Brimfield

10 BRIMFIELD (D.b.)

(O.S. 6 in. ^(a)VII, N.E., ^(b)VII., S.E., ^(c)VIII, N.W., ^(d)VIII, S.W.)

Brimfield is a parish on the N. edge of the county, 6 m. N.N.E. of Leominster. Nun Upton is the principal monument.

Ecclesiastical

^b(1). Parish Church of St. Michael (Plate 6) stands on the N. side of the parish. The walls are of local sandstone rubble and ashlar with dressings of the same material; the roofs are slate-covered. The church, judging by some re-set fragments, was partly a 12th-century building. The West Tower was added probably early in the 13th century, and the chancel was re-built perhaps in the 14th century. In 1834 the Chancel and Nave were re-built. The tower was restored in 1884, and in 1904–5 the Nave was again largely re-built. The South Porch and Vestry were added in 1908.

Architectural Description—The West Tower (9½ ft. by 10¼ ft.) is of three stages, the two lower probably of early 13th-century date and of stone, and the top stage timber-framed and with pyramidal roof. The ground stage has a modern doorway in the E. wall with a doorway to a former gallery above it; there is a blocked modern doorway in the N. wall; the W. window is modern, but above it is the round head of the original window. The second stage has an original window of one round-headed light in the N. and S. walls; on the E. wall is the mark of the mediæval roof of the nave with a blocked opening below it. The timber-framed bell-chamber is probably of 16th or 17th-century date, and has vertical framing with curved braces and close studding on the outward face; the weather-boarding and windows are modern.

Fittings—Bells: three; 1st, inscription obliterated, but possibly mediæval; 2nd, by John Martin, 1659; 3rd, cracked and inscribed in Lombardic capitals "Sanb[c]ta Maria pro [no]bis," many of the letters reversed, early 16th-century. Chair (Plate 48): In chancel—with turned front legs, curved arms, enriched rails, panelled back with incised design, carved top rail and cresting, c. 1640. Font: quatre-foiled bowl with moulded underside, quatre-foiled stem and moulded base, early 13th-century, stem modern. Panelling: Round walls of church, 17th-century panelling, re-set as dado. Plate: includes a cup and cover-paten of 1637, and a pewter flagon and two plates. Miscellanea: Re-set in E. wall of porch, part of round head, perhaps of a window; the round head of a second window is re-set in a building at the S.W. angle of the church, both probably 12th-century or earlier.

Condition—Good, largely re-built.

Secular

^d(2). Nun Upton (formerly Nunn's Upton), house, over 1 m. S.E. of the church, is of two storeys with cellars and attics; the walls are partly of brick and partly timber-framed, and the roofs are covered with tiles. The central block of the house was built in the 16th century with a cross-wing on the N. Early in the 17th century the S. cross-wing was re-built and a further N. wing added, both in brick; at the same time the W. side of the main block was faced in brick. Late in the same century the gables of the brick wings were re-built in curvilinear form. The roofs have been largely re-built, and an addition made on the E. in modern times. The E. face (Plate 21) of the original building has close-set timber-framing; the porch has been largely re-built, but the upper storey projects on a moulded bressummer; S. of it is a 17th-century window of four lights with moulded frame, mullions, transom and sill. The S. wing has a moulded brick string between the storeys and a later curvilinear gable with a moulded coping and ball-ornaments at the base; the 17th-century window on the first floor is of four lights with moulded jambs, mullions and label. The middle chimney-stack is of early 17th-century date with two diagonal shafts; the S. stack is of late 17th-century date with three shafts, the two outer being rusticated; the N. stack is of the same period. The S. face has two added round gables, one retaining its ball-terminal. The W. end of the S. wing is similar to the E. end. The 17th-century brick porch, on the W. side, has a round gable and a segmental-headed doorway in the N. wall with a moulded label or string above it. The N. end of the N. wing is similar to the ends of the S. wing. Inside the building the ceiling-beams are mostly exposed. The S.E. room on the ground floor has an early 17th-century plaster ceiling with remains of moulded panels enclosing bands of running foliage and fruit ornament. The mid 17th-century S. staircase has heavy moulded strings and rails, turned balusters and square newels with ball-terminals; some balusters of the same date remain at the top of the N. staircase. There is also a 17th-century panelled door.

Condition—Good.

Monuments (3–14)

The following monuments, unless otherwise described, are of the 17th century and of two storeys; the walls are timber-framed, and the roofs are covered with tiles or slate. Most of the buildings have exposed external timber-framing and internal ceiling-beams.

Condition—Good or fairly good, unless noted.

^c(3). Cottage, on the W. side of Lynch Lane, 1¼ m. E.N.E. of the church.

^c(4). Cottage, at Gosford, 1,200 yards N.E. of the church, has been partly re-built.

Condition—Poor.

^b(5). Cottage, on the S.E. side of the road, 300 yards N. of the church, was built probably in the 16th century, but has been much altered.

^b(6). Cottage, on the S. side of the lane, 400 yards S.S.E. of the church.

^b(7). Cottage, on the N.E. side of Brimfield Common, 1,020 yards S.W. of the church, has a thatched roof.

Condition—Poor.

^b(8). Shortgrove, house, 1,450 yards S.W. of the church, was built on an L-shaped plan with the wings extending towards the E. and S. The upper storey projects at the W. end of the E. wing on a moulded bressummer; at the base of the gable are carved brackets.

^b(9). Holmecroft, house, on the S. side of the road at Wyson, ½ m. W. of the church, has a thatched roof.

^b(10). House, on the S. side of the road, 100 yards E.N.E. of (9), has exposed framing in squares. In the E. wall is a blocked doorway with a triangular head.

^b(11). Cottage, on the N. side of the road, nearly opposite (10).

^b(12). Pool Cottage, on the S.E. side of the road, 800 yards W.N.W. of the church, has been heightened.

^b(13). Cottage, 20 yards E. of (12), has a thatched roof.

Condition—Poor.

^a(14). Cottage, on the W. side of the road, 950 yards N.W. of the church, has a corrugated iron roof.