* TLip FEN AND MARSHLAND CHURCHES; WITH HISTORICAL AND ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTIVE NOTES i <— Hi SI Yale Center for British Art and British Studies This book was digitized by Microsoft Corporation in cooperation with Yale University Library, 2008. You may not reproduce this digitized copy of the book for any purpose other than for scholarship, research, educational, or, in limited quantity, personal use. You may not distribute or provide access to this digitized copy (or modified or partial versions of it) for commercial purposes. / i THE FEN AND MARSHLAND CHURCHES. o Ho i— ( >-1 *¦ THE FEN and MARSHLAND CHURCHES; A SERIES OF PHOTOGRAPHS, WITH SHORT HISTORICAL AND ARCHITECTURAL DESCRIPTIVE NOTES. The Photographic Illustrations by Edward Johnson. WISBECH : LEACH AND SON, 26, HIGH STREET. LONDON : A. W. BENNETT, 5, BISHOPSGATE WITHOUT, T " "¦""" " " ' ' ¦>& ifr % WISBECH : LEACH & SON. PRINTERS. 26, HIGH STREET. o\ y I^P 1 '1 ^V/l-dd- f f.,y C-- ) ^¦¦linilllll ir ¦ llfflmiill HPnPPl ldl"l r P'l ' ' -mmrrrVn— irr ¦ ¦'¦'irnimP - - xlJ^I ¦% ^ TO THE HONOURABLE AND RIGHT REVEREND JOHN THOMAS, LORD BISHOP OF NORWICH, AND TO THE RIGHT REVEREND EDWARD HAROLD, LORD BISHOP OF ELY, THIS VOLUME IS BY THEIR LORDSHIPS' PERMISSION RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED BY THEIR OBLIGED AND OBEDIENT SERVANTS, LEACH & SON. *• ffiMBOTftgjggSfefesj *¦ ^ ' ' '»¦ -™-<- ' »fr CONTENTS. Page. WALSOKEN, Norfolk, with descriptive notes by the Rev. J. Davies, M.A., F.R.Asiaf.S. and Rector of Walsoken ... ... ... i WALTON, Norfolk, with descriptive notes by the Rev. E. E. Blencowe, B.A., Rector of Walton Eliensis ... ... ... ... 5 EMNETH, Norfolk, with descriptive notes by the Rev. J. W. Berryman, B.A., Vicar of Emneth ... ... ... ... ... 13, WISBECH, Cambs., with descriptive notes by the Very Rev. J. S. Howson, D.D., Dean of Chester, foint author of the "Life and Epistles of St. Paul" and author of an Essay on "Deaconesses" ... ... ... 19 WALPOLE (St. Peter), Norfolk, with descrip tive notes by the Rev. E. E. Blencowe, B.A., Rector of Walton Eliensis ... ... ... 27 TERRINGTON (St. Clement), Norfolk, with descriptive notes by the Rev. C. R. Manning, M.A., Hon. Sec. of the Norfolk and Norwich Archceological Society, and Rector of Diss 35 tjfoi—iii 1 11 11 11 rir \\m\\xt^mammmmmmmBmmmammmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm^^m^_< | >& ii iiiiinnmiimini'tnniniir — tmih-« miri ii-tJ-1 WEST WALTON. __t - • • ifr WEST WALTON. 9 ruinous is a good specimen of the later roofs of our churches, and of course from its low pitch has deteriorated from the effect of the original building by taking the place of the high pitched roof which always adorned the earlier styles. It does not appear that the architects of this period paid the attention to the security of their foundations which the natu rally damp soil — so unfit to bear great weights, and these unequally distributed, would have led us to expect ; consequently the west front seems to have given way very shortly after its erection, and two immense buttresses were found necessary to prevent its falling : a sad injury to the western facade, which consisted of the west doorway already men tioned, with two lancet windows above flanked by octangular towers similar to those of the porch, or those at the angles of the tower, with high pitched roof and low narrow aisles. The aisles, which originally extended the whole length of the church to within about 10 feet, were shortened to the extent of the nave. The north •* * Ifr 10 WEST WALTON. aisle was increased from about 1 1 feet in width to 22, and the south to about 18, by which half of the porch was saved from demolition. Its beauty seems to have preserved it, or this aisle would have probably extended as far out as the north. This seems to have taken place in the 14th century, from the decorated windows that remain ; though perpendicular windows of the meanest class have been inserted. Thus the church, which was designed by the architect a long, narrow, lofty building, with very narrow aisles, has been shortened at the eastern extremity 4 feet, the roofs lowered, the columns bricked up at their bases, the aisles extended beyond the width of the centre alley and curtailed in length by the destruction of the chancel chantries — is become instead, lower, broader, and shorter : injured in every possible way. Indeed it can hardly be studied as a whole, but every portion of the 13th century work is worthy of the greatest attention of the architectural student. But one 13th century window remains, and of this a writer in the Ecclesiologist says " It seems ^ ' ' ¦ ..