Description

TQ 03SW ALFOLD C.P. ROSEMARY LANE

9/21 Church of
9/3/60 St. Nicholas

GV I

Church. Original Church circa 1100, south aisle 1190, north aisle c1290,
rebuilt in restoration of 1845, with C15 bellcage and some C19 alterations.
Bargate stone rubble, plastered on exterior, some framing exposed on gable
end to east of north vestry, hard chalk inside. Roof originally all Horsham
slab, now replaced with plain tiles except for eaves courses, wooden shingles
on bell tower and spire. Aisled nave with lower chancel to the east, porches
to north and south and vestry to north of chancel. Broach spire over cross
ridge bellcote on west end of church with two openings on north and south sides,
lower openings under pentice hood on braces. Renewed C19 Perpendicular style
tracery on the west window with ogee-arch lancets in flanking pentice roofed
aisle ends. Diagonal buttress to east end of south aisle with lancet window to
south side and a two-light window under label moulding on chancel. Decorated
style window to east end over central buttress. Northern windows, C19 copies.
Good porches to north and south. That to north with side arcades of quatrefoils
over ogee-arch cusped arcade. Arched braces to entrance. North doorway taken
from north wall, C13 with elaborate diagonal braces on rear of door, massive
lock case surviving. South Porch - chamfered posts supporting trefoil-head
aisles on sides. Strapwork hinges to C15 door.
Interior:- Brick tile and stone floor. Timber bellcage, c1500, to western
bay of nave. Oak posts worked into a series of hollow mouldings with arched
braces, those on sides lower and forming 4-centred arches. Braced crown-post
roof to nave. 3 bay south arcade with obtusely pointed arches on circular
piers and half-pier responds, western respond has angle spurs to base. North
aisle arcade with hollow chamfer on arches between two wave mouldings on
octagonal piers. C14 chancel arch. Fittings:- Screen- part C15 restored in
C19 with rectilinear panels to either side of central entrance arch and under
billeted top. Jacobean pulpit with sounding board over on scrolled hanger.
Panelled sides with leaf decoration and diamond panels enclosing flowers.
Central octagonal stem and dentilled sounding board. Fine C12 tub font of
Bargate stone on shallow base with recessed section filled by cable moulding.
Upper section arcaded with eight circular head arches, each containing a
Maltese Cross on long stem. Monuments:- Dorrington Monument - (North Side of
Chancel). Dated 1693. White marble with panelled Corinthian type pilasters
flanking sides; central segmental arch over with crowning cartouche. Winged
putti in apron below.
The Church forms the focus of a very picturesque village group.

PEVSNER: BUILDINGS OF ENGLAND, SURREY (1971) p.96.
V.C.H. Vol. III (1967 Edn). pp.79-80.

Listing NGR: TQ0371733975

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17527834

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

• 
  England's Post-War Listed Buildings
• 
  Lancashire: Manchester and the South-East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Specifications for Building Conservation: Volume 1: External Structure: Practical Examples v. 2
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990
• 
  ENGLAND GUIDE TO POST WAR LISTED: A Guide to Post-war Listed Buildings
• 
  Devon (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)