Church of St Mary, Lawford, Essex

Description

LAWFORD CHURCH HILL
TM 03 SE

2/104 Church of St. Mary
17.11.66
GV I

Parish church. C14 Nave, mid C14 Chancel and South Porch, West Tower may be C14
but was extensively altered C16, C17 and later. Circa 1826 north aisle and
later restorations including the rebuilding of the Chancel arch. Of flint,
rubble, septaria and brick, limestone dressings, red tiled roof with diamond
patterning and pierced ridge tiles. Cross to gable. Chancel. Moulded plinth,
walls below windows of flint and brick chequer work, moulded band below windows.
Angle buttresses, that to south east with 2 niches with trefoiled ogees and
crocketted heads and side shafts with pinnacles, north and south walls each with
2 buttresses. Central north buttress with trefoiled ogee niche and similar
niche to south western buttress. North wall plastered above windows, south wall
flint dressed with red brick below eaves. East window C19/C20 except for rear
splays, arch and label, of 5 trefoiled lights with tracery in a moulded 2
centred head, moulded stopped label. 4 north wall windows', the eastern. of 3
trefoiled ogee lights with tracery in a 2 centred head, moulded label, jambs and
mullions, the second of 3 lights, the middle one cinquefoiled, the other 2
trefoiled tracery over of similar style to east window. The 2 western windows
each of 3 trefoiled ogee lights with quatrefoils or trefoils in 2 centred heads
etc., similar to the other windows. The south wall has 4 similar windows, the
tracery different in each window, excepting western window of 3 cinquefoil
lights, they are of 3 trefoiled lights. Moulded and carved 2 centred arch
doorway below second window. Nave. South wall, stone corbels to gutter. 2 C14
windows with C18 frames and mullions, 2 cinquefoiled ogee lights tracery over 2
centred arch heads and labels. The C14 south door is between the windows,
moulded jambs, 2-centred arch and label with defaced head stops. C14 gabled
south porch, timber framed on dwarf walls. The moulded 2 centred outer arch
probably C19, but flanking it, now covered by foliage are a pair of lights with
cinquefoil ogee heads add traceried spandrels. Side walls plastered outside, of
3 bays, each bay of 3 cinquefoiled lights with elaborate tracery over, the north
east bay has lost its lights and tracery and there are no mullions to the centre
bays. The roof is flat and divided into 2 square bays by moulded ribs with
central bosses, all defaced except 2 which have a face and a rosette
respectively. C14 stoup with moulded jambs and cinquefoiled head. The north
aisle, of ashlar, has grey slate double hipped roofs, central and angle
buttresses and two 3 light 2 centre arched windows to north wall and a segmental
pointed head window to western wall. West tower, buttressed to western angles,
stair turret to south east wall, C19 red brick full height chimney stack to
north east angle, C19/C20 parapet of red brick. Moulded plinth with some
chequer work. Some flint panelling remains to north and south walls, the rest
showing signs of many repairs. Bell turret with C19/C20 2 light louvred
openings with segmental heads to each face, red brick roundel to upper stage of
north face. C19 western window of 2 cinquefoiled ogee lights, chamfered 2
centred head. C19/C20 western doorway, moulded 4 centred head, label over,
vertically boarded door with ornate hinges. Weathervane. Interior. Chancel.
Probably C19/C20 boarded barrell vaulted roof with bosses at intersections,
moulded foliate wall plate. 2 C19 tie beams and octagonal 4 armed crown posts.
The 4 north and south wall windows are included underwall arcading resting on
attached shafts with moulded capitals and bases. The arch moulds are richly.
carved, the 2 north western bays with foliage, the second bay with owls and
foliage and the north east with mostly male figures forming a chain, some
holding each other by hand or foot, 2 with musical instruments. The southern
window arches covered with foliage to 2 western bays, foliage and squirrels to
second bay and foliage and birds to eastern bay. Below the southern windows the
C14 Piscina, 3 bay Sedilia and door arch are surmounted by a moulded cornice
with carved dragons and animal heads, mainly defaced. The 5 bays are divided by
square piers with diapered faces and attached shafts with moulded bases and
foliated capitals, moulded cinquefoiled ogee heads with moulded and crocketed
labels, moulded and crocketed finials to piers between bays reaching into the
cornice. The spandrels are carved with oak and vine leaves and each has a
figure in high relief of a robed figure probably playing a musical instrument,
all defaced. The door spandrels each have a central crowned head and a number
of smaller defaced figures. Round drain to Piscina. Monument on north wall to
Edward Waldegrave 1584 and Johan (Ackworth) his wife, alabaster and marble,
kneeling figures of a man and his Wife in round headed recessed arches, divided
and flanked by Corinthian columns supporting an entablature, cresting and 3
shields of arms. Diamond tiled floor with 3 floor slabs. Edward Waldegrave
1621, Thomas Harris 1699, Dame Sarah Bingham, wife of William Waldegrave 1634.
C19 stained glass to east window. Fragment of medieval glass to 2 northern
windows. C19 carved and traceried alabaster panelling to north wall and similar
panelling with central triptych forming east wall, reredos, this with carved
initials, foliage, tall niches to north and south of east window with carved
figures of ?Christ and Mary. C19 multi-colour tiled sanctuary floor. C19
wrought iron altar rails. C19 poppyhead choir stalls. C19/C20 Chancel arch, 2-
centred of 2 chamfered orders resting on pilasters supported by foliated
corbels. Nave. C19 3 bay canted roof, carved ashlars, 2 arched braces resting
on plain corbels. Brass eagle lectern. Circa 1906 timber octagonal panelled
pulpit. 2 hatchments each to north and south walls and one charity board to
south wall. North aisle of 3 bays, the eastern bay an organ chamber, octagonal
and circular columns with foliate capitals, 2 centred arches. Cast iron floor
ventilator strips. Stone/cement urn font, moulded base, moulded petal base with
ringed bowl stem and moulded rim. Painting of Lawford Church on north aisle
wall. C19/C20 moulded brick 2 centred Tower arch. RCHM I.

Listing NGR: TM0890331571

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British Listed Buildings

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Church of St Mary

A Grade I Listed Building in Lawford, Essex

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