Ibstone

60. IBSTONE

(O.S. 6 in. ^(a)xli. S.W. ^(b)xlvi. N.W.)

Ecclesiastical

^b(1). Parish Church of St. Nicholas, stands S.W. of the village. The walls of the chancel are plastered; those of the nave are of flint with much mortar and roughly plastered, the S. wall being covered with rough-cast. The dressings are of stone. The chancel is roofed with tiles and the nave with lead. The Nave was built during the first half of the 12th century, and in the 13th century the Chancel was re-built. In the 19th century the wooden South Porch and a small Bell-turret over the W. end of the nave were added, and many of the stone dressings were re-worked.

The 12th-century S. doorway and the remains of a similar N. doorway are of especial interest. The pulpit is a fine example of early 15th-century wood-carving (see Plate, p. 300).

Architectural Description— The Chancel (19½ ft. by 14½ ft.) has a 13th-century E. window of three lancet lights; the jambs and mullions inside have attached shafts with moulded capitals and bases, and the rear arches are moulded. In the S. wall is a mid 14th-century window, of two trefoiled ogee lights under a square head, and a 14th-century single light with a square head and chamfered jambs; between the two windows is a 14th-century blocked doorway, with chamfered jambs and a pointed head. The semi-circular chancel arch of one square order has been raised; the slightly chamfered jambs are not original and have modern abaci; in the soffit of the arch is a carved head. The Nave (29½ ft. by 18½ ft.) has, in the N. wall, a window of two four-centred lights, under a square head, probably of the 16th century; the 12th-century N. doorway is blocked, and externally a modern heating chamber covers the remains, which consist of a plain semi-circular arch with a solid tympanum, a square lintel and a chamfered abacus; the tympanum has a filling of lozenge-shaped stones set in red mortar; internally the plain semi-circular rear arch and square jambs remain. In the S. wall the eastern window is of two trefoiled lights with a small sexfoil in a square head, and is probably of late 14th-century date, but subsequently re-cut; over it is a carved head; the western window is a single light with modern brick jambs and arch, but the internal splay, now covered with plaster, is possibly old; the early 12th-century S. doorway has plain square jambs, re-worked, and chamfered abaci, apparently modern, carved with an incised ornament; the square lintel has billet ornament on the face, and over it is a plain semi-circular arch; the tympanum is flush with the arch, and is made up of lozenge-shaped stones, now covered with yellow-wash; the small chamfered label is nearly covered by the rough-cast on the wall; internally the jambs, lintel and semi-circular arch are plain. In the W. wall is a small 12th-century window with rebated jambs and semi-circular head, re-tooled.

Fittings— Communion Table: oak, with large turned legs, 17th-century. Font: circular, tapering towards base, unlined, possibly 12th-century, but re-cut. Plate: includes cup, apparently of 1619, date-letter worn. Pulpit: four sides of a hexagon, richly carved oak, two traceried panels on each side with cinque-foiled ogee heads having crockets and finials, panels separated by small buttresses with crocketed pinnacles, early 15th-century, with modern top, base, pedestal and steps. Miscellanea: in S.E. corner of churchyard, large stone coffin, broken.

Condition—Of nave, externally, poor on N. and W. sides, especially at N.E. angle; there is an iron tie through the W. wall near the window; E. end of N. wall of chancel, inside, some cracks, filled up; otherwise good.

Secular

^b(2). Manor Farm, 200 yards S. of the church, is a two-storeyed house, built probably early in the 17th century, of brick and timber, now plastered. The roofs are tiled. The plan consists of a central block, facing W., with a small staircase wing at the back, a N. wing extending towards the E., and a S. wing extending towards the W. Two original chimney stacks remain; one has four square shafts, and the other a plain square shaft. Inside the house are old ceiling-beams, and one room has late 17th-century panelling and an open fireplace with chamfered jambs and flat four-centred arch, now painted. There are two other wide fireplaces, one partly blocked.

Condition—Fairly good.

^b(3). Cottages, a range, about ¼ mile N. of the church, are of one storey and an attic, built in the 17th century, with some modern cottage on the S. side, making the plan L-shaped. The N. and S. walls are of flint with brick dressings; the E. end is of brick and timber, and has a projecting chimney stack with a square shaft built of thin bricks. The roof is tiled.

Condition—Fairly good.

^b(4). House and adjoining Cottage, on the W. side of the main road, N. of (3), are now used as an outhouse to a larger modern building. The House, of late 16th-century date, is of two storeys, built of flint with brick dressings. The roof is tiled. In the S. wall on the ground floor are two blocked windows with chamfered brick jambs and heads; the eastern window is of two lights with a chamfered brick mullion; the other is a single light; on the first floor there are remains of a similar jamb on each side of a smaller modern window. One chimney stack is original. The Cottage, at the E. end of the house, was built of brick and timber in the 17th century; at the E. end is an old chimney stack. The roof is tiled.

Condition—Poor; three modern buttresses support the S. wall of the house.

^a(5). Cottage, on the E. side of the Common, is of two storeys, built in the 17th century, of flint with brick dressings and string-course; the roof is tiled. At each end is a projecting chimney stack, built of brick, with a rectangular shaft, that on the N. having a small moulded cap. The two rooms on the ground floor have each a large open fireplace.

Condition—Poor; the W. wall is bulging outwards.

^b(6–8). Cottages, three, in Lower Ibstone, on the N. side of Turville Green (see also Turville), are each of two storeys, and of early 17th-century date, restored; the roofs are tiled. The westernmost cottage, now three tenements, has a modern red brick front; it is gabled at the ends, and has dormer windows; the central chimney stack is of early 17th-century thin bricks. The second cottage now three tenements, adjoins the E. end of the first cottage, and stands back from the road; it has a modern red brick front, and is gabled at the ends; the upper storey is lighted by three dormer windows, apparently original; at the back is a projecting chimney stack of 17th-century brick. The easternmost cottage, now two tenements, faces W. and is timber-framed, with brick filling and a little plaster; it is gabled at each end and the roof is half-hipped; the upper storey is lighted by dormer windows; in the middle of the front is a projecting circular oven, of flint; the central chimney stack is modern above the roof.

Condition—Fairly good.