¦ 1 wmmmmmmm mmmmmmmm—mmmjfr '* WEST WALTON. n to have been a labour of love to its builders ; no pains were spared upon it ; within it is a perfect miracle of exquisite carving in its capitals and mouldings." The same remark applies to the whole of the original building — it must have been a work of love from first to last. There is little need of saying much about the tower as the photograph will tell its own tale better than any description we can give. We only desire to draw attention to one point, namely the second division which presents the appearance of an exterior triforium ; a passage is pierced through the thickness of the walls, and on each side three elegant arches divided by shafts are opened outwards. This peculiarity is found, I believe, no where else, and is greatly to be admired. Every succeeding age seems to have done something for the mutilation of this once exquisite building ; and its future must be a source of great anxiety to every lover of archi tecture as well as to its natural guardians. Its great »fr rjt »_<¦ 12 WEST WALTON. size, far larger than the requirements of the parish ioners, even if reduced to its original dimensions, as well as the ruinous state it is in, preclude the idea that it will ever arise again, as many of our churches have lately done, in its first perfection ; but we may indulge the hope, that the beauties which still remain may be faithfully preserved ; and that it may be so far repaired, if not restored, as to make it more fit for the purpose it was intended for the worship of Almighty God. E. E. Blencowe. *' H w *¦ ¦* S. EDMUND'S, EMNETH, NORFOLK. N a careful examination of this Church, it is evident that the original structure was commenced towards the latter part of the 1 2th century. The only portions of this work remaining are the arches on each side of the chancel, and the lower part of its side and east walls. It is open to some question whether this church was ever completed. If it was, it must soon have been subjected to considerable alterations as the date of the present eastern triplet window — standing upon the base of an earlier opening — cannot be later than the middle of the 13th century. *¦ ¦* - ¦ » i4 S. EDMUND'S, EMNETH. About the year 1277 a Sir Adam de Hake- bech held a manor in this parish of the Prior of Lewes, and founded the chantry of St. Mary, on the site of the present south aisle of the chancel. At the close of the last century an ancient residence — known as Hakebech, or Hagbech Hall, and situated near the church — was taken down. The manor of Hagbech still remains to link the present with the past ; and under the tower arch lies the matrix of a magnificent canopied brass of a knight — 10 feet 7 inches long — which is very probably the memorial of this early benefactor to the church. The chantry of St. Mary has been replaced by work of much later date, and forms now the eastern continuation of the south aisle of the nave. It contains a handsome mural monument of the Hewar family — bearing the date of 1586 — and a costly and elaborate canopied tomb, with the recumbent effigies of Sir Thomas Hewar and his wife, and their infant child. This same Sir Thomas Hewar gave a very richly- j', ^-«--m---W-«--_---_- — —¦— — >ft »-< >fr S. EDMUND'S, EMNETH. 15 embroidered velvet communion cloth to the church, which is still preserved as a relic, though in a very dilapidated condition. The present walls of the north aisle of the chancel appear to have been built early in 14th century, when there was a three-light window — exposed during the recent restoration — at the east end of this aisle. Beyond this wall the north aisle has been extended to a level with the eastern wall of the chancel — the same as the south aisle — and has been subjected to considerable alterations. The outline of a decorated window — the only one in the church — may still be traced externally at the east end of this aisle ; and the space between the two walls is now occupied by two rooms, one above the other, — the lower one forming a vaulted sacristy, entered from the sacrarium by an ancient and well-preserved carved oak door — the upper one being approached by a narrow stone stair-case, leading from the east side of this door- way. In this aisle, behind the north- *« i *' 16 S. EDMUND'S, EMNETH. east shaft of the easternmost chancel bay, and only 3 feet above the level of the floor, is a curious, pear-shaped, squint-like opening — now partially blocked — and not a little puzzling in its structure and position. Into this aisle also, above the Norman arcade, opens an early English clere-story window, preserved and restored as the most per fect of several that were discovered, on either side of the chancel, during its recent restoration. The nave, tower, north and south aisles, and porch of this church are all evidently of the same date, and form a good and interesting specimen of perpendicular work of the 15 th cen tury. Beneath the chancel arch are the remains of an ancient rood-screen, upon which considerable portions of the original pigment and gilding may be seen. There is also a small plain screen between the south nave and chancel aisles. Pro jecting from the north-east angle of the nave is a stone and clunch turret leading to the rood- loft. The roof of the nave is of the tie-beam & ' r^p= >_< EMNETH. & i i 11 »_4 S. EDMUND'S, EMNETH. 17 kind, with intermediate hammer-beams terminating in angels. The brackets also, which rest upon shafted corbels, terminate in carved figures of good design. The windows are all plain but uniform and well-proportioned, particularly the large west window which is a good specimen of its order. The font is plain, but pleasingly conspicuous, on two steps, in the open space between the two westernmost bays of the nave. The general effect of the interior of this church, on entering by the great western doors, is grand and striking — suggesting the idea of a miniature cathedral— and delighting the eye by the symmetry of its lofty proportions. It must be admitted that the exterior view does not prepare the visitor for the stateliness and dignity of the interior. At the same time the lofty tower — plain but grand in its outline — the south porch with it's upper and lower windows, and its pro jecting stair-case leading once to a parvise no longer in existence — the well-proportioned bell-cot F ff ^•mmmmmmmmsiammmm 1 1 mmamamem -»-¦ !