Parish Church of St Mary the Virgin

Details

BELCHAMP WALTER HALL ROAD
TL 84 SW (east side)

1/13 Parish Church of St.
21.6.62 Mary the Virgin

GV I

Parish Church. C13, C14, C15 and C19. Of flint rubble partially plastered, but
with limestone dressings to the west tower. Roofs are of clay peg tiles and are
gabled. Consists of west tower, nave, narrower chancel and south porch. Tile
nave has a moulded external string course below window cills. There are 2
windows on the north wall, the eastern is of the C16 and is set in the blocking
of an archway. It is of 4 lights and of moulded and plastered brick. The
western is C14 of 3 cinquefoiled and traceried lights. Further west is the C14,
blocked, north doorway. The jambs and arch are of 2 moulded orders. In the
north wail of nave is a monument, said to be to Sir John Boutetort 1324 or 1325
and Maude his wife, in the form of an arched recess, forming canopy of altar
tomb and the entrance for a former chantry chapel. This has a moulded and 2
centred arch, cinquefoiled, sub-cusped and carved with foliage and flowers,
points of main cusps curved with grotesques, and on main spandrels, 4 shields of
arms. Crocketed and moulded label with carver finial, moulded responds carved
with foliage. The arch is flanked by square panelled buttresses with panelled
gabled and crocketed pinnacles. Numerous small shields on buttresses. At back
of arch are the carved springers of the former vaulted roof with semi-circular
vaulting shafts and moulded capitals. In the south wall are 2 C14 windows with
3 cinquefoiled lights and intersecting tracery. Between them is the south
doorway, similar to the north but with old door of rebated boards and iron
straps. The chancel is basically C13 but much rebuilt. The east window is C19.
In the north wall are 2 windows: the eastern of one round headed light; the
western is a C13 lancet with the cill removed to form a modern doorway. In the
south wall are 2 windows, the eastern a C13 lancet and the western C19. Below
are remains of a lancet or doorway. The chancel arch is moulded and C19. The
west tower is C15 and of 3 stages with moulded plinth and embattled parapet,
both enriched with flint and stone chequerwork. The plinths of the 2 western
buttresses have quatrefoiled panels with a plain shield. The north east stair
tower has a C16 brick top with C19 cupola and C18 wrought iron weather vane. The
tower arch is 2 centred of 3 chamfered orders with semi-octagonal shafts with
moulded capitals. On the east face of the wall is a square cusped panel with
an embattled cornice and enclosing a shield. In the north wall is a doorway
with chamfered jambs. The west window is restored and has 3 cinquefoiled ogee
lights with transom and tracery in 4 centred head. The second stage has, in the
north, south and west walls, a window of one trefoiled light. Below the window
in the west wall are 3 square panels in a moulded frame, 2 of the panels are
cusped and enclose blank shields. The bell chamber has, in each wall, a window
of 2 cinquefoils in a four centred head. The south porch of the C15 has low
plastered brick plinths and is timber framed above. This has restored diamond
mullions in the flank and a cross-quadrant crown post with hollow chamfers and
arch bracing to the tie beams. The front tie beam is moulded and the
bargeboards are foiled. The font has a tapering band with bands of interlace
ornament, but has much of its upper part removed. The base is C19. Traces of
wall paintings over north and south walls of nave including a 'wheel of fortune'
and a St. Sebastian. Monument in chancel to Sir John Raymond 1720 with
pilasters and cherubs by Robert Taylor Snr. Graded I for landscape,
architectural and historic value. RCHM 1.


Listing NGR: TL8274440700

Legacy

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

Legacy System number:

115731

Legacy System:

LBS

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