Parish Church of St Mary, Kelvedon, Essex

Description

KELVEDON CHURCH STREET
TL 8418-8518 (south-west side)

9/145 Parish Church of St.
21.12.67 Mary

GV I

Parish church. C12 origin, extended in C13, C14, C15, C16 and C19, restored in
1877. Walls mainly of coursed flint rubble, partly cement-rendered, partly of
red brick in English bond, dressings of limestone and clunch, roofed with
handmade red plain tiles and lead substitute. Spire timber framed and shingled.
Nave probably early C12, but only the NW angle retains original detail; N aisle
and arcade c.1230; S aisle and arcade c.1250; Chancel and W tower c.1360;
clerestorey and third stage of tower Cl5; N chapel and N vestry early C16; S
chapel and S porch C19. The Chancel has a C19 E window. In the N wall is a C14
window of one cinquefoiled light with moulded label and chamfered semi-circular
rear-arch, now opening into the N vestry. Further W is a doorway inserted in
the early C16, made up of the jambs and head of a C14 window formerly of 2
cinquefoiled lights in a 2-centred head. W of the doorway is an early C16
archway of plastered brick with a moulded and 4-centred arch, moulded E respond
and splayed W respond, both with moulded capitals and bases. At the W end of
this wall is a blocked doorway to a former rood-loft stair, with chamfered
4-centred head. In the S wall is a C19 arch and arcade of 2 bays. The
chancel-arch of c.1360 is 2-centred, of 2 wave-moulded orders; the responds have
semi-octagonal attached shafts with moulded capitals and bases, partly restored.
On each side of the chancel-arch is a C15 squint with chamfered jambs and
4-centred head; that on the S side is restored. The C14 roof of the chancel
comprises 18 couples framed in 7 cants with moulded wallplates, partly restored.
The N vestry has a re-used C15 E window of 2 cinquefoiled lights under a square
head with a moulded label, partly restored, and an old external wrought iron
grill. The N wall is of early Cl6 brickwork, with a C19 doorway. In the SW
angle is a C16 doorway of brick with a 4-centred head, which opens into a
triangular lobby, with a similar doorway into the N chapel. The door is C16, of
plain battens, with a later false frame planted on externally. The N chapel has
a N wall of C16 brick with a stepped gable and a roll moulding below each step,
and a roll moulding above the plinth which continues along the N wall of the N
vestry. It has one window of plastered brick, of 4 transomed lights with
intersecting tracery in a 4-centred head with a moulded label; in the gable are
2 blocked small vents or niches with semi-circular heads. The C16 W archway is
of plastered brick, and has a moulded and 4-centred arch and moulded responds
with capitals and bases. The roof of the N chapel has moulded wallplates, the
remainder restored. The S chapel is C19; re-set in the E wall is a C15 window
of 2 cinquefoiled lights, restored. Re-set in the S wall are 2 windows, the
eastern of 2 trefoiled ogee lights with tracery in a 2-centred head with a
moulded label, much restored; the western window is C15, of 2 cinquefoiled
lights with tracery in a 2-centred head with a moulded label. Between the
windows is a doorway, possibly of C14 origin but covered with cement render.
The Nave has in the E wall, N of the chancel-arch, a C16 doorway at the level of
the former rood-loft, with chamfered jambs with broach stops, rebated at the
base for a door, and chamfered 4-centred arch. The N arcade, of c.1230, is of 3
bays with 2-centred arches of 2 moulded orders, with a chamfered label to the S.
The E respond has a moulded corbel carved with stiff-leaf foliage, restored; the
front column is moulded and has 4 attached shafts with moulded and foliated
capitals, mutilated on the W side (probably for a former pulpit) and moulded
bases; the second column is cylindrical with a moulded and foliated capital and
moulded base; the W respond has 2 angle rolls and a restored attached shaft; the
S shaft has a simple foliated capital, the N shaft has a plain capital. Further
W are traces of a blocked opening, possibly of a C12 window. The NW quoin is
mainly of Roman brick. The S arcade, of c.1250, is of 3 bays with arches
similar to those of the N arcade. The E respond is C14, with a semi-octagonal
attached shaft and capital, partly restored; the first column is cylindrical
with a moulded capital and chamfered base; the second column, of later date, is
cylindrical with a moulded capital (partly restored) and moulded base; the W
respond has 3 attached shafts, the middle shaft and the capitals restored. The
C15 clerestorey has on each side 4 windows, each of 2 cinquefoiled lights,
mainly restored. The C15 roof of the Nave is in 4 bays, with moulded arched
braces of 4-centred curvature to the tiebeams, and tracery in the spandrels; the
tiebeams and one brace are C19. Moulded arched braces below the principal
rafters support pendants with carved bosses at the apices. At half-bay
intervals there are false hammer-beams with painted carved figures, and similar
braces, principal rafters, pendants and bosses. The side-purlins are moulded,
butted to the principals. The ridge-piece has moulded pendant braces. The