¦¦ urn j. m 11 —«—--—— mmmmmmmmmmmmmm — — — — »fr 18 S. EDMUND'S, EMNETH. at the eastern gable of the nave — and with these we must unite the admirably restored high-pitched chancel roof, with its eastern triplet window, no less striking externally than from the interior — combine to give an effect to the outside view of this church, which raises it above the level of many churches of the same period. J. W. Berryman. A ... - . - ----- i\ a , -y c t Twpsd _ *#d_/ J/JI VP» ,-__ X uw m CO *. ¦* WISBECH, CAMBRIDGESHIRE. HOUGH in symmetry and dignity this church is not equal to some of those in the neighbourhood around it, yet it is a church of very considerable beauty, and it is far more curious than any of them. Cole, in his MS. Memoranda on the Isle of Ely, says it is " the oddest built church he has ever met with " ; and all antiquarians that have visited it since have been struck in the same way by its singularity. Its general plan might be popularly described thus. Imagine two churches placed side by side, one having a nave with a North aisle and a very long chancel g *¦ ¦* J^^—— i — _¦ aa — ¦ ¦— ¦¦—¦¦—¦_— —i "ii" ii'iiimiiiiihi— b__m»h— ¦ s^mmammmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmim^A 20 WISBECH, CAMBRIDGESHIRE. wider than the nave, the other having a nave with a South aisle and a short chancel : remove the wall sepa rating the two naves, and replace it by a lofty arcade, reaching almost to the broad flat ceiling, which covers both at the same height : enclose the whole double breadth of this ceiling in one huge roof, terminated westward in a gable which is divided up the middle by a turret and crowned by a small bell-cot, and which contains the two west windows (unequal in size) of the two naves, with a door beneath the Northernmost : again, where the shorter chancel is in contact with the longer, open a free communication by three arches, keeping however the roofs and gables of the two chancels quite distinct : place flat roofs on the nave- aisles : add a low massive Tower near the West end of the North aisle, contiguous to the church, but still having walls of its own, and affording a handsome entrance from the North : add almost exactly opposite a South porch with a parvise over it : insert a low 'rffi-pp" '" ¦¦¦-— mmmtmmmm ma mmmm\nf\\fr WISBECH, CAMBRIDGESHIRE. 21 picturesque Sacristy in the angle where the shorter of the two chancels falls short of the other ; and you obtain a general notion of the arrangement and appear ance of this remarkable structure. It will readily be imagined that the interior, from its breadth and the complexity of its parts, is grand and impressive, and that the grouping of the roofs and tower as seen from the South-east is very varied and pleasing, while the Western front, however curious, cannot urge any claim whatever to be considered beautiful. It is difficult to pronounce positively on the structural history of this church ; but a probable view of the matter is obtained by examining its different parts in chronological order. They belong very definitely to three periods. The oldest part is the fine series of Late Norman arches, which separate the principal or Northernmost nave from the North aisle. To the same period belongs the last arch, Westerly, on the opposite side of this nave ; and the strong piers and massive *I''" " ' " "'".'_. '• 'urn r 1 pipy -;i__;~dTf"" ". *' 22 WISBECH, CAMBRIDGESHIRE. walls in this part of the church are the evident sup ports of an ancient tower : in fact the old staircase still remains in the Western wall, where its position is indicated by the above-mentioned turret. The next and the most important change took place in the Early Decorated period. To this belong the two chancel arches, the arches and piers of the South aisle with the South clere-story windows above, the West window of the Southern nave, and both the East window of the long chancel and the windows of its Northern side, as well as the arches which sepa rate and connect the two sister-chancels. Correspond ing features may be seen in the buttresses outside. The rest of the church belongs to the Late Perpen dicular period. At this time were erected the laro-e arches, with their lean and lofty piers, which now separate the two naves, the Tower and the Sacristy were built, the windows of the North clere-story were inserted, where however traces of the old Norman |_<—j|— ii— ¦— — — w— 1 1—irT in, il, »-^,~--— .-¦.vMBE__«^1W|pHff^»^ | WISBECH. t_< * WISBECH, CAMBRIDGESHIRE. 