; the second window
is similar but of 2 lights with tracery; the westernmost window is similar but
of 5 lights without tracery. Between the 2 western windows is the S doorway,
C19 externally but retaining an early C16 4-centred rear-arch. The door has a
2-centred head and is Cl4; it is comprised of 7 radially cut and V-edged boards
nailed to 6 rear battens which are dovetailed into the rim. There are 2
original strap-hinges with enlarged shoulders and incised chevron patterns, and
one C19 reproduction. The stock-lock and bolt are later, but of uncertain date.
The base of the door has been repaired in the C19. The roof of the Nave is
late C17, of butt-purlin construction in 8 bays, with moulded wallplates with
arabesque and other ornament, and 3 straight tiebeams carved with lozenges and
wheat-ears. The middle tiebeam has small pendants at the base of the principal
ratters; the other principals have small brackets. Each truss has an arch-braced
collar with 2 raking struts and moulded pendant. There are 2 chamfered
butt-purlins in each roof pitch. (C.A. Hewett, Church Carpentry, an Essex
Study, 1982, 41, 46 and Plate 19). The N aisle has in the N wall 3 C14 windows;
the easternmost is of 3 pointed lights in a segmental-pointed head with a
moulded label and wave-moulded rear-arch; the 2 western windows are each of 2
trefoiled ogee lights with tracery in a 2-centred head with a moulded label,
partly restored. Between them is the C14 N doorway with plain jambs and
2-centred arch of 2 wave-moulded orders; above it is a gabled weathering with
fleur-de-lys finial, indicating the former existence of a N porch. In the W
wall is a window similar to the western window in the N wall, restored
externally. In the middle of the N wall is a late C14 tomb recess with shafted
jambs, moulded ogee arch, label and foliated finial, restored with cement. The
early C15 W tower is of 3 stages with a moulded plinth, moulded bands between
the stages, 2 diagonal buttresses, and a stair-turret in the NE angle. The
2-centred tower-arch is of 3 orders, one chamfered, one moulded, one
hollow-chamfered, the inner 2 dying on to the square responds; the outer order
is continuous. N of it is the door to the stair, with moulded jambs and
2-centred arch. The W window is of 2 cinquefoiled lights with tracery in a
2-centred head, the moulded label restored. Below it is a doorway with moulded
jambs, 2-centred arch, and heavily weathered moulded label. 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 each wall a window of 2
cinquefoiled lights under a square head with a moulded label; the head of the W
window is restored. The stair is lit by 3 plain loops. The parapet is
crenellated. The S porch is of red brick with a diaper pattern of flared
headers; it has a trefoiled corbel-table and crenellated parapet, crow-stepped
at the S end and finished with crocketed pinnacles at the angles and a truncated
pinnacle at the apex. The moulded plinth has trefoiled panels of flint-inlay.
The outer archway has moulded upper jambs and a 4-centred arch with double
label, 4-centred and square. Above it is a projection on moulded corbelling
enclosing a niche with a 4-centred head surmounted by 3 trefoiled panels with a
stepped and moulded label. The side walls have each a window of 3 transomed and
4-centred lights with a moulded label. The roof has a brick vault with a
diagonal cross and intermediate ribs springing from moulded corbels; in the
middle is a shield with a merchant's mark. Above the S doorway of the Nave and
below the vaulting. is a 4-centred and moulded wall-arch resting on splayed
angles, each with two 4-centred niches, and on a squinch across the NW angle of
the porch. The bench on each side of the porch is supported by 2 shallow
3-centred arches of brick. The porch was restored in 1982-3. Fittings. There
are 2 piscinae, (1) in the Chancel, with trefoiled head, moulded label and
sexfoiled drain, early C14, restored, (2) in the N side of the N arcade, with
wave-moulded jambs and 2-centred arch, defaced cusped head and repaired
octofoiled drain, C14. In the S wall of the Nave is a stoup, with plain
chamfered jambs and 2-centred head, basin destroyed, of uncertain date. In the
floor of the N aisle is a C13 coffin-lid, a tapering slab with double
hollow-chamfered jambs (sunk in adjacent bricks), and cross with trefoiled ends
in relief. On the N wall of the Chancel is a brass to Judith (Gaell), wife of
Robert Aylett, LL.D., 1623, inscription only; and an oval stone tablet to Joseph
Driffield, 1781, and his widow Mary, 1806; and a similar tablet to Elizabeth
Driffield, 1789, her infant daughter Mary Sophia, 1780, and to Walter Wren
Driffeld, 1828, friend of John Constable, painter. In the floor of the Nave are
diaper stone slabs (1) inscribed E.D. 1798 and M.D. 1806, and (2) inscribed M.T.
1816, W.W.D. 1828,'and E.K. 1826. In the tracery of the middle window of the N
aisle is C14 glass, foliated and tabernacle work, in situ, and reset below it,
glass of various periods and national origins, including a roundel of a crowned
rose with initials E.R., C16. Framed on the W wall of the Nave is a lead sheet
embossed 'John Brewer, John Eley, churchwardens, 1802, Slyth plumber'.
Remounted on the C19 door to the stair turret are C15 incised strap hinges, and
an iron key-plate with protective flap, of uncertain date. There are eight
bells, of which the sixth, seventh and eighth were recast by Miles Graye in
1624. RCHM 1.
Listing NGR: TL8722020417
