Church of St John Baptist

Details

SK 14 SE;
6/85
12/01/66

MAYFIELD C.P.,
CHURCH LANE (N.W. side)
Church of St John Baptist

GV
I

Parish Church. Late C12 core extended and remodelled in early C14,
west tower added 1515, north aisle rebuilt 1854. Coursed and squared
large stone blocks with ashlar dressings; lead-covered lean-to roof
to south aisle, clay tile roof with shaped tile bands and coped verges
to north aisle. West tower with diagonal buttresses, 3-bay nave, 3-bay chancel, north and south aisles and south porch.

West tower:
Dated 1515; three stages; Tudor arch west doorway with moulded surround,
returned hoodmould and board and battened door, inscription (now
illegible) and date over; pointed west window above with deeply hollowed
recess, three trefoil-headed lights and central cinquefoil-headed light
above, hoodmould terminating in animals; second stage is marked by
a string, the west side is blank, the south side has paired pointed
loops and a clock above, clock to north side; belfry openings of two
trefoil-headed lights with super mullions above flanking a quatrefoil,
hoodmould over; crenellated parapet with corner and central
pinnacles, gargoyle to north and south sides. South aisle: Early C14;
two windows; that to east has three lancet lights under a pointed arch,
and a hoodmould terminating in animal heads, that to the west has
intersecting tracery; central gabled porch of c1600, buttressed to each side
with round arch and door to late C12 south door, flanked by nook shafts
with water leaf capital to left and scalloped capital to right from
which springs a round arch decorated with pellets and three-dimensional
zig-zag ornament, these elements may have been re-set. North aisle:
Rebuilt 1854; three windows, those to east and west have two ogee
trefoil-headed lights with quatrefoil above, both have hoodmoulds stopped
with heads, the central window is inspired by the eastern south aisle
window and has a hoodmould, terminating in leaf motifs. Chancel:
Early C14 with scalloped C18 parapet returned up east gable; north
and south windows have Y-tracery, all have hoodmoulds terminating
in busts, except those to east and west on the south side where the
hood-moulds are simply returned, the central window on the south
side is flanked by multi-cusped gabled buttresses, the central window
on the north side has a roll-moulded rather than chamfered mullion,
and is flanked by gabled buttresses with fleur-de-lys decoration;
the east window has three ogee-headed lights with reticulated tracery above
and a hoodmould terminating in busts; diagonal buttresses to both
east corners, that to the N.E. corner matches the buttresses on the
north side, that to the S.E. corner matches those on the south side;
parapet string and late C18 shaped parapet; lead rainwater head to
south side.

INTERIOR: Nave arcade of three round arches, those of the
south arcade stand on cylindrical columns and have square abaci,
whereas those of the north arcade are clustered columns forming a
quatrefoil plan and have octagonal abaci; mainly volute capitals,
that to west end of south aisle has carved faces, also a scalloped
capital and a broad leaf capital; Early C14 chamfered pointed chancel
arch springing from semi-octagonal engaged columns with moulded capitals;
tall, pointed tower arch with chamfered jambs and arch; C20 nave roof,
very low pitch, cambered tie beam supported on short braced beams
projecting from wall plate level, ridge piece and single pair of
purlins; chancel roof probably C15, very low pitch, cambered tie
supported by short posts standing on corbels, ridge piece and single
pair of purlins, tie beam, ridge piece, purlins and rafters are all
moulded; piscina at east end of South aisle with simple pointed
arch, and in chancel with trefoiled head. FITTINGS: Stone font
dated 1514, octagonal base, octagonal moulded pedestal, octagonal
bowl; reused C17 carved oak box pews incorporated in C19 bench
pews, some retain initials and an inscription, i.e. "SEATES FOR THE
CHIEFE LORD", "N:W", "W:H:A:S:H:H:R:A", "T:E:GL"; C17 hexagonal
carved oak pulpit; C17 carved oak lectern; chancel has C17 carved
oak panelling; 3-sided oak communion rail of c1660, ornately carved
with barley sugar balusters; ornately carved C17 oak altar table;
two commandment boards flanking east window . MONUMENTS: Marble
memorial plaque in South aisle to Thomas Ley died 1795, flanked by
ribbed scrolls with cornice and urn above draped with a cloth;
marble memorial plaque in South aisle to John Brock died 1825,
corbelled base, moulded cornice and coat of arms above; brass
memorial plaque to Sarah Evans died 1749.

Listing NGR: SK1542844752

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

405770

Legacy System:

LBS

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