23 clere-story can still be seen. The other windows of the church were insertions of the same date, including both the East window of the South chancel, now concealed by the organ, and the West window of the North nave, which is shewn by old engravings to have been Perpendicular before the recent restoration. Taking these facts, and arranging them together, we seem to see, in the first place, a church erected late in the 12th century, with a nave and a short chancel, an engaged Western Tower, a North aisle, and doubtless also a South aisle of equal size. Early in the 14th century the chancel was both widened and lengthened : the North aisle too was widened ; and a nave with an aisle and clere-story of its own was substituted for the former South aisle, a short chancel also being added. It is to be presumed that the old Norman arcade on the South of the old nave still remained, its clere-story becoming internal. To this period belongs also the porch. The final 1 j t ? mm «& *' 24 WISBECH, CAMBRIDGESHIRE. changes were made at the beginning of the 16th century. The appearances of the church might lead us to conjecture that some catastrophe occurred at this time. If for instance the Tower fell, destroying the nave roof, crushing the South Norman arcade, and injuring the North clere-story, the phenomena are suffi ciently explained. The present arrangement might how ever have been made of deliberate purpose, especially under the influence of a wish to obtain more light and more scope for sound in the interior. Some doubt has been felt as to the date when the two naves were included under one roof ; but certain observations made by Mr. G. G. Scott in the eastern part of this roof shew that there were formerly two gables, and that the present arrangement was made, not in the Decor ated, but the Perpendicular period. The Sacristy and the Tower bear most unequivocal marks of this time ; and the low-pitched roof and richly though roughly ornamented battlement of the former, and the open _f— """"" «mmmmimmmmmwmm\ 1' * WALPOLE ST. PETER, NORFOLK. IHE grand church of Walpole St. Peter, which i in size, regularity, and beauty, stands unri valled even amongst the Marshland Churches, next claims our attention. It has already been observed in the notes to West Walton, that the three successive churches of Walsoken, West Walton, and Walpole St. Peter, present us with a complete view of the various styles of architecture in use from A.D. noo to 1450. Norman, and Early English have been illustrated in the two former, and Walpole St. Peter's presents us with a fine example of the Later or Perpendicular style. The church, as we see it now, has succeeded to a building of the Decorated style, of which the tower, the north porch doorway, and some good wood work introduced into the present fittings of the chancel, tftF" —-¦¦¦»-_¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦¦ ¦ 1 ¦ mmmmmmmmmtmmgm^ _< —- _^ 28 WALPOLE ST. PETER. are all that remain. It is curious to observe how the tower archway has been re-modelled to adapt it to the new nave, which, being much more lofty than the old one, the piers have been lengthened so as to make them range with those of the new arcade, by which the point only of the arch is retained, and pro duces a bad effect. The nave, in length 120 feet, seems to occupy the entire church and chancel of the previous church ; and it is to be remarked that the three arches, nearest to the present chancel arch, are each of them two feet narrower than the remaining four, and mark the extent of the former chancel. There is an indication of this having been the case, from a step, remaining in the nave, which might pos sibly be that of the altar. At any rate, the present chancel, if not an after-thought, was not completed until some years later than the present church, as the mould ings of the two portions do not unite, which may be seen at the junction of the church and chancel, on the north side. To obtain the proper length, generally followed by the architects of the Marshland churches, ft" " . * >fr ft ft WALPOLE ST. PETER. 29 namely, half the length of the church, it was found necessary to carry the chancel to the extreme bound ary of the churchyard, by which a footpath would have been intercepted, had not the archway, which now raises the altar within to so grand an elevation, been turned over it — at one and the same time perhaps, meeting a parochial difficulty, and producing a great internal beauty. The same architectural skill has been employed • in the city of Norwich, where a carriage-way has been provided for at the extreme east end of St. Gregory's, and a foot-way through the tower, and of course just so much added to the interior.. Public pathways through towers are by no means uncommon, but the raising of altars for this purpose is seldom met with. In the fine Perpendicular church of Wrexham, in North Wales, a grand chancel has been added in a similar way to this, by converting the great east window into a chancel arch, and, strange to say, not removing all the tracery from it — and by this means the church was considerably enlarged. The clere-story of Walpole St. Peter's is very beautiful, and with the ifr mmmmmmm^mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmBmBmmimwmmtmm^ ft *. 