Stoke Poges

86. STOKE POGES.

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

Ecclesiastical

^b(1). Parish Church of St. Giles, in Stoke Park, is built of flint, with some puddingstone and clunch; the S. chapel is of brick; the roofs are tiled. The Nave and Chancel were built early in the 12th century. The chancel was lengthened, the North Tower and South Aisle were added c. 1230. The North Aisle was added c. 1270, and the South Porch c. 1330. In the 15th century a N. vestry was added, but traces only remain. The South or Hastings Chapel was built c. 1560. The building has been considerably restored, and the vestry is modern.

The church is of great interest on account of the various styles of the architecture, ranging from the 12th to the 16th century; the 14th-century timber porch is especially noteworthy. Among the fittings, the base of the altar cross, of early 16th-century date, is remarkable. Thomas Gray, the poet, is buried in the churchyard, which is supposed to be the scene of his 'Elegy'.

Architectural Description — The Chancel (32 ft. by 16½ ft.) has a 15th-century E. window, partly restored, of three lights and tracery under a four-centred head, with a moulded external label. The lower part of the N. wall is of early 12th-century flint-work, set in herringbone pattern; in the wall are two 13th-century lancets, set close together, the western is blocked; the other has been recently re-opened, and has a moulded external label and a chamfered rear arch: W. of the blocked lancet and partly under it is a late 15th-century doorway, with moulded jambs and pointed head, which opened into the former vestry; W. of the doorway is a recess (see Fittings), above which are indistinct traces of a blocked window, and further W., visible only externally, is a 12th-century window, now blocked, and partly restored; low down in the wall, near the E. end, is a small rectangular 15th-century opening from the former vestry, with moulded jambs and head, the rear arch being outside. In the S. wall, opening into the S. chapel, is a 15th-century window of two lights with a pointed segmental head; it is not glazed, and the cusping has been cut away: the W. half of the wall has been removed and the space spanned by a flat lintel, covered with plaster, probably of the 18th century. The chancel arch is of modern plastered brick; above it, in the gable, is a small rectangular light, probably modern. The South Chapel (36½ ft. by 20 ft.) has an E. window of three four-centred lights under a square head, and two similar windows of two lights in the S. wall, all of the 16th century, partly hidden by a wooden gallery of late 18th-century date. Near the W. end of the S. wall is a 16th-century doorway with a four-centred arch; over it, outside, is an achievement with the arms of Hastings in a garter, a helm and crest, all carved in stone. The Nave (45 ft. by 22 ft.) has three arches on the N. side; the pointed arch opening into the tower is of early 13th-century date, and of two chamfered orders with a moulded label and mask stops, which are broken; the semi-octagonal jambs have moulded capitals; the E. capital is damaged; the bases are hidden: over it is a rough relieving arch of clunch; W. of it is a buttress which projects into the nave between the tower arch and the N. arcade; it was added probably in the 14th century, and on the W. face is part of an original string-course. The N. arcade, of two bays, is of c. 1270, the middle pillar and the W. respond are circular, with moulded octagonal capitals, and moulded bases; the base of the W. respond is hidden; the E. respond and its base have apparently been cut away, but the moulded capital remains, cut into a pointed corbel below; the two-centred arches are of two chamfered orders with a moulded label on each side. The S. arcade is of three bays, built c. 1230; the pillars are circular, with moulded bases and capitals; the capital of the E. pillar has been re-cut, and the base is modern; the E. respond has been cut away and the capital removed below the abacus; the W. respond is semi-octagonal with a mutilated base and a modern capital of limestone, the rest of the arcade being of clunch; the pointed arches are of two chamfered orders, with a plain label. The 15th-century W. doorway has moulded jambs and pointed arch in a square head, with a moulded external label and traceried spandrels containing shields, the N. shield charged with three pales wavy; the doorway is partly blocked and partly filled by a modern window; the large W. window is of three lights and tracery; the inner jambs and arch are probably of the 15th century, the rest is modern; in the gable above the window is a small rectangular light, apparently modern. The North Tower (15½ ft. square) has an embattled parapet and a modern wood spire; there are no external divisions. The ground floor is used as a pew and is lighted by modern windows in the N. and E. walls. The arch in the W. wall, opening into the N. aisle, is of the same date and detail as the arches of the N. arcade, with a rough relieving arch above it, and is much mutilated and cut away to make room for modern panelling and a wood tympanum; in the S. half of the arch is a modern wood staircase leading to the ringing-chamber. The ringing floor forms a gallery below the crowns of the arches, opening into the nave and aisle, and has two 13th-century lancet windows in the N. and E. walls; the E. lancet has moulded inner jambs and arch, the lower part filled by a doorway; the N. lancet is plain, the lower part blocked. The bell-chamber has plain pointed windows of two lights, with pierced spandrels, all much decayed. The North Aisle (10½ ft. wide) has, in the N. wall, two late 13th-century windows, each of two plain pointed lights, with moulded jambs and heads, partly restored; over the eastern window is a modern dormer; between the windows is a doorway, with a four-centred head, possibly of late 16th-century date. In the W. wall is a modern window. The South Aisle (10 ft. wide) has a 14th-century E. window, which now opens into the S. chapel, and is of two plain lights under a pointed head, with a plain spandrel, and, on the E. side, a label with head-stops. In the S. wall are two windows, each of two lancets, all modern, except the head of the western window, and the moulded rear arches, which are of mid 14th-century date: the S. doorway, of the same date, has a pointed arch of two chamfered orders and a moulded label. In the W. wall is a 14th-century window of two cinque-foiled pointed lights under a two-centred head with a plain spandrel and a moulded rear arch. The South Porch is in two bays, the sides filled with trefoiled and traceried arcades of oak, of c. 1330; the pillars have been destroyed and some of them replaced by 17th-century pendants. The outer archway, of oak, is pointed, with sunk spandrels under a cambered tie-beam; the head is gabled, and has a foliated barge-board. The 14th-century Roof of the nave is high-pitched, in three bays, with four heavy, plain oak tie-beams, king-posts with four-way struts and open collar-beams. The aisles have lean-to roofs, continued without external break from the roof of the nave, and are contemporary with it; they have plain timbers; the chancel and S. chapel have plastered ceilings.

