Description

TL 7337 TOPPESFIELD CHURCH LANE, South Side 6/11 Parish Church of St. 21.6.62 Margaret of Antioch GV I Parish church, mainly C14 with later alterations. Walls of flint rubble, plastered, with dressings of limestone and clunch. W tower of red and blue bricks in Flemish bond, N porch timber framed. Roofs of handmade red clay tiles. Nave of uncertain date, lengthened towards the W, and S aisle added c.1300, N wall partly rebuilt in C15 except a short length each side of the N doorway. Chancel late C14. N and S porches C15. W tower and W gallery 1699. S vestry and general restoration C19. The Chancel has the axis deflected towards the S. The E window is C19 except the internal splays and hollow- chamfered rear-arch, late C14. There are 2 windows in the N wall, mainly C19. In the S wall there are 3 windows; the easternmost is C15, restored, of 2 cinquefoiled lights under a square head with moulded label; the middle window is C19. The westernmost is late C14, of 2 cinquefoiled lights with tracery in a 2-centred head with moulded label; the lower part formed a low-side window, rebated for a shutter. The late C14 Chancel-arch is 2-centred and of 2 chamfered orders; the responds have each a semi-octagonal attached shaft with moulded capital and base. The nave has in the N wall 3 windows; the 2 eastern windows are late C15, restored, each of 3 cinquefoiled lights under a square head with moulded label; the westernmost is C19. Between this and the middle window is the N doorway, c.1300, with moulded jambs and 2-centred arch. S arcade of c.1330 is of 4 bays with 2-centred arches of 2 chamfered orders; The octagonal columns have moulded capitals and bases; the E respond has an attached half-column, restored, and the W respond is chamfered, with a moulded corbel on a carved head. E of the arcade is the plain doorway to the former rood-loft, blocked on the N side. The roof of the nave has 4 tiebeams, of which one is moulded and carved with running foliage, c.1500. In the S aisle the E window is C20. In the S wall there are 3 windows, C19 except the C15 internal splays and rear-arches. Between the 2 westernmost windows is the S doorway, c.1330, with moulded jambs and 2-centred arch; the moulded label has defaced head-stops. In the W wall is a C15 window, restored, of 2 cinquefoiled lights under a square head with moulded label. The roof of the aisle is late C15, built in 4 bays with cambered tiebeams at half-bay intervals. All the tiebeams are moulded, with moulded braces to the main ties, and foliate carving in the spandrels. 3 of the 8 bridging beams and about half of the rafters are moulded, the remainder plain-chamfered with lamb's tongue stops, C17. The W tower is built of brick in Flemish bond, the main walls of contrasting red stretchers and blue headers, the clasping buttresses of red brick. It is of 3 stages separated by dentilled bands, with a parapet of 2 concave curves on each side and 8 pinnacles with plain pyramidal caps. The tower-arch is of one chamfered semi-circular order continued down the responds; the 2 outer orders of the responds are continued upwards to form a square head with plain spandrels. The W window is now of one square-headed light with diamond leading and some early glass, but formerly had a mullion. The second stage has in the E wall a doorway from the gallery; above the roof of the nave is a square sunk panel. The N and S walls have each an elliptical window with a square sunk panel above it. In the W wall is a round-headed window, and below it a panel containing a stone slab inscribed 'To the memory of Mr. Robert Wilde late Rector of this Parish who gave 100 1. towards ye building ye steple Anno 1699', with the names of the rector, churchwarden and bricklayer. There is a plain timber gallery in 4 bays in the W end of the nave, with stairs rising to it from inside the tower, and more stairs rising from it to the entrance in the second stage, all with flat balusters, contemporary with the tower. The front of the gallery has been re-faced with re-used panelling and fluted pilasters, C18/19. The N porch is timber framed, with moulded posts at each angle. The entrance archway has moulded posts and a 4-centred head with foliate carved spandrels. Above is a moulded and crenellated tiebeam, and a gable formed of hollow-moulded studs slotted for vertical planks. The roof is of king-post construction with a moulded ridge-piece, wallplates and rafters, partly restored. The lower parts of the side walls are built-up with cement-rendered brickwork. The S porch is of masonry, C15, with a crenellated parapet and a grotesque gargoyle on the W side. The outer archway and E and W windows are mainly C19. In the S wall of the chancel there is a piscina with hollow-chamfered jambs and broach stops, cinquefoiled head, stone shelf and octofoiled drain, and in range with it 2 sedilia in similar style, all late C14. Further W there is an altar-tomb with cusped cross in relief, recessed canopy with cinquefoiled and sub-cusped arch of segmental-pointed form, late C14. There is a piscina in the S wall of the S aisle, with chamfered jambs, cinquefoiled head, cinquefoiled drain, and basin broken off, C14. On the N sides of the arcade columns there are inscribed consecration crosses formy in circles, c.1330. In the E window of the S aisle there is C15 glass of a kneeling angel with censer, fragments of a female saint and censing angel, probably part of the Coronation of the Virgin. The font has an octagonal bowl cut down, and an octagonal stem with square top of re-used stone, possibly C13. In the chancel there is a brass to William Cracherod, 1585, and Elizabeth his wife, 1587, inscription only, partly covered by the organ. On the E wall there is a monument to Richard King, S.T.P., vicar of the parish and chaplain to James I, black and white marble tablet, undated; and on the N wall a monument to Dorcas, wife of William Smyth and widow of William Bigg, 1633, brown marble tablet with pilasters, cornice and broken pediment enclosing a beehive. Also in the chancel there are floor slabs to (1) Elizabeth, wife of Christopher Erle, 1655, (2) Mordaunt Cracherod, 1666, below the choir stalls, (3) Robert Wilde, rector, 1690, with shield of arms, and (4) Thomas Willet, rector, 1730, and his son John, 1731. Another floor slab is covered by the altar steps, only the date 1793 visible. On the N wall of the tower there are the arms of Queen Anne on canvas, incorrectly repainted in the C19, framed. There are 5 bells, the first by Henry Pleasant, 1702, the second, third and fourth by Anthony Bartlet, 1675.

Listing NGR: TL7396337447

External Links

• Wikidata Q17536014

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