30 WALPOLE ST. PETER. arches of the nave beneath — with mouldings though of an Early English character — together with the window frames in the north aisle, suggest that this part of the building must have been erected very soon after the church which preceded it was finished, and we have in this another instance of the architectural activity, which may be witnessed in almost every church of the neighbourhood — one building follows so quickly upon another, that no sooner was a church completed, than it was condemned to be superseded by another. The same uncertainty does not belong to the chancel, for this is without doubt Perpendicular. The porch, which is of two bays, seems to have been altered from its first design, and is perhaps the finest portion of the church ; if we have regard to its groined roof, and the exterior elevation, enriched with heraldic devices. The interior fittings of the church, seem to have been renewed in the Jacobean period, as the canopy of the font, pulpit, ante-chapel screen, open seats, indicate. ft '- - ft WALPOLE. ft >J4 WALPOLE ST. PETER. 31 The chancel-screen of this church, as well as of others in the neighbourhood, exhibited an unusual arrangement. It was not a screen surmounted by a rood loft, but there appears to have been a considerable interval between them. The towers, which are built in the angles between the aisles and the chancel are struc- tionally provided for access to the rood loft, as well as to the various roofs of the aisles, nave, and chancel ; and from the spires, with which they are crowned add very much to the exterior beauty of the church itself. The stone stalls of the chancel with their carved seats, more of a cathedral than a parochial type, a succession of five fine windows only separated by a large niche, and formerly filled (as we learn from Blomefield's History of Norfolk) with painted glass, and the grandly elevated altar with elaborate sedilia, must have formed a coup-d'ceil seldom wit nessed even in a town church. We can account, in some measure, for the unsparing hand with which everything necessary for the dignity of Public Worship was provided for, in the unusual ^—— «¦—¦—— w—»w-—MwwMaiMiiiiii 1 hi 11 f ¦ ' -rT"-r,"i~nri~rn'i~ r r 1 •"!¦¦¦¦¦—¦———¦ ¦—iXr ft ¦ . . ft ! i 32 WALPOLE ST. PETER. number of Manors which existed in this fine parish ;' and the carved expression of gratitude, which may be read on the base of the font—" Think and thank " — seems to have actuated many a worthy amongst the richer inhabitants of former times. The exterior of the church requires no guide to explain or point out its beauties, they are manifest to every one ; for from whatever point we behold it, it is at once grand and graceful. The tower, if too low for the present building, is very beautiful in itself, and though dwarfed by the church, forms a scale, by which, we become more conscious of the size of the church. Before closing these remarks, I would call attention to the battlements — perfect everywhere ; to the elegance of the Sancte-bell-cot, with its bell remaining in it ; and to a curious figure, which has had a place of security provided for it at the base of the north turret, between the church and chancel. It seems to have escaped the notice of most visitors. Is it not Roman,, Walpole being in close proximity to the Roman Manga »§(l > ¦ft WALPOLE ST. PETER. 33 bank, from which it takes its name, as also do Walton and Walsoken ? May it not be part of an altar, discovered perhaps at the re -building of the church, and thus carefully lodged in its present position ? There is also an unexplained matrix of a figure, in the upper part of the easternmost buttress of the north aisle. In conclusion, we have been guided in making these remarks as illustrative of the accompanying Photographs, which are intended to hand down the church as it appears now, rather than-7 as an antiquarian investigation of its history, which would result in a work much too long, and quite unsuited to the present publication. This must be sought for in Blomefield, and in Diocesan records, requiring a long and laborious search. I will only add, that the present Rector is setting an example highly to be commended, and which may be the means of accomplishing much that is to be desired in this, and other churches, namely, the making the different portions of restoration, memorials to ^^mmmmmmmmmmlm^^ I'MHUIIII II I l.ll»|S *. 34 WALPOLE ST. PETER. departed friends. Thus the present reredos has been erected at two different times, to two different persons ; and what has been done, and is doing, so successfully by the introduction of painted windows, is extended to constructional res torations, and we will not entertain for a moment the idea, that the grand works of what is called the dark ages, will be treated with neglect, in that which boasts its enlightenment. " If we were blind, we should have no sin : " but now we say, We see ; therefore our sin " remaineth." E. E. Blencowe. ¦ |_4-— _-M— -a— — a- inn ¦¦ „ ,,„ uwm mmmmm^mmmmmm — I —-——-a bh— a_— >_4 oH O 1—1 rtrtrtH ft- .