Description

HAPPISBURGH
TG 33 SE
5/34 Church of St. Mary
16.4.55
- I

Parish church. C14, rebuilt C15 (bequests dated 1469 and 1480). Restored
between 1820 and 1860. Tower and south aisle damaged by enemy action 1940,
restored 1949-51. Tower restored 1956-58. Flint with ashlar dressings and
some brick. Chancel roof of lead, otherwise slate. West tower, nave, aisles,
chancel. 4 stage tower supported by diagonal buttresses with flushwork
panelling, standing on plinth with arcade of trefoil niches and cusped wavy
mouldings. Moulded west doorway with jambs decorated by shields below square
hood in the spandrels of which are encircled quatrefoils bearing shields and
mouchettes. 5-light transomed west window with Perpendicular tracery. Square
traceried ventilation panels to ringing chamber. 3-light belfry windows below
flushwork traceried crenellated parapet. Aisles have stepped side buttresses,
diagonal to corners. West end of south aisle retains roof line of abutting
structure and blocked lower window. 3-light window over roof line. South
porch flush with west wall of aisle. Diagonal stepped buttresses. Arched
doorway heavily moulded below square hood with spandrels decorated by
encircled quatrefoils and other devices. Above is cusped statuary niche
flanked by lancets looking into parvis. 2-light ground floor windows to east
and west and lancets to first floor. Crenellated parapet. 4 3-light
Perpendicular aisle windows north and south, all with renewed tracery. 5
2-light clerestory windows of modified C15 Y tracery design. South side has
crenellated parapets, north has no crenellations and 3 buttresses rebuilt
in brick. Blocked north aisle door. 3-light panel traceried aisle east and
west windows, except south aisle west. 3-light square-headed east nave gable
window. Chancel with one stepped buttress north and south and diagonal east
buttresses, all with flushwork. 2 3-light renewed Perpendicular south chancel
windows and arched priests' door. 3-light C19 east window. North chancel
wall disfigured by 2 blocked arched windows below 2 blocked 2-light
clerestory windows. Interior. Timber vault to south porch in form of hollow
and roll moulded arched braces rising from wall posts to meet at central boss
of 4 Green Men. Subsidiary cross purlins similarly moulded. Cusped Holy
water stoup to right of inner doorway. 5 bay C15 octagonal arcade with one
eastern respond surviving from C14. Moulded capitals and bases. Double hollow
chamfered arches. C19 nave roof of arched braces dropping to wall posts.
Short King posts to ridge piece. Arched braced aisle roofs of similar date
and design. Tower arch mouldings are double wave and casement with semi-
circular responds and polygonal capitals. Double hollow chamfered chancel
arch springs from wall corbels. Much restored C15 screen of 3 bays right
and left of arched central opening. Each bay divided into 2 cusped lights
supporting intricate display of openwork tracery of undecided stylistic
content. South nave aisle wall with rectangular niche under 3 miniature
vaulted canopies. C15 octagonal font. Against stem alternating figures
of wild men and lions below traceried freize. Angel heads support bowl, which
has alternating panels of angels with musical instruments and the 4 symbols
of the Evangelists. Chancel south wall retains remains of 2 bay arcade of
C14 date : octagonal pier and arches. C19 chancel roof of arched braces.
C14 ogeed and crocketed piscina with top finial, all on short engaged columns
with heads as capitals.

Listing NGR: TG3798031152

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17536927

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

• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990: Updated version
• 
  The green guide for historic buildings: how to improve the environmental performance of listed and historic buildings
• 
  Old House Care and Repair
• 
  Period Property Manual (New Ed)
• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects, Supplement 2014
• 
  Central Leinster: Kildare, Laois and Offaly (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)