rafters are plain, of horizontal section. The wallplates are moulded.
Wall-pieces at bay intervals are supported on stone corbels. (C.A. Hewett,
Church Carpentry, a study based on Essex examples, 1982, 32-3, 114 and Plate
VI). The N aisle has in the N wall 2 C15 windows, the eastern of 2 cinquefoiled
lights under a square head with a weathered moulded label, external old wrought
iron grill and unusual keystone rear-arch, plastered over; the western window is
of 2 cinquefoiled lights with tracery in a 2-centred head with a moulded label;
further W is the C15 N doorway, with moulded jambs, 2-centred arch and
weathered label. In the W wall is a window similar to the eastern window in the
N wall, but with a plain segmental rear-arch and normal sill. Externally there
is a moulded cornice with 2 grotesque heads at the W end, and a crenellated
parapet of brick, mostly rendered. The S aisle has in the S wall 3 windows and
a doorway, all C19 except the westernmost window, which is late C14, re-cut and
re-set, of 2 cinquefoiled ogee lights with tracery in a square head. The W
window is C19. There is a moulded cornice and crenellated parapet. The roofs
of both aisles are of lean-to form, with plain rafters of horizontal section.
The W tower is of 3 stages, the lower 2 having C14 detail, the bell-chamber C15.
The 2-centred tower-arch is of 2 moulded orders; the responds are of 2 chamfered
orders with moulded capitals and bases; above the arch is a plain 2-centred
opening, blocked. The W window is wholly restored except the moulded jambs,
splays and chamfered 2-centred rear-arch. In the N, S and W walls of the second
stage is a single light with a trefoiled ogee head, all restored. The
bell-chamber has in each wall a window of 2 cinquefoiled lights in a square
head, much restored. There are 2 plain string courses, and a crenellated
parapet with carved grotesques at the angles. Small shingled spire. Fittings.
There are 2 piscinae, (1) in the S chapel, re-set, with moulded jambs and
cinquefoiled ogee head, and quatrefoiled drain, C14, (2) in the S wall of the S
aisle, with chamfered jambs and trefoiled ogee head, and quatrefoiled drain,
C14. In the NE angle of the N chapel is a niche, with 4-centred head, moulded
cornice, and cusped support of exposed brick, early C16. In the N wall of the N
aisle, W of the N door, is a small niche with moulded jambs and trefoiled head.
There are wall monuments earlier than 1840: on the E wall of the Nave, N of the
Chancel-arch, (1) to Rev. Edward Chester, 1787, plain white marble cartouche
with urn in low relief; in the S chapel, on the S wall, (2) to Thomas Crane,
1654, black and white marble oval tablet with wreath, garlands, arched cornice
and skull above; in the S aisle, (3) to Thomas Abdy, 1684, and Rachel Gurdon,
1689, carved white marble tablet with pediment and cartouche of arms, (4) to Sir
Anthony Abdy, 1794; carved white marble, with gadrooned base with foliage and
vine-ornament, frieze with foliage and shield of arms, moulded cornice with urn
and lamps above, (5) to Sir Thomas Abdy, 1685, Mary (Corselis), his wife, 1645,
Abigail, his daughter, wife of Sir Mark Guyon, 1679, and William, son of Sir
Thomas, 1682, white marble with carved curtain flanked by fluted pilasters with
egg-and-dart capitals, broken pediment, achievement, 3 cartouches and a shield
of arms; in the N aisle, (6) to Philip Browne Dalton, 1835, white tablet on
black marble, (7) to Jane, wife of Rev. Charles Dalton, 1837, and daughters
Louisa Anne, 1817, and Sarah Anne, 1837, white tablet on black marble. In the N
aisle, at the W end, are floor-slabs (1) to William Abdy, 1682, black marble
with shield of arms, (2) to Anna Abdy, 1692, white marble with inscription in
inscribed heart, and carved arms, (3) to Thomas Abdy, 1697, black marble with
shield of arms, (4) to Joanna Abdy, 1710, white marble with inscribed arms and
border. On the E column of the S arcade is a painted stone shield of England
quartering France (modern) with a label and surmounted by a crown, C15. In the
N vestry is an oven, early C16. In the second window of the N aisle are
fragments of C15 glass, including sun and stars, leopards' heads and
leaf-ornament. In the vestry is C16 and C17 oak panelling, including panels
carved with a figure subject, Ahasuerus and Esther, or Solomon and the Queen of
Sheba, birds, foliage, linenfold, etc. In the N aisle are lead plates, embossed
11) 1675, Iohn Tayler, Plvnmer, (2) 1675, John Wood, John Clenche,
Churchwarddins, (3) Henry Robinson, plumber, 1765, (4) Thomas Leapingwell,
William East, Church Warddins, L765. Numbers (2) and (4) have embossed
geometrical borders. On the S wall of the W tower are the Royal Arms of Queen
Anne, 1709, on canvas. On the W wall of the Nave is a pair of Commandments,
gilt paint on black boards with gilt gesso frames, C18. On the C19 S door is a
plain stock-lock of uncertain date. There are 6 bells; the third is by Henry
Pleasant, 1705; the second and fourth are by John Briant, 1803; and the fifth is
by Miles Graye, 1615. RCHM 2.

Listing NGR: TL8564518566

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Parish Church of St Mary

A Grade I Listed Building in Kelvedon, Essex

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