Marcle, Little

52 MARCLE, LITTLE (D.d.)

(O.S. 6 in. ^(a)XLI, N.W., ^(b)XLI, N.E.)

Little Marcle is a parish 3 m. W.S.W. of Ledbury.

Ecclesiastical

^a(1). Parish Church of St. Michael and All Angels was built in 1870 on a site 650 yards N.N.E. of the old church. The latter, which stood immediately S.E. of Little Marcle Court, is now reduced to the base of the walls, the S.E. angle standing about 6 ft. high. The church, consisting of chancel and nave, was about 59 ft. by 17 to 18 ft., the walls of the nave being a foot thicker than those of the chancel. There is little or no indication of date, but the nave is at least as old as the 15th century and the chancel probably later.

In the modern church are the following

Fittings—Plate: include a cup (Plate 69) of 1570 with a band of engraved ornament round the bowl, and a cover-paten of 1571 with that date engraved on handle.

Condition—Of ruins, bad.

Secular

^a(2). Little Marcle Court, N.W. of the old church, is of two storeys with attics and cellars; the walls are of timber-framing, stone and brick, and the roofs are tiled. The original timber-framed building dates from early in the 17th century, or perhaps earlier, but has been so much altered and added to at subsequent dates that it is difficult to determine the original plan. Part of the E. end has an original moulded plinth of stone. The elevations have been largely re-faced with 18th-century and later brick and the projection at the W. end is faced with stone. Inside the building, several rooms have chamfered ceiling-beams and there is some exposed timber-framing. The S.W. room has a wall-post with a shaped head and a wall-post on the first floor has a carved bracket at the top. The staircase-hall is lined with original panelling and the fireplace has an overmantel of two enriched arcaded bays with a fluted frieze.

Condition—Good, much altered.

Monuments (3–9)

The following monuments, unless otherwise described, are of the 17th century and of two storeys; the walls are timber-framed and the roofs are tiled. Some of the buildings have exposed timber-framing and ceiling-beams and old chimney-stacks.

Condition—Good or fairly good.

^a(3). Laddin Farm, house and outbuildings, 700 yards S. of (2). The House was built late in the 17th or early in the 18th century. It contains some early 17th-century panelling from Little Marcle Court and has a wide open fireplace with seats.

The Granary, W. of the house, has exposed timber-framing. The Store House, adjoining the hop-kiln, N.E. of the house, is of similar character, and the Barn, N.E. of the house, incorporates some old material.

^a(4). The Rectory, 120 yards W. of the modern church, incorporates an old building, to which additions have been made on the N. and S.

^a(5). Cottages, range of two tenements, 170 yards N.W. of the modern church, have exposed timber-framing. The ends of the range have been re-built.

^b(6). Upper House, two tenements, 680 yards N.N.E. of the modern church, was built late in the 17th or early in the 18th century.

^b(7). Barn at Lower House Farm, 1,000 yards N.E. of the modern church, is of one storey and of five bays, weather-boarded; the roof is covered with corrugated iron.

^b(8). Putson, house, 1,480 yards N.N.E. of the modern church, has later additions at each end.

^b(9). Barn at Tyrrel's Frith Farm, about 1¼ m. N.E. of the church, is of one storey and of five bays, partly weather-boarded; the roof is covered with slates.