Description

TM 12 SW LITTLE BENTLEY CCHURCH ROAD

7/84 Church of St. Mary
17/11/66
- I

Parish church. C12 Nave and Chancel with C13 rebuilding to Chancel. C13 North
Aisle and North Chapel. Mid C15 West Tower. During C16 a Priests House
adjoining the north aisle was removed and the wall heightened. C16 South Porch.
C18 and later alterations and restorations. Mixed rubble including puddingstone
with some Roman bricks and C16 brickwork. Dressings of Limestone and brick.
Red tile, slate and lead roofs. Chancel. East wall, stone quoins. 3 C13
graduated lancet windows. North wall. The Roman brick quoins of the C12
Chancel are west of a C13 lancet. The south wall has 3 windows with a Cl9
chamfered round headed doorway between the eastern C13 lancet and early C15
window of 2 cinquefoiled lights with tracery under a 2 centred head. The low
set western C16 window has a C19 cusped round head. North Chapel. C15 east
window of 3 cinquefoil lights, vertical tracery over, 4 centred head and label,
2 C15 north windows of 2 cinquefoil lights, 2 centred heads, moulded labels.
North aisle. Two 2 light eastern windows similar to those in the north chapel.
Stone trefoiled panels to plinth. The western circa 1520 moulded red brick
window of 2 lights in a 4 centred head, moulded label over. Further west is a
similar circa 1520 doorway, now blocked. The jambs are of 2 chamfered orders.
The Priests House formerly stood in this area. West wall crenellated and east
gable crow stepped. Window in west wall of 2 cinquefoiled lights, tracery over
similar to those in north wall. Nave, south wall, red brick buttresses to east
and to east of south porch. Red brick parapet and band circa 1520. Red brick
eastern window of 3 transomed 4 centred lights, moulded jambs, 4 centred head
and label. South doorway circa 1520 of stone with moulded jambs and 4 centred
head. Circa 1520 South Porch of red brick with crow stepped parapet, moulded
jambs, 4 centred head with label over to outer doorway. Angle buttresses.
Blocked return windows of 3 pointed lights under square heads, moulded labels.
Crenellated West Tower of 3 stages with bands between. Gargoyles to parapet
band. Angle buttresses to north west, south west and south east faces and a
lower buttress to south east. North east stair turret with 4 small lights. Each
face of the bell chamber has a C15 stone window of 2 cinquefoiled lights under a
2 centred arch. North, west and east second stage C15 red brick pointed lights.
Stone C19 west window with original splays and rear arch, 3 cinquefoiled lights
with vertical tracery over under a moulded 2 centred arch. C15 west doorway,
stone moulded jambs and 2 centred arch, square head with moulded label, carved
spandrels with foliage and shields. East face with grouting of former Nave
roof. Interior. Chancel. East lancet windows with shafted splays and moulded
arches. C19 stained glass to all windows. C19 painted barrel vault roof with
moulded rib, carved bosses and moulded wall plate. Red and white diamond tiled
floor. Turned and iron twist balusters to altar rails. C14 Piscina, hollow
chamfered jambs and trefoiled head, one round, one octofoil drain. C14 Sedilia,
recessed with double 2 centred head springing from central moulded corbel. 2
painted boards with Exodus verses to east wall. Late C16 helm with comb and
visor on north wall. North wall, chamfered 2 centred archway, with chamfered
imposts. A squint is cut through the east respond. Wall monuments to Mrs.
Elizabeth Lidgauld and Mrs. Jane Spencer 1741 and Rev. Charles Lidgauld 1775.
Long choir benches with poppyheads. Early C16 2 centred Chancel arch of 2
chamfered orders, moulded capitals and bases to semi-octagonal responds. Nave.
Early C16 hammerbeam roof of 6 bays, moulded main timbers, moulded and
crenellated wall plates, the hammerbeams carved with defaced angels holding
shields are supported by curved braces with foliated spandrels and wall posts
with figures holding shields. South wall circa 1520 rood loft staircase,
rebated jambs to 3 centred arch doorway. Upper doorway blocked. C19 stained
glass to windows, that to south 3 light window with crowns, roses and
pomegranates. Octagonal oak pulpit, crenellated with tracery to panels. A
wrought iron hour glass stand, possibly C17 attached to pulpit. Matching
panelling encloses the pulpit and a poppyhead bench. Poppyhead pews, some
original. Vertical boarding to lower south wall. Vertically boarded south
door. Circa 1500 octagonal font, plain stem, moulded base. One panel with
Pyrton shield of arms, the others alternate plain shields and rosettes. C13
North Arcade of 3 bays with chamfered 2 centred arches, circular columns,
moulded capitals and bases, semi-octagonal responds. Large niche adjoining
chancel wall. Brick floor throughout. North aisle. C17 table with moulded and
turned legs, moulded and carved top rail. C14 or C15 large wooden chest with
semi-circular lid, iron bound and nail studded, 3 locks, 2 bolts, end ring
handles. Vertically boarded lower walls. C16 lean-to roof, of 5 bays with
moulded timbers and wall plates. Said to be a wall painting, now covered.
North Chapel. Lean-to roof. C15 archway to west wall, 2 centred of 2 chamfered
orders, the inner resting on leopard head corbels. Circa 1647 Bayning vault and
monument to Penelope and Paul, Viscount Bayning 1647, said to be below the
chapel, of red brick with semi-circular barrel vault. Red brick floor. Floor
slab of Sir William Pyrton 1490, brass figure of man in armour, lower part lost,
with SS collar and portcullis hat, wife Katherine 1501, in widow's veil, shield
of arms, said to be 5 sons and 5 daughters, but hidden by a cupboard at time of
re-survey. Indents of other shields and inscriptions. C15 niche in north east
corner, crocketed and finialed, trefoiled ogee head, hollow chamfered jambs and
shelf. Glass, north window fragments of canopy work, borders and black letter
inscriptions C15 and C17. West Tower. Tall chamfered 2 centred tower arch.
Turret staircase doorway, 2 centre arched, C16 nailed 2 board door with
scutcheon plate. C19 stained glass to window. Blocked opening to former
ringing gallery in north wall. Second stage said to have a brick doorway
opening onto roof. There are 5 bells, 3 by Robert Mott 1591 and one by Miles
Gray 1625. RCHM 1.

Listing NGR: TM1226424938

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17536922

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

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  [(Cumberland and Westmorland)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1967)
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  Kent: North East and East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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