Wexham

98. WEXHAM.

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

Ecclesiastical

^b(1). Parish Church of St. Mary, about 1½ miles N.E. of Slough, is built of flint, with some pudding-stone and clunch in the walls of the chancel; the E. angles are of clunch and the original quoins of the nave of brown stone. The S. porch is of brick and timber. The roofs are tiled. The 12th-century church consisted of the present Nave, with a widening at the W. end under the bell-turret, and a small chancel. In the first half of the 14th century the Chancel was re-built and enlarged to the width of the nave, and the chancel arch was probably destroyed. The South Porch was added probably in the 16th century, and the S. wall of the nave W. of the porch was made flush with the W. projection. In the 19th century many of the windows were altered, the porch was refaced with brick, and the building generally restored.

Architectural Description — The Chancel (23 ft. by 14 ft.) has a 14th-century E. window, partly restored, of three lights and tracery in a two-centred head. In the N. wall is a single trefoiled window, possibly of the 14th century, the lower part is blocked. In the S. wall is a modern window. The Nave (37 ft. by 14 ft., the projecting W. end 16½ ft. wide) has in the N. wall a small window with a semi-circular head, of the 12th century, but much restored. In the S. wall is a modern window; the 14th-century S. doorway has a two-centred moulded arch and chamfered jambs with stopped bases. The W. window is of the 15th century, with two cinque-foiled lights under a square head, but almost all the external stonework is modern; above it, in the gable, is a circular 12th-century light, moulded, and with a zig-zag pattern round it outside; it has been much restored and is now blocked. The Bell-turret over the W. end of the nave is covered with modern weather-boarding, and has a small wood spire; nearly all the large timbers in the nave which support the turret are old, and have curved bracket supports. The South Porch shows the old timber construction inside. The Roof of the nave has one old tie-beam.

Fittings—Door: in S. doorway of nave, with strap-hinges, probably 16th-century. Recess: in S. wall of chancel, small, with moulded jambs and cinque-foiled ogee head with carved crockets and finials, 14th-century. Tiles: in floor at E. end of chancel, mediæval, two patterns.

Condition—Good; recently restored.

Secular

^a(2). Outbuilding, probably formerly a dwelling-house, at Wexham Court, is of two storeys, built in the 16th century, and timber-framed; in the upper storey the filling is almost entirely of original lath and plaster; in the lower storey it is partly of modern brick and partly weather-boarded; the roof is tiled. In front the lower storey is open at the N. end; the principal beam of the overhanging upper storey is supported on small brackets, and there is a louvre window on the first floor. At the back the plaster filling of the upper storey is not original, and there are two louvre windows; one is blocked. The ends are gabled, and are almost entirely modern; a few original timbers remain at the S. end. The open timber roof has queen-post trusses, and large chamfered beams with arched supports and wind-braces.

Condition—Restored, but the front is in bad condition from mass of ivy and decay of plaster.

Winchendon, Lower and Upper, see Lower Winchendon and Upper Winchendon.