* TERRINGTON ST. CLEMENT, NORFOLK. F the many fine examples of the Perpen dicular style of English Church architecture in the district illustrated by this series of Photographs, Terrington St. Clement's may make an equal claim with our last subject, Walpole St. Peter's, to take precedence. The traveller on the road from Lynn to Sutton cannot fail to be struck by the grand and massive group, formed by its roof and pinnacles, and campanile, as viewed from the south east. On a nearer approach, the south-west view L *¦ ¦ft »_< II ft 36 TERRINGTON ST. CLEMENT. is even more picturesque. The extremely fine west front of the nave and aisles, the angle-turrets, and flying buttresses ; the richly panelled porch ; the length of the south aisle, clere-story, and embattled parapet, with the transept and chancel beyond ; — rise up in stately beauty from the flat scene which nature has stretched for miles around. Far more imposing still would it have appeared, if the transepts, now truncated, had preserved their original dimensions, with large windows at their ends, instead of the tiers of comparatively small windows now filling up the space ; and if a lantern tower at the intersection had ever been completed. The present tower, standing detached, immediately to the to the north of the west front, though a noble building in itself, seems only to dwarf the adjoining facade ; and probably the chancel, which is rather inferior to the rest, was designed for a more effective composition. Shorn, however, of much of its external beauty, and robbed internally of almost all its ancient fittings and arrangements, Terrington St. Clement's *. .Iii TERRINGTON ST. CLEMENT. 37 church deserves the character which Parkin, generally so sparing of any expressions of architectural criticism, gives it, as " a very beautiful, large, and noble building of free-stone, in the form of a cathedral church." (Blomefield 's Norfolk, ix. 92.) Of the exact date of its erection, or its chief founders, we have no record. No doubt, its history was much the same as that of other parish churches. The early patrons and lords of manors built churches for the use of the inhabitants, and their successors enlarged or rebuilt them, as need occurred. In this instance, there was certainly a church of Early English style, as many fragments of 13th-century work remain, now built up together for preservation in the interior wall of the vestry. • Many of the arches and mouldings, too, about the church, appear to belong to that and the 14th centuries. In "A Complete History of Norfolk," by Robert Morden, published in 1730, it is stated, that the church was built by Edmund Gonville, Rector in 1342, the founder of Gonville Hall, now Gonville and Caius •ft t_< -i - ¦' .-.U—U--....I. i i _< 4 4 38 TERRINGTON ST. CLEMENT. College, Cambridge. It was probably quite at the close of this period, or at the commencement of the 15 th century, that the church underwent an exterior restoration, when it received its present external appearance. The arms of various families who were lords of manors here in the time of Richard II. and afterwards, and their allies, are sculptured on the battlements of the aisles : as Godard, Denver, Rochford, Howard, Beauchamp, Bardolph, — and Fordham, Bishop of Ely. The Bishops of Ely were patrons of the Vicarage, and the fact of Bishop Fordham's arms having been placed on the church among other benefactors would lead us to the belief that the restoration was effected during his episcopate, (1389 — 1425.) The occurrence of the Denver arms too, with those of Godard, tends to the same conclusion. The Denvers were lords in Walpole, until the time of Richard II., when the heiress married a Godard, of Terrington. The detached tower is probably of somewhat later date in the same century. The architect's intention ft" '"" '" " ""¦" J-J--lll-l.il..- UJ.UUJI11I ,¦¦¦.. Illl>|t < < terrington. — * TERRINGTON ST. CLEMENT. 39 appears to have been to place a lantern tower at the intersection of the nave and transepts, but the support was apparently found insufficient, and the springing of the groining is all that remains to show the unaccomplished purpose. The design was therefore abandoned, and the detached tower built instead. The plan of the church, as may be already gathered, consists of chancel, north and south tran septs, nave aisles, south porch, and western tower, with a vestry north of the chancel. The windows throughout are Perpendicular character, and mostly of three lights. The dimensions are, length of chancel 54 feet 10 inches, width 23 feet 3 inches ; length of nave 112 feet 2 inches, width 25 feet 4 inches ; width of north aisle 10 feet 5 inches ; of south aisle 1 1 feet 1 inch ; making the entire length 167 feet and the entire width of nave and aisles 46 feet 10 innches. The truncated transepts extend, on the north 3 feet 4 inches, and on the south 4 feet 2 inches, beyond the aisles. M ^mmmm^m^m***»**>'mmmmmi*lmtim*i!iiMtn(iuii mi mmammmmmmmw,«i*nfimmmaammmammmtmmmmmmmmmmmmmmamamm^i q< ft 40 TERRINGTON ST. CLEMENT. The most noticeable feature of the chcanel is the flight of steps up to the altar, which, however, do not appear to be part of the original design, but to have been raised at a later period to give space to the Bentinck vault beneath. The chancel had perhaps originally a high-pitched roof. It is lighted by large windows below, two of which are filled with stained glass by Wailes, of Newcastle, in memory of members of the Upwood family, and a range of clere-story windows above. An ancient altar-slab remains in the floor under neath the lantern. The transepts are of the same height as the nave. They appear to have had formerly western aisles, and half an arch, richly moulded, remains in each transept, opening into the north and south aisles of the nave. The large rubricated Creed and Lord's Prayer suspended here, of Charles the First's time, with arabesque borders, are good specimens of their kind. Over the arch from the nave to the lantern is a series of seven canopied niches, probably for the ft ' 1 1 1 1 >fr •ft TERRINGTON ST. CLEMENT. 