Fittings—Altar-slab: part, built in under the E. window of the S. aisle. Brasses and Indents (see also Monuments): In chancel— on N. side, (1) of Sir William Molyns, 1425, and his wife Margery, man in plate armour with besagues, sword and misericorde, woman in head veil, with inscription and two shields, Molyns and Molyns impaling another coat; (2) of Edward Hampdyn and his wife, c. 1570, with marginal inscription, imperfect, two shields, Hampden and Hampden impaling Curzon, indent, probably of children, partly hidden; on S. side (3) of Eleonore Mullens, wife, first of Sir Robert Hungerford, secondly of Oliver Manyngham, knight, 1476, indent of figure and one shield, brass inscription plate and arms of Molyns. Communion Table: in S. chapel, 17th-century. Doors: in S. doorway of S. aisle and chapel, plain, oak, with strap-hinges, probably 16th-century. Glass: in lobby at N. end of modern passage leading to the N. doorway, almost entirely Flemish, some heraldic 16th and 17th-century, two pieces dated 1643; said to have been brought from the old Manor House of Stoke. Monuments: In the chancel—(1) slab with cross in low relief, moulded edges with inscription in French, to William de Wytemerse, late 13th-century; in niche, N. wall, (2) loose stone, part of side of altar tomb, with quatrefoil panels containing three brass shields, two of Molyns, one illegible, mid or late 15th-century; on N. wall, (3) monument with cartouche panel of block marble set in elaborate frame, with cherubs, skulls, etc., no trace remaining of inscription, late 17th-century. Piscinæ: in the chancel, with moulded jambs of two orders, trefoiled head, with roses in spandrels, and moulded label, round basin, 13th-century: in S. aisle, double, trefoiled, with remains of moulded cap corbel between the heads, two basins, 13th-century; low down in N. wall of chancel, outside, with plain pointed head, moulded label, square basin, 15th-century. Recesses: in N. wall of chancel, tomb recess, possibly used for Easter Sepulchre, with heavy moulded jambs, two-centred, trefoiled drop arch, moulded label with carved crockets and finials, flanked by square pilasters with panelled faces and gabled pinnacles with finials, mid 14th-century; in E. wall of S. aisle, small, with plain four-centred head, 16th or 17th-century, possibly a squint, now filled in on E. side. Seating: at W. end of nave, one seat, with tracery on back and poppy-head standards, 15th or early 16th-century. Sedile: in chancel, sill of S. window carried down to form sedile, with stone slab. Miscellanea: in case on S. wall of chancel, base of altar cross, bell-shaped with sex-foiled foot, of bronze, with traces of gilding, incised flower and foliage ornament, and inscription, 'Ihs Nazarenus rex iudeorum Fili dei miserere mei'; cross was removable from base for processional purposes, early 16th-century; on S. side of chancel, two funeral helms, one partly made up of a burgonet, late 16th-century, and second apparently made up of tournament bascinet, late 15th-century, with bevor of 16th-century close helmet, carved oak crest of horse's head collared with a crown.

