Aston Sandford

5. ASTON SANDFORD.

(O.S. 6 in. xxxiii. S.W.)

Ecclesiastical

(1). Parish Church of St. Michael, stands at the E. end of the village, and is built of roughly squared, coursed limestone rubble, with dressings of limestone and shelly oolite; the roof is tiled. The Chancel inclines towards the N., and appears to have been re-built in the 13th century; the Nave is probably of earlier date, but all the original work has been re-cut and re-set, and the church practically re-built in the 19th century. The South Porch is probably of the 18th century; the North Vestry and West Bell-Cot are modern.

Architectural Description—The Chancel (18½ ft. by 12 ft.) has three modern lancet lights in the E. wall. In the middle of the N. wall is a modern doorway opening into the vestry; W. of the doorway is a single cinque-foiled light, probably of the 14th century, but the external stonework is modern or re-cut. The two windows in the S. wall are modern. There is no chancel arch, but at the junction of the nave and chancel is a modern truss of wood resting on modern corbels, which takes the place of the former arch; below it, on each side, there are two slender shafts with roughly cut capitals, one capital, on the S. side, being carved as a grotesque head; one shaft on each side is not carried to the ground; all are apparently of the 13th century, but have been much restored, and probably re-set. The Nave (38 ft. by 14 ft.) has two windows in the N. wall; the eastern is of two pointed lights with uncusped spandrels in a pointed head, apparently of the 14th century, re-cut and re-set early in the 19th century; the western window is modern: between the windows is the N. doorway, of 14th-century style, now blocked, and apparently modern externally; the inner W. jamb and half the rear arch are probably of the 13th or 14th century. In the S. wall are two windows, the eastern of two cinque-foiled lights in an old opening, modern externally: the western window and the S. doorway are modern. In the W. wall is a blocked window possibly of the 13th century, covered outside by a 15th-century buttress. The Roof of the nave is old, but of uncertain date, of plain collar-beam construction.

Fittings—Bells: three, 1st, early 15th-century, cast at Wokingham foundry, inscribed 'Sancte Toma Or ▬', 2nd, 1675, by Ellis and Henry Knight, 3rd, early 15th-century, cast at Wokingham foundry, inscribed 'Sancte Clemes ▬ Ora Pro Nobis'. Glass: in middle light, E. wall, of chancel, seated figure, possibly of Christ, holding the box of nard, late 13th-century, hands and face much corroded. Locker: in N. wall of chancel, rectangular, with rebated edges. Plate: includes cup and cover paten of 1661. Miscellanea: on two buttresses of nave, W. and N.W., incised circles, about 7 in. in diameter, possibly unfinished consecration crosses.

Condition—Good; re-built.

Secular

(2). Homestead Moat, at the Manor House, fragment.