41 rood. The nave has seven bays, and this part of the church, would have a fine and spacious effect, if the organ gallery, extending quite across the church at the second bay from the west, but the doorway below is small, and apparently belongs to the earlier church, previous to its restoration. Some serious settlement seems to have taken place at this end of the church, soon after, or during the progress of its erection. The buttresses between the nave and aisle are built completely over the niches which were intended to be seen there, and the high-capped turrets, and flying buttresses crossing to the outer wall of the aisles, while they add to the picturesque effect of the front, are evidently expedients for strength, and have answered their purpose well. The font is a late Perpendicular one, and has a very lofty cover, partly original ; the lower part opens to display the interior, which is painted with scriptural subjects. The tower is large, and about 80 feet high ; the lowest stage has a band of panels round it, and the *« •ft I_< - i -I - ' -Jini. ii.JU.i iM.u.-M uil. I rirr-J-LinrTim ^ 42 TERRINGTON ST. CLEMENT. parapet is richly embattled. Had this tower been placed at the gate of the churchyard, as at West Walton, it would have gained in dignity irself, and saved the beautiful west front of the church from being overpowered by it. The Rectorial tithes of this church form the endow ment of the Margaret Professorship of Divinity at Cambridge. It is much to be wished, and the present Professor has expressed himself favourable to the project, that the church should be suitably re-seated. Its great size would render the cost very large ; but if it could be accomplished, it would render this church internally, as it is now externally, one of the most beautiful, not only in the Fen and Marshland district, but in the kingdom. C. R. Manning. >*>¦ tirifiWr ft- ¦ft TILNEY ALL SAINTS, NORFOLK. F this church cannot boast the external grandeur of Walpole St. Peter's, or Ter- rington St. Clement's, it yields to very few, even of the Fen and Marshland Churches, in internal beauty and architectural interest. The fabric generally is of excellent Norman work. The wideness of the joints of the masonry, and the plain square-edged arches, lead to the belief that the work is early in the style. The plan of the church consists of Chancel with aisles extending to its whole length, into which it opens by two N *• ¦ I .HI ¦ ^ ft "¦' " ' nimn.ii.1 ,.i ^ | 44 TILNEY ALL SAINTS. Norman arches on each side ; a very long Nave and aisles ; south Porch ; and a fine western Tower and spire. The chancel is very interesting. The east end has lost its Norman windows, and a large Perpendicular one supplies their place, but the side walls and arches are evidently original. Traces of two smaller circular arches remain on each side, formerly pierced perhaps for windows, if the original chancel aisles did not extend so far outside. Another arcade ran the whole length of the church above, forming a clere-story. Portions of this are visible in many places. Fine Perpen dicular screens fill the arches on each side, and the stalls below retain their original position. They are returned at the chancel arch, and have misereres carved with foliage. The admirable effect of this ancient arrangement, so well preserved as it is here, cannot fail to strike everyone. The chancel has been recently fitted with new desks, standing on the old plinths, which are pierced in front below with quatre -foils for the sake of dryness and l_<— — — — ¦ ——¦——. ju.u_lii mm 11 i — »— — ii)_i ) j(_-— —i I II >_< TILNEY ALL SAINTS. 45 sound. There are good sedilia and a piscina in the south wall, of the 15th century. The flight of steps to the altar is not in its original position, having been moved nearer the east end. The chancel aisles were formerly chapels, that on the north side having been the Lady chapel. There is now preserved in it the bowl of a 15-century font. In the south chapel are two niches, and another long recess, possibly for a processional cross. The nave has a fine arcade of six arches, five of them Norman, and similar to those of the chancel, the sixth on each side at the west end, Early English. The pillars are round except one on the north side, which is clustered. The original Norman nave seems to have ended at the fifth arch, and the church to have received a westerly extension, about the middle of the 13th century. Possibly a Norman Tower at this end of the church fell down, and in that case the whole length may have been the same as ft- 'ft »f« UIUJIILLJI Ill IJMIIIMHII ¦-' . I I' IN- ¦!¦' I l_l I 46 TILNEY ALL SAINTS. it is now, — but it was found necessary to re build the westernmost bay, as well as the tower. The arches here are fine pointed ones ; and in the pier on the north side are evident traces of a side altar and niche. The judicious removal by the present Vicar of a cumbrous gallery at this end of the church renders the view from the west exceedingly fine. The long nave arcade is surmounted by a grand cinque-foiled open roof, one of the finest in the county ; the chancel arch is crossed by a quaintly carved Jacobean screen, (date 16 18) ; very good and substantial modern open seats fill the area to the fourth arch ; and a curious post- Reformation font rises on ornamental steps in the centre, at the last bay but one. Looking west, the fine Early English architecture of the interior of the tower, with a triple lancet window in the first stage, and a deeply moulded doorway below, are very striking. This tower has some remarkable points about it. Externally, the west facade is excellent .