Description

ST. OSYTH CHURCH SQUARE
TM 1215
15/131 Church of St. Peter and
St. Paul
17.11.66
GV I
Parish church. C12 origin, west wall of Nave and north aisle. Late C13 east
arcades of north and south transepts. Probably late C13 Chancel. Circa 1340.
West Tower much repaired C18. Chancel arch was rebuilt C15. C16 reconstruction
of north and south aisles and north transept, Nave rebuilt, south porch added.
C19 restorations and north porch. Walls generally of septaria and flint rubble
with some diapering, also ashlar and flint diapering. Some red and black brick
diapering and red brick repairs. Mainly stone dressings. Red plain tiled roofs
with ornate ridge tiles. Chancel, north and south chapels, north and south
transepts, Nave, north and south aisles, north and south porches, west tower
with south eastern stair turret. Noteworthy features include the red brick nave
arcades, the Nave and north aisle roofs and the C16 Darcy monuments. Chancel,
angle buttresses, partly restored C14 east window, 3 cinquefoil ogee lights,
tracery over, 2 centred head, moulded label. North wall C14 origin 2 centre
arched window, moulded label, doorway below of similar type and probably similar
date, but with moulded capitals and bases to attached shafts. South wall,
window similar to that in north wall, 2 red brick buttresses with a window
between, this probably C13 with a shouldered head. Nave, east gable apex window
of 3 trefoiled lights, moulded segmental head, 2 similar windows below. East
wall of south chapel, north window C19/C20 except for C14 rear arch and splays,
2 cusped ogee lights, quatrefoil over, moulded 2 centred head, label, south
window, C14 origin, 2 cinquefoiled lights, tracery, 2 centred head. Ornate
moulded rainwater head adjacent to Chancel. South wall including aisle the wall
of which is diapered brick, chapel and transept. Angle buttresses, left to
right similar buttress right of porch, 3 red brick buttresses. 3 C16 windows of
4 trefoiled lights, vertical tracery over, 4 centred heads, moulded band and
plinth under. 2 stone monuments with panels over between 2 buttresses. C19
window in transept with some C14 detail, 3 cusped ogee lights, tracery over, 2
centred head and label. C16 south chapel window of 3 cusped lights, tracery
over, 4 centred head, below and set into it a C19 square headed doorway with
moulded label. West wall, of C16 diapered brick, moulded band and plinth under
a 4 light window similar to south wall windows. Gabled south porch, red brick,
stone coping to gable, stone dressed angle buttresses, moulded plinth. Splayed
brick and stone jambs to outer archway, brick 4 centred head of 3 chamfered
orders. Stone side windows each of two 4 centred lights, square heads, moulded
labels. Roof of 6 collared rafter pairs, tie beam at each end. South doorway
moulded and shafted jambs, 4 centred arch and label. C16 nailed vertically
boarded door. West tower, much repaired. C16 south east stair turret angled,
with slanting red tiled roof, 4 small lights and forward angle attached to Nave
west wall, this with small hipped roof and a moulded brick alcove with 4 centred
head above the hipped plinth, moulded band over. Buttresses to centre and angle
of south wall, angles of west wall, 3 to north wall, with a lean-to store house
between the Nave and eastern buttress. West window C14 origin of 2 pointed
lights in a 2 centred head, above it a C18 red brick round headed louvre opening
and similar louvres to each face of belfry. Gargoyle to north wall below
crenellations. Walls of north aisle, transept and chapel. C16 chequered flint
and rubble with red brick repairs. Moulded plinth and band below windows. 6
buttresses, that to west C19. C19 chimney incorporated in transept buttress and
aisle with 4 large 4 trefoiled 4 centred lights, tracery over under 4 centred
moulded heads, moulded labels over. The north doorway is between the western
windows, with moulded and shafted jambs, 2 centred arch under a square head, the
spandrels carved with a crowned monogram of the Virgin and the Arm of an Angel
with a sword breaking the wheel of St. Katherine. Label over. C19 timber
lean-to north porch with three 3 light leaded windows, the outer lights cusped
ogees with tracery over. North transept C16 window of 3 trefoiled lights,
moulded 4 centred head, label over. A smaller but similar window to north
chapel. West wall, cusped 3 light window, moulded segmental head. Blocked C12
roundel. Interior. Chancel. Roof apparently of a late date of 3 cants, 5
pairs of arched braces on wall posts supported by corbels. Moulded and painted
wall plates, painted panels between rafter feet. Stained glass to most windows.
North wall doorway with chamfered 2 centred arch. Altar, said to be part of a
slab with chamfered soffit and 2 consecration crosses. Stone reredos,
crenellated, of 3 panels with 4 pinnacled niches each with a carved figure,
niche to right and left. Unusual C19 stone "Sheepfold" altar rail with kneeling
bench and ogee tracery, mosaic floor. Monuments. North wall, alabaster and
