Description

TL 63 SE LITTLE BARDFIELD THE STREET
(north side)

2/21 Church of St.
Katharine(former1y listed
20.2.67 as Church of St
GV I Catherine)

Parish church. Saxon West Tower and Nave. Rebuilt Chancel with some C14
detail. C15 South Porch. C19 North Vestry and south Organ Chamber. Flint
rubble, some clunch and occasional Roman bricks and tiles. Red plain tiled
gabled roofs to Chancel, Nave, Organ Chamber and South Porch, stone parapet
verges, stone Cross finials to gables, that to Nave now a stump. Fish scale
slates to C19 tower spire. East window of Chancel of 3 cusped lights with
tracery over. Label with foliate stops. Buttress between Chancel and Organ
Chamber, angle buttress to latter. C19 circular window to Organ Chamber gable.
2 windows to south wall of Organ Chamber, that to east a trefoiled 2 light
window with label over, to west a chamfered and moulded 2 light rectangular
window, a smaller similar window to south wall. C19 nailed plank and muntin
door, 2 centre arched surround with label between south wall windows. Nave
south wall has a Saxon round-headed window to the west and above the C15 south
doorway, this with moulded jambs, 2 centred arch under a square head with sunk
traceried spandrels and moulded label. Painted inscription over this doorway
reads "Reverence My Sanctuary". C14 east window of 2 trefoiled ogee lights with
tracery under a segmental pointed head with label. Gabled south porch has a
restored C15 2 centred arch with moulded jambs, traceried internal and external
spandrels and moulded label. Circa 1894 niche over with statue of St.
Katharine. 5 cant roof. North wall of Nave has two 2 light windows, that to
west C15 of cinquefoil lights under a segmental pointed head. C14 western
window of trefoiled ogee lights with tracery under segmental pointed head. C19
plastered north vestry with tile coping to gable, east 2 centre arched door in
timber surround. North 2 light rectangular timber window in chamfered surround.
The quoins of the 5 stage west Tower are of flint as are those of the Nave.
C19 stone capped crenellations. C19 west window of 3 ogee lights with
reticulated tracery over in a 2 centred arch. Head stops to label. Third stage
north, south and west faces have each 2 original round-headed windows without
dressings. All faces of fourth stage have original windows of 2 round-headed
lights with flint rubble between their. All faces of fifth stage with 2 original
round-headed windows. There is a C19 round head window, brick dressed and with
sounding louvres to the north face of this stage. Weathercock to spire.
interior. Chancel ceiled 7 cant roof with circa 1914 bosses and angels to
moulded wall plates. C19 stalls with early C16 poppy heads to 2 bench ends.
Bench made up of C17 fluted rails and twisted legs. Round head piscina. Recess
to north wall with pilasters and pointed head. C19 reredos is a copy of a
previous reredos found hidden in th east wall during restorations. Moulded and
chamfered arch to south wall leads into the C19 organ chamber. Organ and
organ-case said to be circa 1700 by Renatus Harris for Jesus College, Cambridge,
installed at Little Bardfield after offer of payment of £55.00 1865/66. Case of
oak, middle part with carved and pierced frieze and rails, moulded cornice, side
wings on semi-circular brackets enriched with cherub heads. C17 inlaid panelled
oak chest. Old re-set stained glass in south wall western window. The design
St. Katharine in stained glass was taken from a small plaque of Limoges enamel
found in the churchyard during circa 1856 restorations. C15 rebuilt 2 centred
Chancel arch with moulded capitals and chamfered jambs. Low panelling and
double gates to Chancel. Crenellated and moulded rood beam surmounted by
C19/C20 figures of Christ crucified and the 2 ovaries. Early C14 Nave roof of
tall cross quadrate, 4 armed crown post construction, moulded wall plates,
moulded wall posts on semi-octagonal stone corbels. Arched braces to moulded
tie beams. Square pulpit with late C19 sounding board over. Squint to south
west wall. Carved panel with achievement of arms above squint. Panelled walls
to pews. Tiled and plastered recess to west of pulpit believed to be remains of
an Easter Sephulchre, possibly the remains of stairs to the rood loft. Some
small areas of painting to walls. Carved wood monument to 1914-1918 War to
south west wall. C15 tower arch, 2 centred of 2 moulded orders. Octagonal font
with sunk quatrefoiled panels, moulded base. Bells. Circa 1624 by William
Laud. C14/C15 probably by John Bird inscribed Sum Rosa Pulsata Mundi Katerina
Vocata. The bell frame is old and for 4 bells. RCHM 1.

Listing NGR: TL6554630744

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17539945

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

• 
  Essex: Buildings of England Series (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Dorset (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Sussex: East with Brighton and Hove (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  The Victorian House Manual (2nd Edition): How They Were Built, Improvements & Refurbishment, Solutions to All Common Defects - Includes Relevant ... ... Properties (Haynes Manual) (Haynes Manuals)
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Lancashire: Manchester and the South-East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)