Description

WRABNESS CHURCH ROAD
TM 13 SE (north side)

1/112 Parish Church of All
Saints

GV II*

Parish church. Mainly C12-C15, restored and extended in C19 and C20. Rubble,
mainly cement-rendered, and some red brick in Flemish bond, with limestone
dressings, roofed with handmade red clay tiles. Nave early C12, altered in the
C15, extended in 1908. Chancel early C14, repaired in 1697. N vestry and S
porch 1908. The Chancel is cement-rendered, of rubble reported by the RCHM to
be of septaria, with part of the N wall of exposed brick, rebuilt after a
collapse in 1697 reported in the parish register. The E window is C19/early
C20. In the N wall is a window, C19/20 except the C14 asymmetric splays and
chamfered segmental-pointed rear-arch. In the S wall is a window, C19/20 except
the C14 splays and chamfered segmental-pointed rear-arch. Further W is a
doorway, C19/20 except the semi-groined rear-arch. The early C14 Chancel-arch
is 2-centred, of 2 chamfered orders, the outer continuous, the inner resting on
semi-octagonal shafts with moulded capitals. The roof of the Chancel is ceiled
in 7 cants, rebuilt after a collapse in 1697, apparently in the original form.
The main part of the Nave is rendered, with a NE buttress of exposed brick; the
W extension of 1908 is of exposed flint rubble. The RCHM reported that the E
wall was rebuilt after the collapse of the Chancel in 1697. In the N wall are 2
windows; the eastern is C19/20 except parts of the C15 moulded label with
decayed headstops, and possibly the splays and rear-arch, which are plastered;
the western is C20. Between them is the early C12 N doorway, with a distorted
semi-circular arch of 2 plain orders enclosing a rubble tympanum supported by a
segmental arch; the jambs have nook-shafts (originally detached, now infilled
behind), with cushion capitals and chamfered abaci continued round the inner
order. At the E end of the wall is the late C15 lower doorway to the
rood-stair, with hollow-chamfered jambs and 4-centred arch, blocked. In the S
wall are 2 windows, C19/20 except the C15 moulded label of the eastern. Between
them is the early C15 S doorway, with moulded jambs, 2-centred arch and label;
the mouldings are enriched with flowers and 2 shields; the jambs and arch are
partly restored. Above it is part of the head of the early C12 doorway, with a
plain semi-circular arch and billet-moulded label. Morant reported in 1768 that
there was 'formerly a stone tower, with 5 bells; now only 2, in a wooden turret'
(P. Morant, The History and Antiquities of Essex, I, 493). The roof of the
original part of the Nave is C15, in 3 bays, of single hammer-beam construction
with king-posts. Moulded hammer-beams and wall-pieces support the lower
arch-braces, with brackets with foliate spandrels. Hammer-beams and wall-pieces
are sawn off obliquely, implying the removal of carved saints or angels. The
wallplates, principal rafters, collars and braces are moulded. There are 2
butt-purlins in each pitch, restored. The plain ridge-piece and most of the
plain common rafters are renewed. The 3 bays of the western extension are
replicas. The C15 font has an octagonal bowl with panelled sides, each carved
with an evangelistic symbol or seated saint, all defaced; the underside of the
bowl has defaced half-angels at the angles, all but 2 defaced, with rosettes
between them; the buttressed stem has defaced figures and a C20 metal supporting
structure. On the S wall of the Chancel is a tablet to the Rev. Robert Riche,
1728. Set in the W wall of the S porch is a C13 coffin-lid with foliate cross
on a stepped calvary, found under the floor of the Chancel in 1697. RCHM 1.

Listing NGR: TM1742431889

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17532731

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

• 
  Norfolk 1: Norwich and North-East: Norwich and North-east v. 1 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Oxfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Development and Design of Heritage Sensitive Sites: Strategies for Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas
• 
  Maintaining and Repairing Old Houses: A Guide to Conservation, Sustainability and Economy
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Buildings of England)
• 
  Yorkshire: York and the East Riding (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)