marble table tomb recumbent effigies of man in armour, ruff and mantle, (broken
below knees) wife with ruff, cloak etc., canopy resting on carved and panelled
pilasters supporting a cornice which carried shields and achievement - John, 2nd
Lord Darcy 1580-81 and Francis (Rich) his wife. South wall, table tomb, similar
in general design and materials to north wall monument but with panelled centre
piece above cornice, the man wears the garter, (left leg broken below knee).
Thomas, 1st Lord Darcy K.G. 15-- and Elizabeth (Vere) his wife. Erected c.1580.
South wall, wall monument to Lucy, Countess Rochford, 2 moulded urns, 1773 by
Wm. Tyler. Piscina, moulded jambs, 3 centred head, round drain. Chancel arch,
probably C13. 2 centred of 3 chamfered orders with C15 splayed responds, each
with 3 moulded and attached capitals. Rose marble Chancel rails, columns with
moulded capitals and bases, stone cusped ogee heads between. Moulded base and
rail. North chapel, now the organ chamber. The north transept was reduced to
the width of the aisle and also shortened during the C16 alterations. Mid C13
east arcade of one and a quarter bays with 2 centred arches of 3 chamfered
orders, the round pier has 4 attached shafts with continuous moulded capitals
and bases, south arch springs from a moulded corbel, the stem carved with stiff
flowers, below is a round shaft, not central with the arch above, moulded corbel
to east face. At different levels are 3 blocked C16 doorways to the rood loft
staircase. West wall brick 4 centred arch of 3 moulded orders, the responds of
3 orders with continuous moulded capitals and moulded bases. The flat roof has
moulded bridging and ceiling joist. South transept, reduced in depth like the
north transept, but retains its south wall. East wall, late C13 arcade of 2
bays, the northern partly blocked by C16 brick pier. 2 centred arches of 3
chamfered orders. 8 attached shafts with moulded capitals and bases to pier, 3
similar shafts to south respond. West wall arch corresponds with that in north
transept. Roof similar to that in north transept. Later traceried wooden
screen to western arch. Floor slab to Elizabeth Lambe 1757. South Chapel.
Roof tie beam with twisted foliate carving. 2 corbels to east wall, on south
bracket a C14 mans head label stop. Monument against east wall, recessed table
tomb, alabaster effigy in robes with cloak and cap, on rear wall brass
inscription plate of artist, Fr. Grigs, 1640, John Darcy, Sergeant-at-law 1638.
South wall, marble tablet with Corinthian capitals and achievement, to Briant
Darcie 1587, Bridget (Corbet) his wife, a number of their children and grand-
children. The Nave is entirely early C16 and of brick except the west wall.
East bay separated from the rest by the responds of an unfinished Chancel arch,
each of 3 orders with rear 4 centre headed squints. East bay north and south
arches open into the transepts and are similar but lower than the west arches of
the transepts. Nave north and south arcades of 5 bays with arches etc., similar
to those in west walls of the transepts. On the west wall, south of the tower
arch is an early C12 plain respond with chamfered impost relating to the, former
south arcade. Early C16 9 bay single hammer beam roof, moulded wall plates and
posts, ridge piece and triple side purlins, curved braces to collars and hammer
beams. North aisle, pulpit, C19 octagonal carved wood with traceried panels.
Early C16 flat roof of 5 bays with moulded and ornately carved tie beams
bridging joists, purlins and wall plates, each with different running foliage
richly carved pendants to centres of main ties. Arched braces to tie beams. SL
carved on east bay intermediate tie. South aisle. Font, C15 Octagonal with
cusped side panels enclosing 2 shields with crossed keys, sword and 3 crowns,
head of John the Baptist, Angel with shield, knot and heart. Soffit with
flowers, knot and shield with cross, panelled and traceried stem, moulded base.
Early C16 flat roof of 5 bays, moulded wall plates, cambered tie beams on
moulded wall posts and corbels, moulded purlins. West tower late C14, much
altered and repaired. C14 2 centred tower arch of 2 wave moulded orders,
chamfered responds each with an attached semi-octagonal shaft, the moulded
capitals and bases of unusually wide projection. RCHM 2.

Listing NGR: TM1227315576

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17536934

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

• 
  Oxfordshire: North and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Department for Communities Listed Historic Buildings of Northern Ireland: Information Guide for the 2nd Survey of Historic Buildings
• 
  Somerset: South and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  [(Cumberland and Westmorland)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1967)
• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects by Harwood, Richard (2012) Paperback
• 
  Worcestershire Revised Edition (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)