Condition—Good, except windows of bell-chamber. Much ivy on the walls—likely to cause damage.

Secular

^c(2). Fittings in the house and chapel, with Outbuildings and Moat, at Ditton Park, about 2 miles S.E. of Slough. The house and chapel were re-built in the 19th century, but contain the following Fittings from the original buildings:—In the windows of the hall and corridor, a considerable quantity of 17th-century glass, chiefly heraldic; in the chapel, in all the windows, except the E. window, 16th and 17th-century glass, some heraldic, the rest representing Biblical and other subjects; one piece is dated 1526; the font is of late 15th-century date, and is octagonal, with square panels carved with foliage in each face, octagonal stem and moulded base; in the wall of the vestry is a glazed tile with foliage and shield of arms, a fesse between six crosslets. A small Outbuilding, W. of the house, is of late 17th-century date, of brick; built into the walls are two moulded stone windows, each of two trefoiled lights in a square head, with double chamfered jambs, probably of late 15th-century date, but restored. W. of the stables is a small square building of late 17th-century date; the walls of the garden and park are also of the 17th century.

The Moat completely surrounds the house and gardens, and is crossed by a bridge on the N.E.

Condition—Good.

^b(3). The Manor House, now the property of the Stoke Poges Golf Club, stands in the park about 150 yards N. of the church, and is a three-storeyed building, of brick; the roof is tiled. It is part of a large house built c. 1555; in 1775 the rest of the building was pulled down and the E. side re-fronted.

The house is a good example of 16th-century brickwork, and the chimney stacks are especially noticeable.

The plan was originally H-shaped, the main block facing approximately S., with wings on the E. and W.; the projection of the wings towards the N. was small. Only the W. wing and a small part of the main block remain, with a modern addition in the S.E. angle. The hall at the S. end of the wing is two storeys in height, approached by a long passage from the entrance at the N. end, and has an outer doorway, and modern porch at the S. end. The N. Elevation has two gables, one being hidden by ivy, the other has a moulded coping and a pinnacle at the apex; both are apparently covered with plaster: the windows on each floor are of three lights with transoms and square heads, all of moulded brick, covered with plaster; the attic is lighted by three dormer windows. In the middle of the wall is an 18th-century or modern projection, with a round-headed doorway, which has the date 1555 in modern figures above it; E. of the doorway is a chimney stack with four octagonal shafts, which have oversailing caps and moulded bases. The W. Elevation has two gables at the N. end of the wall, and windows similar to those on the N. elevation; S. of each gable is a chimney stack with three octagonal shafts; at the S. end the wall has a parapet, and in the middle is a projecting rectangular chimney stack, covered with ivy; on each side of the stack is a two-storeyed, mullioned and transomed window lighting the hall. The S. Elevation has, at the end of the wing, a gable without coping, and a one-storeyed modern porch; the remaining wall of the main block has an original half gable and a chimney stack with four octagonal shafts. The E. Elevation is apparently of late 18th-century date, and is covered with ivy.

Interior:—The hall has a modern gallery at the E. end; in the W. wall is a large stone fireplace, of mid 16th-century date, with moulded jambs and segmental arch, apparently brought from elsewhere in the house and re-set in its present position; the mantelpiece is of oak, with elaborately carved panels, and moulded shelf, supported by caryatids on square pilasters; the overmantel has a rectangular central panel of clunch, carved with an achievement of the Hastings arms, set in a carved oak frame, and flanked by twisted semi-circular pilasters, also of oak, with carved square bases, and Corinthian capitals with heads instead of volutes; the cornice is also of oak, elaborately carved; the achievement has a shield of thirty-two quarters. On the first floor one room contains a carved oak fireplace, with caryatid pilasters, and a carved frieze and shelf, of mid 16th-century date; above it is a panel with painted precepts such as 'Feare the Lord. Obey thi prince', 'Love thi neighbour', etc.; on the walls are painted armorial bearings, with the initials E. B., B. B., H. H., a coronet etc.; and, on the N. side of the fireplace, a bird with a long beak, resembling an ostrich.

