Description

SO 46 NW; 2/3

AYMESTREY CP, A 4110 (east side)

Church of St John the Baptist and St Alkmund

11.06.59

GV

I

Parish church. C12, extended mid-C14 and late C14, rebuilt early C16
and restored 1884-6. Coursed rubble with ashlar dressings and tile roofs.
C14 west tower, C16 nave and aisles, C12 chancel.

West tower: four stages
with diagonal buttresses and crenellated parapet, Ground stage has a tall
C14 west door under a two-centred arch of three chamfered orders. The
first stage has a square-headed window with two trefoiled ogee lights in
the west wall. The second stage has an east door leading to nave roof.
The belfry has a window of two trefoiled ogee lights under a two-centred
head in each wall. South aisle: three bays with C17 porch in west bay
which has a cambered tie beam to front gable. The two windows are each of
two cinquefoiled lights under square heads. East window of two cinquefoiled
lights under a two-centred head. Clerestory above has three windows, each
of two trefoiled lights, they are C14, re-set in C16. North aisle: three
windows, C16, each of two cinquefoiled lights under a square head: Clerestory
windows similar to those on south side. Chancel: C12, extended C14, three
windows in south wall, restored C13 window of two trefoiled lights to west,
C14 window of two cinquefoiled lights, with between a C12 semicircular headed
window with tufa dressings. North wall has a matching C12 window and a late
C19 doorway. East window late C14, restored C19, of two cinquefoiled lights
with a quatrefoil under a two-centred head and a moulded label.

INTERIOR:
rubble segmental vault under tower leads to C15 doorway with moulded jambs
and two-centred head: Nave has a three-bay arcade to each aisle, the C16
arches are segmental-pointed of two chamfered orders. The re-set C12 piers
are square with shafted angles, attached half-piers to responds and moulded
Plinths. Chancel arch segmental pointed of two chamfered orders, the inner
springing from moulded imposts: Roofs: nave C19 of three bays with shallow
pitch king-post trusses, aisles have simple lean-to roofs. Chancel roof a
wooden segmental barrel vault of C19.

Fittings: early C16 rood screen between
chancel and nave has a central doorway flanked by three bays each side: These
have linen-fold lower panels and open upper panels with trefoiled and sub-cusped
heads, two similar heads to doorway: Enriched middle rail and moulded and
shafted posts from which springs the vaulted soffit of loft. Vaulting has
moulded ribs and cusped panels with moulded and brattished cornice. Contemporary
parclose screens enclose the east bay of both north and south aisles. Each
screen has a central doorway flanked by four bays on each side, side bays with
linen-fold lower panels and open upper panels with cinquefoiled or trefoiled
and sub-cusped heads, double heads to doorways. The cornice has a running
vine decoration and is brattished. These are an exceptional survival of very
high quality.

The early C18 altar rails have turned balusters and a moulded
hand rail. Reredos of re-set linen-fold panelling. Wall monument on north
wall of chancel to Robert Weever, died 1728, with fluted Doric pilasters and
entablature. Alabaster floor slab to John Lingen, died 1506; Pulpit in
north-east corner of nave is C17 and has three panelled sides in three ranges,
middle range arcaded.

Listing NGR: SO4260165128

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17530048

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.

Recommended Books

• 
  For the Record
• 
  ENGLAND GUIDE TO POST WAR LISTED: A Guide to Post-war Listed Buildings
• 
  Dorset (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of Historic Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas
• 
  Suffolk: East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  England's Post-War Listed Buildings