Woodham Ferrers

103. WOODHAM FERRERS. (E.b.)

(O.S. 6 in. ^(a)liii. S.E. ^(b)lxi. N.E. ^(c)lxi. S.E.)

Woodham Ferrers is a parish and village 6 m. S.W. of Maldon. The church, Bicknacre Priory and Edwin's Hall are the principal monuments.

Ecclesiastical

^b(1). Parish Church of St. Mary stands at the S. end of the village. The walls are of mixed rubble with dressings of limestone; the roofs are tiled. The Nave was built c. 1260–70 with N. and S. aisles, and the Chancel was re-built c. 1290. Early in the 14th century the North and South Aisles were re-built. In the 15th century the South Porch was built, and late in the same century a W. Tower was added. This tower fell in 1703, was re-built in brick in 1715, but has since been removed, and now only the stumps of the side walls remain. The church was repaired in the 19th century, when the E. wall and the E. wall of the S. aisle were largely re-built and the North Vestry added.

Architectural Description—The Chancel (33 ft. by 21½ ft.) has a modern E. window. In the N. wall is a late 13th-century window, modern externally, but with old splays and two-centred rear-arch; further E. is a 13th or 14th-century doorway with chamfered jambs and two-centred arch. In the S. wall are three windows, the easternmost is of late 15th-century date and of three cinque-foiled lights in a square head; the other two windows are uniform with that in the N. wall, but the head of the western is lower; between them is a modern doorway. The mid 13th-century chancel-arch is two-centred and of two chamfered orders; the responds have each an attached round shaft with moulded capital and base partly cut away; the chancel-arch was perhaps reconstructed in the 14th century or at a later date.

The Nave (46½ ft. by 22½ ft.) has a N. arcade of c. 1260 and of three bays with two-centred arches of two chamfered orders; the columns and responds have moulded capitals and bases and are alternately octagonal and round; the E. respond is grooved for a former parclose. The S. arcade is similar to the N., with slightly differing mouldings and the E. column and respond are octagonal and the W. column and respond round. The clearstorey has on each side three windows, modern externally, but with 13th or 14th-century splays.

The North Aisle (8¼ ft. wide) has an E. window all modern except the 14th-century splays and rear-arch. In the N. wall are two 14th-century windows, both of two trefoiled ogee lights with tracery in a two-centred head with a moulded label; further W. is the late 14th-century N. doorway, with modern jambs and moulded two-centred arch; between the windows is the rood-loft staircase, with 14th-century upper and lower doorways, both with two-centred heads and now blocked. In the S. wall, E. of the arcade is the early 16th-century passage to the later rood-loft, with steps and a four-centred roof composed of stepped arches. The W. window is modern except parts of the 14th-century splays and rear-arch.

The South Aisle (8½ ft. wide average) has an E. window, all modern except the 14th-century splays and rear-arch. In the S. wall are two windows similar to the corresponding windows in the N. aisle but all modern externally; further W. is the 15th-century S. doorway, with moulded jambs, two-centred arch and label. In the W. wall is a window uniform with the corresponding window in the N. aisle.

The West Tower has been destroyed except for the stumps of the side walls where they adjoin the W. front and the two buttresses, which form part of the front and have a moulded plinth and panels of flint-inlay. The late 15th-century tower-arch is two-centred, but only the inner hollow-chamfered order remains in position; the responds have each one chamfered and two hollow-chamfered orders and an attached shaft with moulded capital and base.

The South Porch is timber-framed and incorporates a few 15th-century posts.

The Roof of the chancel is of trussed-rafter type and of uncertain date. The roof of the nave is also of trussed-rafter type with two tie-beams and modern plates. The 14th-century flat pent-roof of the N. aisle has moulded main timbers. The roof of the S. aisle is similar, but with chamfered main timbers; it is possibly of the 14th century. The 15th-century roof of the S. porch is of two bays with king-post trusses and moulded wall-plates.

Fittings—Chest: In S. aisle—of hutch type, dated 1708. Door: In S. doorway—with moulded fillets and frame, planted on, 15th-century. Font: plain octagonal bowl with moulded under-edge, 14th-century. Glass: In chancel—in S.E. window, two shields of (1) France (ancient) and (2) England, 14th-century, partly patched with other old glass. Monument and Floor-slabs. Monument (Plate, p. 105): In chancel—of Cecilie (Willford), wife of Edwin Sandys, Archbishop of York, 1610, erected by her son, Sir Samuel Sandys, 1619, coloured alabaster and black marble wall-monument with kneeling figure of lady at prayer-desk, Corinthian side-columns and entablature, figure of Time on W., back and hood of monument carved as a trellis of flowers and foliage, at top two draped figures supporting lozenge-of-arms, cartouche-of-arms below main figure. Floor-slabs: In churchyard— against W. wall of nave (1) to Cecile Sandys, 1610, see monument; (2) to George Sheillto, with shield-of-arms, late 17th-century. Niches: In nave—in E. respond of N. arcade, two, one with a trefoiled and one with a triangular concave head; in E. respond and first pier of S. arcade, three, all with trefoiled heads, 15th-century. Paintings: In nave—above chancel-arch, large Doom in black and red colour, Christ the Judge in middle seated on a rainbow with angels on right and souls below, hell's mouth in right lower corner, scrolls with black-letter inscriptions, one reading, "Surgite incriminati ad judicium dei," 15th-century; rough outline of canopies with figures on first column of S. arcade and black outline of head on second column, and traces of foliage on capitals of same arcade; traces of colour on niches. Plate: includes large cup and paten of 1668. Piscinae: In chancel—double (Plate, p. xlv), with moulded jambs and trefoiled head, middle pier with moulded capital and base, bases also to jambs, one sex-foiled drain, mid 13th-century. In S. aisle—with pointed head and damaged sex-foiled drain, 14th-century. Seating: In chancel—four benches with moulded rails and buttressed standards with carved popey-heads, 15th-century, partly restored. Sedilia: In chancel —of three bays with hollow-chamfered jambs, with four-centred heads, horizontal moulded cornice over, early 16th-century. Stoup: In S. porch, with segmental head, probably 15th-century.

