Description

BALSHAM CHURCH LANE
TL 5850
11/6 Church of Holy
Trinity
22.11.67
GV I

Parish church. C13 west tower, early C14 chancel and late C14 nave and north
and south aisles. Restored 1875. Fieldstone, flint with dressings of clunch
and limestone. Slate and copper covered roofs. Plan of west tower, nave and
north and south aisles and chancel. West tower of four stages. Embattled.
Original buttressing in west wall. In 1589 Thomas Sutton (date and initial
in buttress to north wall) added the three - stage buttress with moulded
plinths to north and west walls. West doorway, blocked and obscured by later
buttresses. Two centred moulded arch with engaged shafts to outer order.
Above west window of three lancets also part concealed. C13 lancets to first
and second stages of south wall. Bell stage with two quatrefoil openings
with plate tracery in two centred arch. Nave: The gable of the original
roof is visible in east wall of tower. Clerestory, C19, gault brick
restoration or casing of original. Each side of clerestory has six windows,
each with vertical tracery. South aisle and south porch rebuilt end C14 by
John Sleford (d.1401), rector. Cement rendered walls, and limestone dressings
to windows and two-stage buttressing. Parapetted roof and splayed plinth.
Five windows, restored, of three cinquefoil lights with vertical tracery.
South porch has restored roof but original gable end parapet of two pitches
with beast gargoyles. Diagonal buttressing and splayed plinth similar to
south aisle. Outer arch of clunch. Two centred and of two orders. Hollow
and roll moulded outer order and hollow chamfered inner order on engaged
columns. Inner archway, restored. Two centred, chamfered and in square head
with dagger ornament to spandrels. Label with male and female masks. C16
door with original plank and muntins. Chancel, early C15, much restored
1875. Flint and stone dressings. Clerestory original. Restored reticulated
tracery to fenestration of south and east walls. C19 vestry. North aisle
late C14 with north doorway of clunch. Two centred arch with mouldings
similar to thdt of south doorway, in square head. Interior: tower arch,
mid-late C13 clunch. Two centred arch of three hollow chamfered orders, the
two inner orders on engaged columns with moulded capitals and bases. North
and south nave arcades of six bays. Two centred arch of two wave moulded
orders on piers composed of half octagonal columns to north and south sides
and to responds. Moulded capitals and bases. Continuous label with mask
stops above the piers. Clerestory and roof rebuilt C19, but roof jackposts
on medieval corbels. North and south aisles have late C14 roofs of six
bays. Moulded longitudinal mainbeams and principal rafters with bosses at
intersection. North chapel has screen incorporating early C17 sunk panelling
strapwork overthrow and wood sculpture of St Nicholas. There is some
medieval stained glass in the tracery of the windows of the north aisle. The
chancel screen is C15 with some restorations. In seven bays including larger
centre bay. In two stages with canopy. Open upper stage, now glazed with
vertical tracery to the heads and slender engaged shafts between the bays.
Canopy has rib vaulting and moulded entablature. Closed lower stage with
cinquefoil subcusping to two panels and vertical tracery to the heads of each
bay. In the chancel the rear arches of the original early C14 windows are
visible. The choir stalls, C15, are particularly fine and were probably the
gift of John de Sleford. There are ten to the north and south walls and six
return stalls on either side of screen gates. Carved misericords, elbows,
traceried back panels with coving. Contemporary prayer desks and pew ends.
The roof was rebuilt in late C17 incorporating medieval carved beams.
Staggered butt purlin. Font: C13 octagonal bowl on wooden stem and base.
Fine C19 carved font cover. Saxon tomb slab at west end of nave. C19 bier
in south aisle in carriage. C17 communion table in north chapel. Brash
chancel, south side: John de Sleford (d.1401), Purbeck slab with elaborate
brass indent; chancel, north side: John Blodwell (d.1462).

R.C.H.M.: record card
Pevsner: Buildings of England p294
V.C.H. Cambs: vol VI

Listing NGR: TL5878650861

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17528271

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

• 
  Listed Buildings: The Law and Practice of History Buildings, Ancient Monuments and Conservation Areas
• 
  Berkshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Herefordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  County Durham (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England) by Elizabeth Williamson Nikolaus Pevsner(1983-03-11)
• 
  Liverpool: Pevsner City Guide (Pevsner Architectural Guides: City Guides)
• 
  The green guide for historic buildings: how to improve the environmental performance of listed and historic buildings