Description

TL 6474,
14/8

ISLEHAM,
CHURCH STREET (North Side),
Church of St. Andrew

19.08.59

GV

I

Parish church of cruciform plan dedicated in 1331, replacing an
earlier church on the site of which traces remain in the stone-
work of the north east corner of the nave and in the C13
Y-tracery in the north chapel. Much of the internal appearance
dates from C15 when the roofs of the nave and aisles and the
clerestorey were built. The west tower was rebuilt in 1863 by
G.E. Street replacing one that had collapsed and the walls were
refaced in 1893. The church has a particularly fine clerestorey
and roofs of 1495 and is noteworthy for its monuments and
brasses to the Bernard and Peyton families. The church is built
of flint and pebblestone with Barnack dressings, the interior
wall material is clunch. Embattled three-stage west tower with
pyramidal roof. The embattled nave has a C15 clerestory with,
on each side, five windows of three cinquefoil lights with
vertical tracery in four-centred head. The south aisle, south
porch and south chapel are all of 1331, on a continuous splayed
sill. The fenestration which was originally of clunch, has been
restored. The interior of the porch is in two bays with a two
bayed wall arcade of two central arches on attached columns.
The inner archway to the south doorway is two-centred and has
the hollow and roll mouldings of the C14. The door, however, is
early C18 with raised and fielded panelling and original brass-
work. The north wall of the chancel has an original window of
clunch. Two trefoil lights with reticulated tracery in two-
centred head. The north chapel has two windows, restored, with
Y-tracery indicating an earlier church on the site. Above the
north doorway are the marks of a gable possibly for a north
porch.

INTERIOR: North and south arcades of 1331 and of
clunch. Five bays with two-centred arches of two moulded orders
on quatrefoil columns with subsidiary shafts to angles. The
clerestorey and roof were constructed in 1495 for Crystofer
Peyton, as was the embattled cornice with mask and foliate
bosses and the blind tracery which fills the spandrels of the
arches. The nave roof is in five bays, of Queen post
construction with subsidiary posts. The tie beams, which are
cambered and moulded and have a winged demi-angel, are supported
on wall posts which are braced to the ties forming a four-
centred arch. The intermediate bays have angels with emblems of
the Passion and at the soffits smaller angels with shields. The
north and south aisles and the north and south transepts all
have roofs of c.1500. The chancel arch is similar to those of
the nave arcade. The floor is early C18. The south wall of the
chancel has a piscina of C14 with trefoil cusping to the head,
and a sedilia restored in C19. The font is C13 and of clunch.
Octagonal, with each side, the soffit and stem carved. Fine C16
lectern, found in fen in C19, of brass in form of eagle with
outstretched wings as book rest, on a sphere with lions sejant
at base. C15 desk in chancel with sloping bookrest, and poppy
head finials to ends. Front with blind arcade of ogee arches
with sub-cusped tracery. Stalls in original site in chancel,
with misericords representing church and state. Pews. Some C15
pew ends in north aisle. The communion rail with its jewelled
work finials and balusters is a fine example of early C17 work.
Monuments. North transept: Barbara Themilthorpe, 1619, clunch
painted, Corinthian columns with entablature framing figure of
child. Roger Peachey, late C17, black marble in white stone
frame. The church contains a number of fine monuments and
brasses to members of the Bernard and Peyton families, including
a C15 Easter Sepulchre. C13 and C14 wall tombs in the north and
south chapels, early C15 chest tomb in the south chapel and late
C16 and early C17 canopied tombs also in the south chapel.

RCHM: Record Card.
Pevsner: Buildings of England, p.413.
W.M. Palmer: Monumental Inscriptions and Coats of Arms from
Cambridgeshire

Listing NGR: TL6437274409

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17527540

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)
• 
  Hertfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Development and Design of Heritage Sensitive Sites: Strategies for Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas
• 
  Bristol (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  Old House Handbook: A Practical Guide to Care and Repair by Hunt. Roger ( 2008 ) Hardcover
• 
  Cambridgeshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)