Condition—Good.

^a(2). Bicknacre Priory, ruins, 2¼ m. N.N.W. of the church. The walls are of iron puddingstone rubble with some brick; the dressings are of Reigate and a harder limestone. The priory was founded c. 1175 by Maurice Fitz-Geoffrey for Austin canons. The remaining part of the church is apparently of c. 1250. The house was always a poor one, and came to an end in 1507 by the death of the last canon.

Architectural Description—The existing remains consist only of the W. arch of the crossing of the church with the adjoining responds of the N. and S. arches. There are doubtful indications in the turf of a chancel extending 65 ft. E. of the existing arch.

The Crossing (20 ft. N. to S.) has a W. arch (Plate, p. 173) of c. 1250, two-centred and of two chamfered orders, with a relieving-arch immediately above it of alternate bricks and pebbles; the moulded responds have each a large attached round shaft with moulded capitals and base. The former N. and S. arches have similar responds, but the arches have been destroyed; the S. responds have been partly repaired in brick. There are definite indications in the turf of a N. Transept extending about 25 ft. N. of the crossing, but there are no visible traces of the S. arm. W. of the S. arch on the outer face is a heavy corbel for a former roof, indicating the former existence of a S. aisle or chapel on this side communicating with the S. transept without any intermediate arch. Part of a respond has been re-set in the remaining part of the W. wall of the N. transept.

The Nave (20¼ ft. wide) is represented only by the stumps of the walls on the N. and S. On the N. side is part of the splay of a doorway or window. As there is evidence of an aisle on the S. and none on the N. of the nave, it is probable that the cloister and domestic building lay to the N. of the church.

Condition—Of existing ruins, fairly good.

Secular

Homestead Moats.

^b(3). At Woodham Hall, nearly 1½ m. N.N.W. of the church.

^b(4). At Hobclerk's Farm, about ¾ m. N. of the church.

^c(5). At Champion's Hall, nearly 1 m. S.S.E. of the church.

^b(6). Edwin's Hall, house and moat, 1,500 yards E. of the church. The House is of three storeys; the walls are of brick and the roofs are tiled. It is said to have been built by Edwin Sandys, Archbishop of York, in the latter part of the 16th century. The original plan no doubt consisted of a central block with cross-wings at the E. and W. ends, but the E. cross-wing has been destroyed. The S. front has an original bay-window to the main block, of two storeys with moulded mullions and transoms; the third storey of the block is lit by three mullioned and transomed windows. Adjoining the W. wing is a two-storeyed porch with an original outer archway of stone with a four-centred head and sunk spandrels. The end of the W. wing has a modern bay-window. Extending further W. is a two-storeyed wing with two original windows. At the back of the house are four original windows and a large original chimney-stack with five shafts, of which the middle one is set diagonally; two gables further W. have moulded barge-boards. Inside the building three rooms are lined with 17th-century panelling, and one room has a panelled overmantel with fluted pilasters. In the second storey are two original stone fireplaces with moulded jambs and flat four-centred heads with carved spandrels; one fireplace has a panelled and carved frieze above it. The top storey contains some original turned balusters.

The Moat surrounds the house with a strong inner enclosure with a weaker enclosure outside it.

Condition—Of house and moat, good.

Monuments (7–11).

The following monuments, unless otherwise described, are of the 17th century and of two storeys, timber-framed and plastered; the roofs are tiled. Some of the buildings have original chimney-stacks and exposed ceiling-beams.

Condition—Good or fairly good.

^b(7). House (Plate, pp. xxxiv-v), three tenements, E. of the churchyard, was built probably in the 16th century and has been refaced with brick. It has a cross-wing at the S. end. The upper storey projects at the E. end of the wing.

^b(8). House, N. of (7), has a cross-wing at the S. end and has been partly refaced with brick.

^b(9). Allenshill Farm, house, 80 yards N. of the church, has an original chimney-stack with three grouped shafts, set diagonally.

^b(10). Dyer's Farm, house, ¾ m. N.N.W. of the church.

^b(11). Quilter's Farm, house (Plate, p. 57), ¾ m. W. of (10), has an original chimney-stack with grouped diagonal shafts.

Unclassified

^c(12). Mounds, two, 1¾ m. S.E. of the church, and within the sea-wall near the head of a creek. They are of irregular shape and resemble the mounds in the parish of Stow Maries. Probably connected with mediaeval salt workings.

Condition—Good.