A bell and some glass removed from the manor-house are now at Stoke Park. The bell, on the roof of the house, is dated 1660, and is inscribed 'Robert Gayer, Esquire', with a shield of arms, and the initial of the founder, 'B'. The glass, in two windows on the ground floor, is probably of late 16th-century date, and represents Queen Elizabeth, Mary Queen of Scots, and shields with arms; the shield of Elizabeth charged azure three lilies argent quartering England; the shield of Mary, azure three lilies or (France, modern) quartering Scotland.

Condition—Fairly good. (fn. 1)

^b(4). Baylis House, about 1¼ miles S.S.W. of the church, is of three storeys, built of brick c. 1695; the roof is covered with slate. The plan is rectangular, with a northern extension and N.E. wing added in the 18th century; the third storey is modern. The E. front is divided into three bays by shallow pilasters of rubbed brick with unusually fine jointing; the central doorway has pilasters of brick and stone, and a stone entablature; on the ground floor are six, on the first floor seven tall windows with jambs and flat moulded heads of rubbed brick, and frames with 'outside sashes' Above the first floor is a cornice of painted wood with ornamental consoles and a central pediment. The S. side of the house is similar to the E. front, but has only five windows on each floor. The W. or garden front is also similar to the E. front, but the central doorway has an architrave and pediment. Interior:—On the ground floor in the N.W. room is an original marble fireplace, probably re-set, and one doorway has a broken pediment carved with a dolphin, the crest of the Godolphins.

The garden S. of the house is surrounded by original brick walls which have four large gateways with ornamental iron gates, each having the Godolphin crest at the top. On the S. side of the garden is a large fishpond.

Condition—Good.

^b (5). Tithe Farm, formerly Vicarage Farm, house, tithe barn and stable, 1,100 yards N.W. of the church. The House is of two storeys and attics, built c. 1580, and enlarged at a later date. The walls, of brick, have been almost entirely re-faced or re-built; the roofs are tiled. The plan was originally of half-H shape, the wings projecting towards the S., with an additional central wing on the N., built possibly to contain the staircase; the hall in the main block has been enlarged by enclosing the space between the E. and W. wings which contain each two rooms; on the N.E. is a modern wing. On the S. front the wings are gabled, but only the E. wing is of original brick. The W. side is modern. On the E. side the old brickwork remains, with traces of the former doors and windows; the projecting chimney stack is original and has three square shafts, the outer shafts set diagonally. The back is modern, but the W. side of the original central wing contains some late 16th-century brickwork. Interior:—In the hall is an open newel staircase, probably of late 16th-century date (see Plate, p. 269); the newels are panelled, and three of them reach the ceiling; the others are smaller and have modern heads, one has an original pendant; the balusters are turned and moulded, the handrail and string are moulded; the steps are modern, and reach only to the first floor. All the rooms on the ground floor have original ceiling-beams, some of them now encased.

The Tithe barn is of timber covered with modern weather-boarding. The roof is tiled, inside the barn it is of five bays, with heavy oak posts and trusses. The Stable is of similar brickwork to that of the house; inside it is an old ceiling-beam.

Condition—Good.

^b(6). Cottage, in the hamlet of Holly Bush Hill, 1¼ miles N.E. of the church, is of two storeys, built probably late in the 17th century, and timber-framed with original brick filling; the roof is tiled.

Condition—Fairly good.

Stoke Green, N. side

^b(7). House, now three cottages, is of two storeys, built at the end of the 17th century, restored and enlarged in the 19th century. The S. front is of red brick, with blue burnt headers, and has two small gables; the N. and E. walls are of similar brick with some timber. The roof is tiled. On the N. and W. are projecting chimney stacks with original shafts, restored at the top.

Condition—Good.

^b(8). House, now two dwellings, E. of No. (7), is of two storeys, built of brick and timber early in the 17th century, re-faced, except the E. wall, with red and blue bricks c. 1680; on the N. and W. are additions of later date. The roof is tiled. The two rectangular chimney stacks are restored at the top. A barn, W. of the house, is probably of the 17th century; it is timber-framed and weather-boarded; the roof is thatched and restored with tiles.

Condition—Good.

Unclassified

^b(9). Tumulus, or boundary mound, at the S.W. corner of Stoke Park.

Condition—Fairly good.