Stony Stratford East

201. STONY STRATFORD EAST.

(O.S. 6 in. ix. S.W.)

Ecclesiastical

(1). Parish Church of St. Mary Magdalene, at the N.E. end of the town, was burnt down in 1742, except the West Tower, which was built in the middle of the 15th century; the walls are of limestone.

Architectural Description—The West Tower is of three stages, with pilaster angle-buttresses rising to the top of the second stage; in the N.W. angle is a staircase; the parapet is embattled on the E. and W. sides and gabled on the N. and S. sides; below it is a string-course with gargoyles at the angles. The tower arch is apparently of the 15th century, and is blocked; in the S. wall is a similar arch, also blocked, which probably opened into the S. aisle. In the W. wall is a window originally of two lights, now blocked; the deep reveal is moulded and much weathered. In the W. wall of the second stage is a loop light with a square head; below it is a small circular panel in a moulded square reveal with a moulded label. The four windows of the bell-chamber are each of two cinque-foiled lights, with a transom and a quatrefoil under a two-centred head.

Fittings—Plate: two pewter plates inscribed 'EST SIDE, 1696' and with a monogram 'M.W.' or 'J.W.M.', now kept in St. Giles' Church, Stony Stratford West.

Condition—Bad, almost ruinous.

Secular

High Street, E. side

(2). House, No. 48, and Stable, about 260 yards S.E. of the church. The House is of two storeys and an attic; some remains of a 17th-century structure of timber and brick are incorporated in a wing at the back; the rest of the building is of stone rubble and of the 18th century. The roofs are tiled.

The Stable, with a loft above it, about 30 yards E. of the house, is of early 17th-century date. The walls are of stone rubble; the roof is tiled. Interior:—The divisions between the stalls have ramped mouldings and square posts with square moulded finials of early 17th-century date; over the manger is a heavily moulded oak cornice of mid 17th-century date, not in situ.

Condition—Of house, good, re-built; of stable, not very good.

(3). House, now two tenements, Nos. 44 and 46, S.E. of (2), is of two storeys, built of stone rubble probably in the 17th century, considerably altered and re-fronted with brick in the 18th century. The walls at the back are original. The roof is tiled.

Condition—Good; much re-built.

(4). House, No. 28, 100 yards S.E. of (3), is of two storeys; the walls are partly of stone and partly covered with plaster; the roof is tiled. It is probably all that remains of a 16th-century building which formerly extended over the site of the adjoining 18th-century and modern houses. The walls have been completely altered or re-faced. The large enclosed chimney stack is original. Interior:—On the ground floor some stop-chamfered ceiling-beams are probably original. On the first floor is a 16th-century fireplace with moulded jambs and four-centred head, of stone, partly blocked; the E. side of the head is enclosed in a cupboard.

Condition—Good; completely altered.

(5). Window, or niche, and other Fragments at the Retreat Almshouses, 400 yards S.E. of the church, are of the 16th century, all set in a modern wall on the S. side of the courtyard. The fragments consist of two heads, apparently of fireplaces, one straight-sided and four-centred, with sunk spandrels; the other square and chamfered; the small window or niche has an ogee head, much weathered.

Condition—Fragmentary.

(6). Cottage, now two tenements, at the N.E. corner of Swan Terrace, a range of buildings 320 yards E.S.E. of the church. The cottage is of two storeys and an attic; the walls are of stone rubble, colour-washed pink; the roof is covered with slate. It was built in 1693 (5 ?), the date on a stone in the W. gable inscribed 'W.P. 1693 . . . .PLACE' (? 5) (words illegible)

The rest of the range was re-built in the 18th century.

Condition—Fairly good.