Description

TL 8628-8728 EARLS COLNE HIGH STREET
(south side)

9/94 Parish Church of St.
21.6.62 Andrew

GV I

Parish church. C14, C15 and C16, with earlier origin, and much rebuilding and
restoration, c.1864. Flint rubble with limestone dressings, and some red brick
in English bond, roofed with handmade red plain tiles. Nave of unknown origin,
possibly C13, Chancel and S aisle c.1340, W tower c.1460, partly rebuilt in
1534, N aisle, N chapel, and S chapel C19. S porch C19, retaining the C15 roof.
The fabric of the Chancel is medieval, but no original features are apparent; it
has 2 diagonal buttresses. The Nave has a C19 N arcade of 3 bays. The S
arcade, c.1340, is of 3 bays with 2-centred arches of 2 moulded orders; the
octagonal piers and semi-octagonal W respond have moulded capitals and C19
bases; the E respond is C19, the E arch has been rebuilt, and elsewhere there is
much C19 surface alteration. The roof of the Nave is C16, in 5 bays, with
moulded principals, collars, and arch-braces to them, hollow-chamfered
wind-braces, saltire bracing above the collars, and a carved boss on each
collar. The N chapel has a reset window of c.1340, partly restored, of 2
trefoiled ogee lights with tracery in a 2-centred head. The S chapel is C19,
with some C14 moulded voussoirs re-used in the W arch. The S aisle has in the S
wall 2 restored C14 windows, each of 2 cinquefoiled lights with a quatrefoil in
a 2-centred head, with moulded label and rear-arch; further W is the S doorway,
with C14 splays and moulded 2-centred rear-arch; the W window incorporates some
old stones. The roof of the S aisle is late C14, of 6 bays, with moulded
wallplates, principals, collars and purlins, and a carved boss on each collar;
one has the de Vere molet. The roof of the S porch is of crownpost construction
in one bay, with moulded and crenellated wallplates, moulded tiebeams, and
hollow-chamfered collar-purlin and axial braces. The W tower is of 3 stages,
with diagonal buttresses and a SE stair-turret; the 1534 rebuild is in red
brick. The C15 tower-arch is moulded and 2-centred, and springs from moulded
and shafted responds with moulded capitals to the shafts. The W doorway is C19;
to either side of it is a C15 moulded string course with carved flowers and
heads. The second stage has in the E and W walls a single C15 light with a
trefoiled head; a similar window in the N wall has been removed. The
bell-chamber has in the E, S and W walls a C15 window of 3 cinquefoiled lights
with tracery in a square head. In the N wall is a restored early C16 window of
3 cinquefoiled lights in a square head. The crow-stepped and crenellated
parapet is enriched with panels of flint inlay having cinquefoiled or trefoiled
heads; the larger panels have each the de Vere molet; in the middle of the E and
W sides is a carved achievement of arms; below the E one is the date 1534 and
the regnal year H.8.25. The first floor has 2 bridging beams each way, with
wall-pieces with arched braces. The stair-turret has an early C16 doorway of
brick with a 4-centred head, and a parapet with flint inlay and the de Vere
molets. The weather-vane is late C17 or early C18, with a copper corona and
cock. Monuments. In the S chapel and S aisle are monuments (1) of Richard
Harlackendon, 1602, and Elizabeth (Hardres), Elizabeth (Blatchendon), Jane
(Josceline) and Anne (Dewhurst), his wives, small painted wall-monument of
alabaster with kneeling figures of man and wives flanked by pilasters supporting
an entablature, achievement and 4 shields of arms, restored early in the C18,
(2) to Jane and Mabell Harlackendon, 1614, plain rectangular tablet, (3) to John
Eldred, 1646, rectangular tablet with marble frame and cornice, supported on 2
stone heads, (4) to Mehetabell, daughter of Edward Eileston, 1657, oval tablet
with white marble frame, (5) to John Eldred, 1709, plain stone, removed from
Little Birch, (6) to Samuel Tufnell, 1722, and members of the Cressener family,
(7) to Daniel Androwes, 1681, his widow Mary, 1729, white marble table with coat
or arms, (8) to John Eldred, 1682, his son John, 1717, and his son John, 1732,
white marble tablet with coat of arms, removed from Little Birch, (9) to George
Biddulph, 1726, his widow Frances, 1753, and his niece Elizabeth Wale, white
marble tablet with coat of arms, (10) to John Wale, 1761, his wife Anne, 1770,
and Richard Wale, 1761, black marble tablet in white marble surround, with coat
of arms above, and below a roundel with a winged Mercury carved in low relief by
I.F. Roubiliac, (11) to Henry Anderson, 1823, white marble on grey marble with
side-scrolls, (12) to Anne (Carwardine) Probert, 1836, white marble urn on black
marble. RCHM 1.

Listing NGR: TL8606628826

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17536240

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

• 
  The green guide for historic buildings: how to improve the environmental performance of listed and historic buildings
• 
  Essex: Buildings of England Series (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  For the Record
• 
  Northumberland (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Listed Buildings and Other Heritage Assets
• 
  The Listed Buildings and Other Principal Structures at the Royal Gunpowder Mills Waltham Abbey