Description

TL 3321 LITTLE MUNDEN CHURCH LANE
(west side)

10/1
Parish Church of
24.1.67 All Saints
(C of E)
(formerly listed under the rural
GV district of Ware)
I

Parish church. Cll nave and chancel, C14 N aisle with W half of
NE chapel, C15 W tower and E part of NE chapel. Restored by G
and H Godwin 1868-9 (Pevsner) or 1870-75 (board in Church) when N
and S porches, and S vestry added. Flint rubble with flint
facing and stone dressings. Steep old red tile roofs. Lead
spike with vane. A tall rectangular nave and narrower square-
ended chancel with an Cll arched opening in line with N door
indicating on original N porticus or aisle. This was given a
pointed arch in the restoration but the capitals each side have 3
projecting rolls with herringbone hatching. Small C12 S door in
chancel. C14 enlargements involved a 2-bay N arcade and N aisle
with octagonal piers and double-chamfered arches and a W arch
into the NE chapel where a 2-centred Dec arch from chancel
contains the alter tomb of Sir John Thornbury d.c1396 with
effigies of knight and lady. Chest has quatrefoil panels with
shields separated by figures in buttressed niches. Canopied
alter tomb of Sir Philip Thornbury d.1456 and his lady
immediately to E in Wall opening between alter and E end of NE
chapel. The Chancel has a 3-light E window, quatrefoil headed
piscina S of the alter and a 2-light S window and a C19 boarded
and battened waggon roof. Buttressed oak choir stalls. Ogee
label with crockets and finials and lozenge panelled soffit to
early C15 tomb canopy N of alter. C15 wide chancel arch of 2
moulded orders, labels and jamb shafts. Rood stair built in NE
corner of aisle with Tudor arched upper and lower openings, and
corresponding narrow passage through N wall of nave. NE chapel
has a C15 window in E and N walls, a 2-bay crown-post roof with 3
octagonal posts with moulded cap and base, 4-way bracing and
moulded corbels support a cornice below the ashlar pieces. 3-
centred arched low tomb recess in N wall at raised E half. Late
C15 3-bay oak screen with open traceried upper panels and ogee
arched centre. The nave has 3 crocketed niches one with part of
a figure on the E respond of the arcade and a single 3-light C15
window on S, C14 S doorway of 2 continuously moulded orders. A
C15 wide W doorway with moulded jambs and pointed head opens into
the tower which was given a stone ribbed vault to ground floor in
C19. The N aisle has 2 late C15 3-light windows and a C15 2-
light W window. C15 N doorway has a 4-centred head, continuously
moulded jambs and and old battened door. C14 3-bay crown-post
nave roof with 4 tie beams but 2 octagonal crown-posts with
moulded caps and bases and 4-way bracing. C19 boarded and
battended lean-to aisle roof. Royal Arms on pointed panel on
organ loft fire-standing at W end of nave. Hatchment on E wall
of aisle. 3-stage W tower with embattled parapet and set-back
spike. W door with continuously moulded jambs, carved
spandrelS, square outer-order and battlemented top, W window and
bell chamber openings of 2 lights. Gabled stone porches to N and
S, gable parapets with crosses. 2 Cll pilaster stripe. in walling
over S porch. A small parish church with exceptionally
interesting interior and fine monuments. (RCHM (1911) 147-8: VCH
(1912) 133-5: Pevsner (1977) 242).

Listing NGR: TL3345121887

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17528920

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

• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects, Supplement 2014
• 
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• 
  Specifications for Building Conservation: Volume 1: External Structure: Practical Examples v. 2
• 
  A Buying and Owning a Listed Building: A Brief Guide
• 
  Oxfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of Historic Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas