Drayton Parslow

127. DRAYTON PARSLOW.

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

Ecclesiastical

^a(1). Parish Church of the Holy Trinity, stands at the S.W. end of the village. It is built of stone; the tower and porch are of ashlar, the other walls of rubble. The roof of the nave is covered with slate; those of the chancel and porch are tiled. A few stones built into the walls of the nave are the only evidence of 12th-century work. The Chancel was re-built late in the 14th century, the Nave early in the 15th century, and the West Tower was added late in the same century. The South Porch was built early in the 16th century. The whole church was restored in the 19th century.

The remains of early 15th-century glass in the nave, and the late 15th-century font (see Plate, p. 45) are of especial interest.

Architectural Description — The Chancel (21 ft. by 15½ ft.) has a 15th-century E. window of three cinque-foiled lights and tracery in a two-centred head, much restored. In the N. wall is a window of two trefoiled ogee lights and tracery of the 14th century, but considerably restored. In the S. wall are two windows; the eastern window is modern and the western similar to that in the N. wall: between them is a doorway, modern except the internal jambs. The late 14th-century chancel arch is two-centred, of two chamfered orders, the inner order springing from moulded corbels with carved heads and plain shields; the plain jambs are possibly of 12th-century material, re-used. The Nave (36½ ft. by 22 ft.) has two windows in the N. wall and two in the S. wall, of early 15th-century date, considerably restored, each of two cinque-foiled lights and tracery in a two-centred head, with moulded jambs and an external label; between the N. windows is a doorway with moulded jambs, two-centred head and external label, of 15th-century origin, but almost completely restored; the S. doorway is of early 15th-century date, and has moulded jambs and two-centred head. The West Tower (7½ ft. square) is of two stages with a plain parapet, which has a carved gargoyle in the middle of the N. side; the angles of the tower and of the W. diagonal buttresses are chamfered. The late 15th-century tower arch is of three chamfered orders, the inner orders dying into the walls. The W. window is of two trefoiled lights and tracery in a two-centred head; it is of the 15th century, but restored. The bell-chamber has, in each wall, a window of two trefoiled lights under a square head, with a moulded external label, all restored. The South Porch has an outer entrance with chamfered jambs and two-centred arch of the 16th century, with a modern external label. The N. and S. walls, inside, have each a stone seat. The Roof of the nave rests on old moulded stone corbels. The roof of the porch is of the 16th century, and has plain rafters and curved wind-braces.

Fittings—Bells: three and sanctus, 3rd, by Bartholomew Atton, 1591, sanctus by Anthony Chandler, 1669, bell-frame with initials and date 'w 1641 k'. Brass and Indents: In nave— at W. end, to Benet Blakenolle and Agnes his wife, who both died 30th September, 1535, inscription and two groups of children, three sons and eleven daughters, indents of a man and woman and small scrolls over their heads. Door: In nave—in S. doorway, of battens on massive framing, with strap-hinges, 16th-century. Font: hexagonal bowl with an embattled rim, at each angle of lower part a carved shield, three with arms, a cheveron between three rams' (?) heads razed, two with arms, three bends, in the quarter a lion passant, the sixth shield, three bends sinister, in the quarter a lion passant reversed; hexagonal stem, panel on each side with projecting cinque-foiled ogee canopy, having crockets, finial and ribbed vaulting, small angle buttresses with crocketed finials between the canopies, moulded base, late 15th-century. Glass: In chancel—in quatrefoil of N. window, fragments, probably 15th-century. In nave—in tracery of N.E. window, shield with arms, argent a lion reversed with a forked tail gules (?), possibly set inside out, two fragments of black-letter inscription, etc.; in tracery of S.E. window, shield with arms, ermine a fesse azure with a crosslet or between two lozenges or thereon, an angel descending with a golden crown, fragments of drapery of a figure, pinnacles, etc., all early 15th-century. Lockers: In chancel—in S. wall, modern or much restored, wood door with early 17th-century carved panel. In nave— in S. wall, small, square, rebated for shutter. Plate: includes cup and cover paten of 1569. Reredos: In nave—in E. wall, S. of chancel arch, small rectangular recess with chamfered jambs and head, projecting sill. Miscellanea: In chancel —table, used as credence, with fluted rails and turned legs, early 17th-century. Nave and porch —built into walls, outside, fragments of worked stones, 12th-century. In churchyard—part of shaft of churchyard cross, octagonal with angle rolls, fragments of stepped base, possibly 13th-century.

Condition—Good.

Secular

^a(2). Fortified Mount, about ⅓ mile W.S.W. of the church. Only half the mount and the encircling ditch remain; the mount is about 120 ft. in diameter and 4 ft. high. The ditch is wet.

Condition—Partly obliterated.

Monuments (3–10)

These buildings are each of two storeys, the upper storey partly in the roof. They are of the 17th century; all, except (4), show timber-framing, generally with brick filling, and many of them have been considerably restored with modern brick; all, except (7), have thatched roofs. Many of the windows have old iron casements.

Main street, S. side

^a(3). House, about 120 yards E. of the church. The E. half of the N. front is on a stone plinth, and the timber-framing has diagonal braces in the upper storey. The central chimney stack has grouped square shafts built of 17th-century brick.

Condition—Good, restored.

^a(4). Cottage, N.E. of (3). The walls are partly covered with plaster, probably on timber-framing. The chimney is of old thin bricks.

Condition—Fairly good.

^b(5–6). Cottages, two adjoining, about 500 yards N.E. of the church. The western cottage has a chimney of 17th-century brick.

Condition—Fairly good.

^b(7). Cottage, about 130 yards E. of (6). A wing at the back is of later date than the 17th-century building. The roofs are tiled. An outhouse, formerly a cottage, in the yard at the back, is of the 17th century, and built of brick and timber.

Condition—Of cottage, fairly good; of outhouse, dilapidated.

N. side

^b(8). Cottage, about 100 yards E.N.E. of (7). The walls retain a little plaster filling.

Condition—Fairly good.

^a(9). Cottage, about 460 yards N.E. of the church.

Condition—Fairly good.

^a(10). Cottage, W. of (9). The timber-framing at the W. end has some plaster filling; the other walls are re-faced with modern brick.

Condition—Fairly good, much altered.