Newton Blossomville

173. NEWTON BLOSSOMVILLE.

(O.S. 6 in. ^(a)ii. S.E. ^(b)v. N.E.)

Ecclesiastical

^a(1). Parish Church of St. Nicholas, on the N. side of the village, is built of limestone rubble; the roofs are covered with lead and with tiles. The Nave is probably of late 11th-century date, and has some herring-bone work in the S. wall. In the 13th century a N. chapel was added and, possibly, the chancel was re-built; c. 1350 the Chancel was lengthened and widened to the present size and a little later the North Aisle was added. Towards the end of the 14th century the present North Chapel was built, replacing the original chapel, and early in the 15th century the West Tower and South Porch were added. In the 19th century the church generally was restored.

Architectural Description—The Chancel (27½ ft. by 14½ ft.) has an E. window of c. 1350, and of three cinque-foiled lights with tracery in a two-centred head; the jambs, mullions and head are moulded; it is set N. of the middle of the chancel, and is central with the nave. In the N. wall, opening into the N. chapel, is a late 14th-century arcade of two bays, incorporating some 13th-century material; the arches are of two chamfered orders and the column is quatrefoil in plan, with a moulded capital and much defaced moulded base; the engaged shafts of the column are of the 13th century, and a straight joint down the middle indicates that it is partly made up of an old respond; the responds are of similar detail to that of the column. In the S. wall are two windows, each of two cinque-foiled lights and of the same date as the E. window, but of more simple design; the W. light of the western window was originally carried down low, and had a transom forming the head of a low-side light, which is now blocked: between the windows is a small doorway, with jambs and two-centred head of two moulded orders, and of c. 1330, now blocked. The chancel arch is of c. 1350, and is not central with either the nave or the chancel; it is two-centred and of two moulded orders; the responds have pilasters with moulded capitals and bases. The North Chapel (26½ ft. by 14½ ft.) has, in the E. wall, a late 14th-century window of three trefoiled lights with tracery in a two-centred head. In the N. wall is a 15th-century window of three cinque-foiled lights with tracery under a flat elliptical head; towards the W. end of the wall is a late 14th-century doorway, with jambs and two-centred head of one moulded order. In the W. wall, opening into the aisle, is a two-centred arch, also of late 14th-century date; it is of two chamfered orders, the outer continuous, the inner resting on semi-octagonal pilasters with moulded capitals and chamfered bases. The Nave (32 ft. by 15½ ft.) has a 14th-century N. arcade of two bays; the arches are two-centred and of two chamfered orders; the column is octagonal, with a moulded capital and base; the plain chamfered responds have moulded corbel-capitals, and under the capital of the W. respond is a grotesque corbel. In the S. wall, outside, near the porch, a small patch of herring-bone work is visible; the easternmost window is of the same date as the N. arcade, and is of three lights with interlacing mullions and tracery in a two-centred head; the cusping of the tracery and lights is of modern cement; the second window, now opening into the porch, has a semi-circular rear arch, and is of the 11th century, except the roughly pointed head, which is of later date: the third window is set high up, and is a large lancet light, of mid 13th-century date, with moulded external jambs and head and an external rebate; the label is moulded: between the western windows is the 14th-century S. doorway, with jambs and two-centred head of two moulded orders. The North Aisle (9½ ft. wide) has, in the N. wall, at the E. end, a window of the same date as the N. arcade, and of two uncusped lights with a pierced uncusped spandrel in a two-centred head; the N. doorway is two-centred and of one moulded order, of the same date as the window, much restored and now blocked. In the W. wall is a single trefoiled light, probably also of the 14th century. The West Tower (10½ ft. square) is of two stages, the lower stage being of two storeys; in the S.E. angle is a stair-turret; the buttresses are diagonal, and the parapet is embattled. All the detail is of early 15th-century date. The tower arch is of two chamfered orders, the outer order continuous, the inner dying into the walls. The W. window is of two trefoiled lights with a quatrefoil in a two-centred head. The ground storey of the tower has a plain stone vault with chamfered cross and diagonal ribs; in the middle is an uncut boss. In the W. wall of the upper storey is a window similar to that on the ground floor. The four lights of the bell-chamber are of similar design to the other windows, but have deep external reveals. The South Porch (8½ ft. by 7 ft.) has a 15th-century outer archway, two-centred and of two chamfered orders. Against each side wall is a stone bench, and in the W. wall is a small loop light, now blocked.

Fittings—Bells: three, 2nd by John Hodson, 1653. Brackets: In chancel—on N. wall, plain, moulded, 15th-century. In N. aisle—on N. wall, moulded, late 14th-century. Brasses and Indents. Brass: In N. chapel—to Bridget, wife of John Bodington, 1673. Indent: In tower—of inscription plate. Chest: In tower—plain, probably 17th-century. Font: octagonal, with panelled bowl and stem, moulded base, early 15th-century. Glass: In N. chapel—in E. window, fragments, including figure of angel swinging censer, c. 1330. Locker: In N. chapel—in N. wall, high, rebated, probably late 14th-century. Monuments and Floor-slabs. Floor-slab: In chapel—to Elizabeth Garrit, 1694. Pulpit: hexagonal, with bolection-moulded panels, moulded cornice and base, late 17th-century, said to have been brought from elsewhere in the 19th century. Plate: includes pewter flagon, possibly late 17th-century. Stoup: In nave—E. of S. doorway, with pointed hollow-chamfered head, bowl complete, 15th-century.

Condition—Fairly good.

Secular

^a(2). House, formerly the Manor House (see Plate, p. 61), about 90 yards S.E. of the church, is partly of two and partly of three storeys; the walls are of stone; the roofs are tiled. The S. part of the house, which is of two storeys, was built in 1588, the date inscribed on a chimney stack. The N. part is possibly of later date than the rest, but no joint is visible. The plan is almost rectangular, facing E.; the wall at the S. end slopes at an angle in line with the road. At the back is a projecting chimney stack of stone, with two square shafts set diagonally on a plinth of thin bricks, on which is a tablet inscribed with the date 1588, and the initials 'T. I.' and 'T. A.'; at the S.W. corner is a shallow stepped buttress.

Condition—Good, much altered.

^b(3). Cottage, now two tenements, about 120 yards S. of the church, is of two storeys, built of stone probably late in the 17th century. The roofs are thatched. The windows have old casements, and the chimney stack of thin bricks is original.

Condition—Good.