Church of St Mary, Arwarton, Suffolk

Description

TM 23 SW ERWARTON THE STREET

6/11 Church of St Mary

22/2/55
GV I

Parish church. Probably C15 chancel which was shortened circa 1782. According
to Whites Directory of Suffolk 'Rebuilt 1837'. C15 nave with clerestory, C15 north
and south aisles, north porch and west tower. Mainly septaria, random flint and
ashlar, with red brick repairs, plastered south wall to south aisle. Chancel roof
of grey slate, nave and aisles roofs not visible above parapets, possibly lead.
Chancel: Buttresses to eastern angles. C19 east window of 4 cinquefoil lights,
wheel tracery over, chamfered 2-centred head, label with king and queen stops.
Plaque beneath window relates 'This Chapel rebuilt and Church repaired 1838'. North
wall window of 2 trefoiled lights, trefoils and quatrefoil over. Parapet verge
and band of stone and red brick continues through north and south aisles. Nave:
Parapet verge and band continue through returns. 6 clerestory windows each to north
and south walls, of 2 trefoiled lights, moulded 4-centred heads and labels. South
Aisle: Buttressed at angles. One window each to east and west walls, 2 to south
wall, all of 3 trefoiled ogee lights, vertical tracery over, moulded 4-centred heads
and labels. Blocked doorway to south west corner, moulded 2-centred head and label.
North Aisle: buttressed at angles and between windows. 4 windows similar to those
in south aisle. North porch, buttressed at northern angles. Stone parapet verge
and band, hollow chamfered 2-centred arch of 4 orders, square head, carved Tudor
roses to spandrels. West Tower: Red brick repairs to third stage and parapet.
Of 3 stages, buttressed at angles, stone bands to each stage, moulded bands to
plinth. Angled stair turret to second stage of south east corner with 3 square-
headed lights and one trefoiled light in a square head. The repaired bell chamber
with 2 tie-plates to north and south faces and 4 tie-plates to east and west faces,
each face with a restored or repaired 2-light window, those to south and west with
fragments of the original windows, 2-cinquefoiled lights, tracery over, 4-centred
heads, those to east and north, short Y-tracery, 2-centred heads, all partially
blocked. North, south and west faces of second stage each with a small trefoiled
light under a square head and label. West window of 3 cinquefoiled lights above
and below centre transom, vertical tracery over, segmental head, label carries
through as band. West doorway, moulded 2-centred arch, moulded square head and
label, crowned lion stops, carved angel above apex, shields of arms to spandrels.
Double-nailed vertically-boarded doors, each with strap hinges. Interior: North
Porch: Moulded side purlin ridge board roof of 2 bays, moulded arched braces to
moulded collars, moulded wall plates, moulded wall posts and brackets. Red square
tiled floor. Chamfered niche with pointed head to north west corner. North doorway,
moulded 2-centre arch and label. Gothic panelled door. Chancel: Roof of 3 bays,
moulded side purlins, ridge board and principal rafters. Moulded and crenellated
wall plates, 4 bosses to ridge board. Wall posts with moulded bases and crenellated
capitals to attached shafts, arched braces to principal rafters. No reredos.
Diagonal red and yellow tiled floors throughout with some red tiles set square.
Five C17 and C18 floor slabs to Parker and Cornwallis families. Altar rails C19,
wrought-iron posts with scrollwork, moulded wood top rail. No piscina. Chamfered
2-centred chancel arch of 3 orders resting on attached polygonal shafts with contin-
uous moulded capitals and bases. Nave: Roof of 6 cambered bays, moulded side
purlins, ridge board and wall plates. Wall posts on stone corbels with attached
shafts, moulded capitals and bases, arched braces to cambered tie-beams. Diagonal
red and yellow tiled floor. Black marble floor slab: Dorothy Gandy, wife of Sir
Philip Parker 1638, coat of arms. Poppyhead pews, foliate carved ends. C15 stone
octagonal font, bowl with carved lions and angels alternating with Tudor roses in
sunk panels, carved roses to soffit, 4 lions against the stem with buttresses
between, 2 square base slabs with chamfered corners. C17 wooden chest, 3 carved
arcaded panels with continuous arcading above, moulded angles, lid of 3 panels.
North and south arcades of 3 bays, hollow chamfered 2-centred arches, attached
shafts to east and west of each column with moulded capitals and bases. Simple
4-centred heads to clerestory windows. West tower arch, tall and similar to arcade
arches. North Aisle: Lean-to roof of 6 bays, moulded centre purlin and rafters,
moulded wall plates. Floor slab by north doorway: Penelope, wife of Thomas
Cornwallis 1693. Wall monument, Sir Philip Parker, 1736, inscription tablet with
scrolled sides to base, broken pediment, carved and painted coat of arms with
bearers and crest, painted frame. Floor slab with brass, inscription, Katherine,
Lady Cornwallis, 1636. North wall, said to be Isabel Bacon, Daughter of Sir
Bartholomew Daviller circa 1300, effigy of a lady praying, head on pillow, wearing
a gown and wimple lying on a chest tomb with cusped and crocketed pediment, canopy
over, side pinnacles with finials, depressed arch. To the east of the aisle,
attached to the 1912 organ is a copy of a drawing of Queen Anne Boleyn by Holbein,
the note under relating 'That after her execution in the Tower of London, 19 May
1536, it was recorded that her heart was buried in this church by her Uncle, Sir
Philip Parker of Erwarton Hall. A casket was discovered in 1837 and placed in the
Cornwallis family vault beneath the organ'. South Aisle: Roof of 6 bays, moulded
tie-beams and centre purlins, moulded and carved wall plates with date 1650 to south
wall. Pulpit, C19/C20, octagonal with traceried panels, crenellated soffit with
pendants, trefoiled panels with spandrels to stem. Coats of arms to pulpit panels.
Traceried panels to steps, crenellated soffit. Low cill to east wall window. Niche
to south east corner, moulded and crocketed trefoiled ogee arch, crow stepped head.
Two 1915 stained glass memorial windows to south east corner. Black marble floor
slab: Sir Philip Parker and family, 1740. Below the south east window said to
be fragment of monument to Sir Philip Calthorpe, d.1549, of 4 panels, moulded base,
5 fluted colonnettes, entablature, blank shields to panels, black marble shelf,
crested arms over. Not in situ below this monument is a floor slab with indents
of a man in armour with ? crested helm, shield below. A much worn floor slab?
Parker 1723. Between the south wall windows a monument, said to be circa 1400 of
Sir Bartholomew Bacon, d.1391 and Joan, his wife d.1435, canopy cusped and crocketed
pediment, side pinnacles with finials, depressed arch, the effigies of a knight
and lady undergoing restoration elsewhere at time of resurvey. Also in the south
wall to west of the west window is a monument, the effigy of a cross-legged knight
wearing chain mail, his feet resting on a lion, his head on a pillow, holding a
shield of arms and sword, said to be Sir Bartholomew Daviller, resting on a later
chest tomb, five front panels with shields in quatrefoils, chamfered 4-centred arch
over. There are wall brasses: Black letter brass, Philip Parker. Lady Katherine
Hanmer 1747. Lady Dowager Martha Chedworth 1773. Dame Martha Parker Long 1758.
Sir Philip Parker 1740. Mrs Elizabeth Plunkett 1757. Wall tablet, Frederick Philip
Forster Wood, killed in action, Kandahar, Afghanistan, 1880. North door, vertically
boarded with edge moulding.

Listing NGR: TM2208334670

External Links

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British Listed Buildings

History in Structure

Church of St Mary

A Grade I Listed Building in Arwarton, Suffolk

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Description

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