* . TILNEY. ft. ¦ft TILNEY ALL SAINTS. 47 having a canopied doorway below, the triplet in an arcade above, good belfry windows, and a stone spire. But the peculiarity is in the buttresses. These are of very large dimensions, and being double at each- angle, with a mass of masonry between them, give the tower an appearance of greater breadth than it really has. The south west buttress contains a staircase within it ; and the north-west one, which is of equal dimensions, contains in the ground floor, a small room, approached by a doorway at the base inside, and groined in stone. Above this room, in the first stage, is another chamber, approached by a passage across the west window of the tower, from the staircase in the south buttress. Both are lighted by narrow loops on each side. Arrangements some what similar to this are to be found in one or two other of the Marshland Churches, particularly at Terrington St. John's, where there is quite a small house between the tower and nave. o ft""" ' ' ¦¦-.—. i.n.mni.m I rjt f'Jt *~~ 11 '" • • i i II Minim in i in m i ¦>T< 48 TILNEY ALL SAINTS. It is supposed that these were places for a chaplain who came from a distance to lodge in. The length of this Church internally is, — Nave (with Tower) 103 feet 6 inches ; Chancel 41 feet 6 inches ; Total 145 feet. The exterior is much injured by the square debased windows that have been inserted. A reference to the two fine coffin-lids in the north aisle, the Decorated buttresses of the aisles, the remains of a churchyard cross, and a beautiful gable cross on the south porch must close the brief notice allowed to this interesting building. C. R. Manning, ft- »_<1 ¦*J« LEVERINGTON, CAMBRIDGESHIRE. N the absence of all features of natural scenery of any kind, or of any other ob jects of interest, the only thing we have to pride ourselves in with any satisfaction in the Fens of Cambridgeshire is the magnificence and beauty of our Parish Churches. And amongst the best specimens of these, numerous and varied as they are, may be classed the church at p ft' ¦ft i_!T i m i i i i m i i mmmmmmmmffr 50 LEVERINGTON. Leverington. It is dedicated jointly to St. Leonard and St. John. The general style of architecture is the Perpen dicular, with some variations in the tower, which combines the Early English, and the Decorated, having been built, doubtless, at various periods, — (no uncommon instance in the churches in this neighbour hood) — but the proportions both external and internal are very good, and unite to give the fabric a general gracefulness. The parts of the greatest architectural interest are (1.) The Tower and Spire, the exquisite proportions and classic elegance of which are admitted and admired by all. These are each equally admirable in proportion and detail. We cannot but notice the excellence and durability of the stone, and the good work in the masonry, at a time when such material was only pro cured from long distances and at much cost, and skilled labour must have been very scarce. One knows not which to praise most, the Tower in its »_<— i - ummmmmm*mmmm«in n m -————in 111 1 1 1 ri ——---—¦—--—«— )^ ft " UmLmm. -I PI L-L^U-IX^ LEVERINGTON. 51 exquisitely beautiful proportions ; or the spire tower ing upwards in such perfect symmetry, and adorned at various stages with spire-lights of extreme elegance. (2.) The very remarkable and exquisitely beautiful specimen of architecture, the South Porch, which is a most curious and elaborate construction. It has a stone roof, a feature very rare in England, there being only about half-a-dozen other specimens. This stone roof is finished on the outside with a rich embattled crest, with pierced tre-foils and is supported on the inside with upright arched ribs. Here a wooden construction is copied in stone. It only remains to briefly notice two or three other objects of interest. In the interior, under the chancel arch there is a really venerable relic, in the shape of an original oak eagle ; this quaint specimen had been put on one side, and was brought to its present position by the writer of this paper. In the north aisle is a monumental slab to the memory of Captain Anthony Lumpkin, the " Tony Lumpkin " of Goldsmith's play, " She stoops to con- Q ft' ¦ft PJ4-* ft 52 LEVERINGTON. quer," some of which was written in the house of the Captain's father in this parish. In the Churchyard, close to the south porch, is a gravestone erected to the memory of one Thomas Criplin, who devised certain lands to the parish of Leverington, the rents arising from which were to be given by certain Trustees every year to two widows of this parish, and the adjoining parish of Newton alternately, who had never received parish relief. The singular and quaint inscription (too long to be inserted here) passes on from the front to the back of the stone, and is continued on a marginal border as well as on the body of the stone itself. A. W. Roper. finis. T.-m~gwEE«~~jK: ¦ft