35. GREAT WARLEY. (B.d.)
(O.S. 6 in. (a)lxvii. S.W. (b)lxxv. N.E.)
Great Warley is a parish and village 2 m. S.S.W.
of Brentwood.
Ecclesiastical
b(1). Parish Church of St. Mary has recently
been pulled down with the exception of the modern
West Tower, which contains the following:—
Fittings—Brass: In tower—to Margaret, wife of
John Agmondesham, 1582, inscription only, with
indent of shield. Monuments and Floor-slabs.
Monuments: (1) On W. wall, of Gyles Fleming,
1623, and Gyles Fleming, his son, 1633, with
Susanna, his wife, alabaster wall-monument with
bust of man in ruff and cloak. In churchyard—
S.E. of tower, (2) to John Stevens, 1711, headstone; (3) to Robert Stanes, 1712, head-stone.
E. of tower, (4) to Elizabeth, wife of Cornelius
Rockliff, 1714, head-stone. Floor-slabs: (1) to
John Stedman, 169(3 ?), rector of the parish;
(2) to John Wetherell, 1661, with shield-of-arms.
Plate: includes cup, cover-paten and stand-paten,
all of 1700 and dated 1701, also early 18th-century
pewter plate.
Secular
Monuments (2–8).
The following monuments, unless otherwise
described, are of two storeys, timber-framed and
plastered; the roofs are tiled. Some of the
buildings have original chimney-stacks and exposed
ceiling-beams.
Condition—Good or fairly good.
b(2). Franks, house, nearly 1 m. S.W. of the
church, was built probably in the 15th century
on an L-shaped plan with the wings extending
towards the N. and W. Later alterations include
a 17th-century eastern extension of the middle
part of the N. wing and considerable modern
additions. The two main chimney-stacks are of
early 17th-century date; the stack in the middle
of the E. wing has two diagonal shafts. Inside
the building is an original doorway with a two-centred head, and two rooms on the upper floor
are lined with late 16th-century panelling divided
by shallow fluted pilasters supporting small carved
brackets. There are two doors of about the same
date, one of which has 'cock's-head' hinges. The
roof over the middle part of the N. wing is of
central-purlin type and, above the W. wing, the
original king-post with central-purlin two-way
struts is visible. A fire-back, recently imported,
has the initials TPE and the date 1690.
b(3). Bolens and Herds, farmhouse, 1¾ m. S.S.E.
of the church, is a long rectangular building,
probably of 16th-century date, with modern
additions at the back.
Great Warley Street
a(4). Wallets, house, at S. corner of the crossroads, was built in the 15th century with a central
hall and N.E. and S.W. cross-wings. Late in the
16th century an upper floor was inserted in the
hall and modern alterations include the addition
of the staircase and the extension of the S.E. wing.
The upper storeys of both the cross-wings project
on the N.E. front. The chimney-stack at the S.
end of the original hall is of late 16th-century date
and of four shafts set diagonally on a cruciform
plan with a square base. Inside the building one
room is lined with panelling of c. 1600. The
staircase is of 17th-century date and has turned
balusters and moulded handrail but is not in situ.
The original roof over the northernmost wing has
a heavy tie-beam with square king-post and
curved braces.
b(5). House, now Post Office and tenement, on
opposite side of the road and 30 yards W. of (4),
was built in the 15th century with a central hall
and E. and W. cross-wings. An upper floor has
been inserted in the hall and there are considerable
modern alterations. The upper storey of the E.
cross-wing projects on the S. front and in the roof
of the central block are two gabled dormers. The
central chimney-stack was built probably when the
upper floor was inserted but has been re-built above
the roof. Inside the building the main tie-beam to
the roof over the original hall is exposed and is
supported by curved braces carrying a king-post;
the curved braces to the main tie-beam of the
roof are also exposed.
a(6). Cottage, on S. side of the road to the church,
50 yards E. of (4), was built probably in the 16th-century on a rectangular plan with a cross-wing
at the N. end; there is a modern addition at
the back. The upper storey of the N. cross-wing
projects on the W. front.
a(7). House, now two tenements, N. of (6), was
built probably in the 15th century on an L-shaped
plan with the wings extending towards the S.
and E. The insertion of partitions and alterations
at a later date have obscured the original plan;
there is a modern extension at the back. Inside
the building is an original doorway with a two-centred head and in the upper storey of the N.
wing an original tie-beam supported by rough
braces.
a(8). Cottage, on W. side of Brock Street, about
550 yards N. of the cross-roads, is of one storey
with attics. It was built probably early in the
17th century, and has a modern extension on the
W. There are two gabled dormers in the roof and
at the N. end an original chimney-stack with two
diagonal shafts.