Description

LITTLE GADDESDEN CHURCH ROAD
SP 9913 (North side)

9/179 Church of St. Peter
30.11.66 and St. Paul (C of E)
(Formerly listed as Church of
St Peter and St Paul)

- I

Parish Church. Chancel, nave, N aisle and tower C15, SE chapel, S aisle
and S porch c.1819 by Jeffry Wyatt for 7th Earl of Bridgewater. General
restoration by E.W. Godwin for Lord Brownlow 1875-78 when chancel
extended a little to E, N chancel aisle rebuilt, S nave arcade replaced
a single wooden arch c.1810 by James Wyatt, doorways formed to E ends of
aisles flanking new chancel arch. Vestries linked to N door 1965-7 by
John Brandon Jones. Coursed flint rubble with limestone dressings in C15
work, red brick parapet and buttresses to N aisle. Stucco with Portland
stone dressings and cantellated parapets in Wyatt's work. Uncoursed
knapped flint with limestone dressings in 1875-8 work. Slate roofs
behind parapets. Blunt pyramidal roof to tower. A small isolated parish
church with chancel flanked by N chancel aisle and SE chapel, the
chancel protruding and with 4 diagonal E end buttresses. Nave without
clerestorey but with N and S aisles and gable parapeted S porch, and
short square W tower with W door. Diagonal buttresses at W angles.
Single-storey linked vestry block of brick and flint with hipped slate
roof. Chancel at same floor level as nave has a 3-light C15 S window
unglazed opening with SE chapel, a similar blocked window and a
4-centred arched S doorway between. Scrolled stone corbels formerly
supported a lower roof than the late C19 3-bay copy of the nave roof.
2-bay N arcade with octagonal column and responds and hollow chamfered
arches. 3 coloured marble steps to altar and 3 light E window to Durer
design by Burlinson and Grylls. Fresco on wall 1896 after Gozzolli in
chapel of Palazzo Riccardi Florence. Arcaded dado of saints by C Rew and
Rev Charlton Lane. Chancel floored in glazed Maws and Minton tiles with
saints' symbols. C17 poppy-head bench ends late C19 choir stalls.
N chancel aisle formerly the Bridgewater pew, has a moulded timber roof
copied from N nave aisle, 2 2-light N windows, the W window with stained
glass 1892 by Burlinson and Grylls. Large iron-bound C17 chest on stand.
SE chapel formerly the Bridgewater mausoleum, with plaster ribbed vault
and floral bosses by Francis Bernasconi 1817, has a S facade copying the
former S wall of the chancel with 2 3-light Perp windows flanking a
4-centred door each with hoodmoulds. No E window. Many black marble
floor slabs. Walls lined with splendid sculptured monuments, the best
at E end to John Williams 7th Earl d.1823 a Raphaelesque tondo by
Westmacott with a labourer, his wife child and dog with tools and
wheat-ears. Also Francis Henry 8th Earl d.1829 with seated female hand
resting on book 'Works of the Creation' and inscribed note at base 'He
bequeathed L8000 as a reward for literary men/for writing essays to
prove/the benevolence of God as displayed in the Works of Creation'.
Elizabeth Viscountess Brackley d.1669 with a draped veil and inscription
in script lettering. Henry Stanley d.1670 an epitaph with 2 putti on a
gadrooned base. Francis 3rd Duke of Bridgewater d.1803, the father of
inland navigation, over fireplace in S wall from when chapel used as a
vestry up to 1963.3-bay Nave with low pitched timber roof with mouldings
on ridges, purlins, wallplates, and chamfered knee-braces to tie beams
springing from carved stone corbels 3-bay N arcade early C15 with
octagonal piers and hollow chamfered arches.S arcade a late C19 copy.
Pulpit reconstructed in late C19 for Lady Marion Alford with
pre-Raphelite coloured angel figures by Mrs. Watts of Compton. Hymn
board with angel design by Mrs F.W. Hodgson carved by David Clarke
1898-9. N aisle has 2 N windows, 3-lights and 2-lights, with N doorway
between with 4-centred arch head. Small trefoil headed window at W with
C16 German stained glass Virgin and Child dated 1534 placed to
commemorate the restoration of 1878. Fine monuments moved here from
chancel: Dr. Henry Stanley d.1671 by John Bushnell a large urn on a
pedestal: Jane Countess of Bridgewater d.1716 a large storeyed wall
monument of grey marble with Corinthian columns, entablature with
pediment surmounted by an attic with cherubs flanking an heraldic panel.
Other memorials in oval panels in base: to E of N door to John 1st Earl
of Bridgewater d.1649 called 'The Great Monument' being of white marble
with Ionic columns and flat cornice carrying a large achievement.
Inscriptions on black marble tablets. In the S aisle 2 S windows of 3
lights and a small W window, 2 with stained glass 1895 by C.E. Kempe.
C19 octagonal panelled font originally given to Ivinghoe Church by 7th
Earl of Bridgewater and given to this church 1872. Older font cover.
Fine wall monument to Elizabeth Dutton nee Egerton d.1611 removed from
St. Martin's in the Fields London when rebuilt in 1730. Of black marble
and alabaster it has a kneeling full size figure painted on a
Renaissance sarcophogus between panelled piers supporting an entablature
with broken pediment, the soffit carved with clouds and surmounted by a
figure of Time with a scythe. Over the door a monument to John Earl of
Bridgewater 1686. Monument to Ann Norton d.1796 by Robert Ashton. The
W tower originally of 3 stages had a floor removed in 1870's
restoration. Embattled parapet, low pyramidal roof, moulded string
course below parapet and below bell stage with its large 2-light bell
openings recessed with a quatrefoil in the head. Small pointed window N
and S to former middle stage and heavy diagonal buttresses to W corners.
Stair rises in SW corner. C15 tall tower arch with half octagonal jambs
and moulded caps, and 4-centred arched W door in square head with
3-light W window. The masonry of the lower part of the tower may be C13.
Stone tablet of benefactions on wall. A small medieval church of
outstanding interest for its monuments. (VCH(1908)213-14:
RCHM(1911)42-3: Kelly(1914)104: Pevsner(1977)236-7: Howard Senar
Little Gaddesden Parish Church n.d.[1980]).

Listing NGR: SP9978813820

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17528859

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

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