West Bergholt

95. WEST BERGHOLT. (C.c.)

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

West Bergholt is a parish 3 m. N.W. of Colchester. The church is the principal monument.

Ecclesiastical

^b(1). Parish Church of St. Mary stands to the W. of the modern village. The walls are of rubble covered with rough-cast; the dressings are of limestone and the roofs are tiled; the bell-turret is boarded. The thickness of some of the walls and the irregularity of the plan seem to indicate a fairly early date for parts of the Chancel and Nave but the earliest detail is of early 14th-century date when the whole church was remodelled and the South Aisle added. The South Porch may also be of the 14th century and the bell-turret is perhaps of the 15th. The church was restored in the 18th century when the W. gallery was built.

Among the fittings the 17th-century lectern is interesting.

Architectural Description—The Chancel (28½ ft. by 18½ ft.) is structurally undivided from the nave. The E. window is of the 18th century or modern, set in the blocking of a 14th-century opening with a two-centred head. In the N. wall are two windows; the eastern is of the 14th century with a modern mullion and tracing and is of two segmental-pointed lights under a segmental-pointed head and rear-arch; the western is also of the 14th century and of two pointed lights in a two-centred head, with a modern mullion. In the S. wall are two windows; the eastern is uniform with the eastern window in the N. wall but is all modern except the rear-arch; the western is modern except the 14th-century splays and two-centred, moulded rear-arch; between the windows is a 14th-century doorway with moulded jambs and two-centred arch. The two western windows have low internal sills and the lower halves of the lights are now filled in, showing that they were probably used as 'lowsides.'

The Nave (47½ ft. by 20 ft.) has in the N. wall three windows all of the 18th century but the middle retains parts of the 14th-century jambs and sill and the westernmost is set in the 14th-century N. doorway which has chamfered jambs and two-centred arch. The S. arcade is of four bays with two-centred early 14th-century arches of two chamfered orders; the octagonal columns and semi-octagonal responds have moulded capitals and bases. In the roof are two 18th-century dormer windows. In the W. wall is a 14th-century window of two trefoiled lights in a square head.

The South Aisle (13½ ft. wide) is of early 14th-century date and gabled at each end; on the gables are mutilated stone gable-crosses. In the E. wall is an 18th-century or modern wood window set in a 14th-century opening with a two-centred head and a moulded label. In the S. wall are three windows; the two eastern are each of two trefoiled ogee lights with tracery in a two-centred head and a moulded label; the westernmost is similar but of one trefoiled light; between the two western windows is the S. doorway with jambs and two-centred arch of two wave-moulded orders with a moulded label. In the W. wall is a window uniform with the eastern windows in the S. wall.

The South Porch is probably of the 14th century; it is timber-framed with modern dwarf walls and front. The sides are each of six lights with diamond-shaped mullions.

The Roof of the chancel is ceiled but has 14th-century moulded plates; the roof of the nave is similar but has one heavy grooved and stop-chamfered tie-beam. At the W. end of the nave is the timber bell-turret probably of the 15th century and standing on eight posts with curved braces but much covered by modern partitions. The roof of the S. aisle is similar to that of the nave and has two tie-beams. The S. porch has old rafters and collar-beams.

Fittings—Chest: In S. aisle—large iron-bound, with six hinges to lid, which is half the width of the top and in two lengths, 16th-century. Coffinlid: In S. aisle—tapering stone slab. Door: In S. doorway—of battens with strap-hinges and old key-plate, date uncertain. Floor-slabs: In chancel—(1) to wife of—Parker (?), 1700; (2) to Mary Poilard, widow of Francis Poilard, 1676; (3) to Rebecka, wife of Peter Sadler, 1676; (4) to Peter Sadler, 1670; (5) to Thomas Scarlet, 1705. Font: cylindrical bowl, probably 13th-century, square stem with chamfered angles and repaired with brick. Glass: In S. aisle—in tracery of S.E. window, green glass with one foliated roundel 14th-century; in W. window, two similar roundels. Lectern: square base with elaborate ornament of conventional foliage, turned baluster-stem, early 17th-century, book-rest modern. Niches: In chancel—flanking E. window, plain pointed and plastered recesses, possibly 15th-century. Panelling: In chancel on E. wall and on W. wall of nave, panelling with fluted frieze, 17th-century. Piscinae: In chancel—with moulded jambs and two-centred head, sexfoiled drain, 14th-century. In S. aisle—in S. wall, with moulded and chamfered jambs and trefoiled head, octofoiled drain, 14th-century. Sedile: In S. aisle—sill of S.E. window carried down to form seat, 14th-century.

Condition—Poor, very damp.

Secular

^a(2). Cook's Hall, ½ m. S.S.W. of the church, is of two storeys, timber-framed and plastered; the roofs are tiled. The back wing was built late in the 16th or early in the 17th century. The main block was built in the 18th century. On the W. side of the wing is the sill with two moulded brackets of a former oriel window. Inside the building the ceiling-beams are exposed.

Condition—Good.

^a(3). Horsepit's Farm, house, about ¼ m. S.E. of (2), is of two storeys, timber-framed and plastered; the roofs are tiled. It was built probably early in the 16th century with cross-wings at the N. and S. ends. The upper storey projects on the whole of the W. side. Inside the building one room has original moulded ceiling-beams and joists. In the roof is an original king-post truss.

Condition—Fairly good.

^b(4). Hightrees Farm, house, 650 yards E. of the church, is of two storeys, timber-framed and plastered; the roofs are tiled. It was built probably late in the 15th century with crosswings at the N. and S. ends. The upper storey projects at the E. ends of the cross-wings. Inside the building are two original doorways with four-centred heads and the ceiling-beams are exposed. The N. wing has an original king-post roof-truss.

Condition—Good.