Rushden

108. RUSHDEN.

(O.S. 6 in. ^(a)viii. S.E. ^(b)viii. S.W.)

Ecclesiastical

^b(1). Parish Church of St. Mary, stands on rising ground N. of the village. It is built of flint rubble with clunch and stone dressings; the chancel and S. porch are of brick; the roofs are covered with lead and with slate. The Nave is probably of c. 1340. The Chancel, with the exception of the chancel arch, is completely modern, but is built on the old foundations, of which a part, visible on the S., seems to be of mid 14th-century date. Nearly half a century later the West Tower was built, and in the 19th century the South Porch was added, the chancel re-built in yellow brick, and all the windows in the church were much restored.

Architectural Description—The Chancel (28 ft. by 14 ft.) retains its old plinth on the S., and in this are the jambs of a doorway of mid14th-century date. The chancel arch is of the 15th century, and of two moulded orders with moulded capitals. The Nave (43 ft. by 20 ft.) has, in the N. wall, a late 15th-century window of three lights and a late 14th-century doorway, now blocked; in the S. wall, are two late 15th-century traceried windows of two lights, and between them a doorway, of c. 1340, of three moulded orders with shafted jambs. In the thickness of the wall, at the S.E. angle, are the remains of the rood-loft stairs. The West Tower (11 ft. by 10½ ft.) is of three stages with an embattled parapet. The W. window, of late 14th-century date, is of three lights. The tower arch, also original, is of three chamfered orders with half octagonal responds and moulded capitals. The bell-chamber windows are single trefoiled lights, much decayed. The South Porch is modern. The low-pitched Roof of the nave is of the 15th century, and has moulded principals and spandrel tracery.

Fittings—Communion Table: with plain turned legs, early 17th-century. Font: octagonal basin, decorated with cusped and foliated panels, mid 15th-century; cover, 17th-century. Gallery: at W. end of nave, the base of an oak column, part of a late 17th-century gallery. Monuments: in nave, at S.E., mural, to Sir Adolphus Meetkerke, 1618. Niche: for image, in E. wall of nave, N. of chancel arch, large, cinque-foiled, with a moulded square head, outer order and a frieze of cusped panels, 15th-century. Paintings: in nave, on the W. end of the N. wall, traces. Piscina: in the chancel, re-set, late 14th-century.

Condition—Good, much repaired and partly re-built.

Secular

Homestead Moats

^a(2). At Wood Farm.

^a(3). At Friar's Farm, fragment.

^b(4). Julians, about ½ a mile N. of the church, is a two-storeyed brick house of late 16th-century date, much altered; the S. front has been re-modelled and coated with cement, probably during the 18th century, when the E. end was made square. The main entrance, in the middle of the S. front, opens into the hall; at the back is the dining room, and between the two there is a central chimney block. In the original plan the kitchens were probably on the E. and the living rooms on the W.; this disposition is now reversed, and the present domestic offices include a room panelled with oak in small squares with stopped mouldings, and a carved chimney piece with arabesque ornament and turned columns, all of late 16th-century date. Many of the rooms on the first floor seem to have similar panelling concealed behind the wall paper.

Condition—Good.

^b(5). The Village:—The Post Office, about 1 furlong S. of the church, is an irregular range of building of plastered timber, and of the 16th or 17th century: the date 1730 inscribed on it probably refers only to the plaster. The roof is tiled, and there is one overhanging gable. The Rose and Crown inn, near the Post Office, is of late 16th-century date. It is built of plastered timber, decorated with combed work. The roof is tiled. The plan is rectangular, with a central chimney stack finished with square shafts set diagonally. Cottages: There are also a number of small cottages and farm buildings of the 17th century. The walls are covered with rough-cast; the roofs are thatched.

Condition—Poor.