Bow Brickhill

An Inventory of the Historical Monuments in Buckinghamshire, Volume 2, North. Originally published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1913.

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'Bow Brickhill', in An Inventory of the Historical Monuments in Buckinghamshire, Volume 2, North, (London, 1913) pp. 66-68. British History Online https://www.british-history.ac.uk/rchme/bucks/vol2/pp66-68 [accessed 24 March 2024]

In this section

112. BOW BRICKHILL.

(O.S. 6 in. (a)xv. N.E. (b)xv. S.E.)

Ecclesiastical

b(1). Parish Church of All Saints, at the E. end of the village, is built of brown sandstone rubble, in large blocks, partly covered with plaster. The roofs are tiled. Before the 15th century the church probably consisted of an aisleless Nave and a chancel, but no detail remains to show when they were built. The North and South Aisles and the West Tower were added in the 15th century, when the arcades were inserted, and the nave was probably lengthened; the Chancel was probably re-built at the same time. The nave was re-roofed in 1630. The E. wall of the chancel was re-built in brick, and the church otherwise restored in 1756–7. In the 19th century the South Porch was added and the whole building restored.

Architectural Description— The Chancel (25½ ft. by 11 ft.) has modern windows in the E. and S. walls. The 15th-century chancel arch has been much restored and is of two orders; the chamfered outer order is continuous, the hollow-chamfered inner order dies into the jambs. The Nave (34½ ft. by 15 ft.) has 15th-century N. and S. arcades of three bays, the westernmost bay in each arcade being wider than the others; the two-centred arches are of two hollow-chamfered orders; the pillars are octagonal, with crudely moulded capitals; possibly the N. arcade has been re-built; it has no visible bases and the responds are formed by square blocks of the original walling, the arches springing from flat offsets; the W. respond is partly encased in lath and plaster, for no apparent reason: the S. arcade has moulded bases and the responds are flat, with moulded corbel-capitals carrying the inner orders of the arches. The North Aisle (9½ ft. wide) has a 15th-century E. window, considerably scraped and restored, of two trefoiled lights in a two-centred head with a moulded external label, much worn. In the N. wall are three modern windows. The window in the W. wall is also modern. The South Aisle (9 ft. wide) has a 15th-century E. window of three trefoiled lights under a four-centred head. In the S. wall are three 15th-century windows, each of two cinque-foiled lights under a square head, with an external label which has plain stops; W. of the windows is the modern S. doorway. In the W. wall is a window similar to those in the S. wall. The West Tower (12 ft. square) is of two stages with diagonal buttresses, a stair-turret in the S.E. angle, and an embattled parapet. All the detail is of the 15th century. The two-centred tower arch is of three continuously chamfered orders, the innermost order having moulded capitals. The W. window is of three uncusped lights in a three-centred head, somewhat defaced. The windows of the bell-chamber are each of two uncusped lights in a two-centred head with a deep external reveal. The Roof of the nave is low-pitched, and of plain rough, cambered timbers, with king-post trusses; one tie-beam is dated 1630.

Fittings—Bells: four; 1st by James Keene, 1634; 2nd by Anthony Chandler, 1670; 3rd inscribed '∀BCD QRS DEℲC EℲ W', 16th-century; 4th by Henry Bagley, 1649; frame inscribed '1628.1.1', not in good condition. Font: octagonal bowl, with cusped circular and quatrefoil panels, in one panel a shield with arms, two tau-crosses or mallets, bowl supported by figures of angels with outstretched wings, stem octagonal, base moulded, 15th-century, much scraped. Monument: In chancel—on N. wall, to William Watson, rector of the parish, 1608, marble tablet set in chamfered reveal. Niche: In nave—S. of chancel arch, with roughly chamfered pointed head, broken sill. Piscina: In S. aisle—with roughly chamfered two-centred head, round basin, 15th-century. Plate: includes cup of 1626, with inscription recording the donation by Bridget, daughter of Richard 'Purret,' widow of—Hartawe, 1627; paten of 1626, inscribed 1627. Pulpit: hexagonal, two panels with cinque-foiled, crocketed heads, and labels with finials, shallow tracery planted on behind and above panels, 15th-century, considerably restored and thickly painted.

Condition—Good; much restored.

Secular

a(2). Homestead Moat, on the E. bank of the River Ouzel, about 500 yards W. of Caldecotte. The N. corner of the moat is filled in.

Monuments (3–5)

These houses are all of two storeys, built in the 17th century and timber-framed, with filling of modern brick, and otherwise much restored. Two of the roofs are covered with tiles, the third with slate.

Main road, S. side

b(3). House, about 3/8 mile W.N.W. of the church.

b(4). House, now the Congregational Chapel, with a dwelling on the E. side, about ½ mile W.N.W. of the church. It has been almost completely re-built with modern brick. The central chimney stack has grouped square shafts of 17th-century brick.

b(5). House, adjoining the chapel, now three tenements.

Condition—Of all the houses, fairly good.

N. side

b(6). Poplar Farm, opposite to (5), is of two storeys and an attic, built of timber and brick probably in the 17th century, but subsequently much altered and enlarged, and partly covered with plaster. The roofs are covered with tiles and with slate. The front is of 18th-century brick. At the E. end is a large projecting chimney stack of thin bricks, with stone quoins at the bottom; the two detached diagonal shafts are covered with plaster. Interior:—The original constructional timbers and ceiling-beams are visible.

Condition—Good.

b(7). The Wheatsheaf Inn, about 500 ft. W. of (6), is a house of two storeys, built probably late in the 16th century, subsequently enlarged and considerably restored. The walls are timber-framed, with filling of thin bricks, and covered with plaster. On the S. front the lower storey is of modern brick. The roof is thatched. At the E. end of the building the upper storey projects; at the W. end, enclosed by a modern addition, is a large projecting chimney stack, and the central chimney stack has a base of thin bricks. Interior:—The original timber construction and the large trusses of the roof are visible. There is one wide, open fireplace, partly blocked.

Condition—Fairly good.

a(8). Farmhouse, at Caldecotte, about 1¼ miles N.W. of the church, is of two storeys, built probably early in the 17th century, but considerably altered. The walls are timber-framed, with filling of plaster and brick; the roof is thatched, and at each end is a half-hipped gable. The plan is of the central chimney type with extra rooms. Some of the windows retain solid wood frames and metal casements.

Condition—Fairly good.