Buckland

14. BUCKLAND.

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

Ecclesiastical

^a(1). Parish Church of All Saints, stands in the middle of the village. It is built of flint, with some large stones worked into the walls of the N. aisle. The roofs of the chancel and vestry are tiled, those of the nave and aisles are covered with lead. The Chancel, Nave, and North Aisle were built apparently late in the 13th century, and there appears to have been a N. chapel of the same date, but modern restorations have much obscured the history of the church. The arch opening from the nave into the West Tower is of late 13th or early 14th-century date, but in the 19th century the tower was almost completely re-built, the old materials being re-used, the North Vestry and South Porch were added, the walls were re-faced, and the whole building was restored.

The fine 13th-century font is especially worthy of note. (See Plate, p. xxvii.)

Architectural Description— The Chancel (22 ft. by 15 ft.) has a modern E. window. In the N. wall, at the E. end, is a 13th-century window, much restored; it is of two lancet lights with a quatrefoil in the pointed head; at the W. end, opening into the vestry, is a pointed arch of one chamfered order, of late 13th or early 14th-century date, only recently re-opened. In the S. wall is a window similar to that in the N. wall, but the sill has been lowered to form a sedile, the seat being made of curiously grooved stones, possibly re-used; W. of the window is a small doorway, with a pointed head, and a 13th-century lancet window, all much restored. The chancel arch, possibly of the 14th or 15th century, is two-centred, of one chamfered order on the E. side, and two on the W. side; the jambs are square, and at the springing line is a string-course, which probably supported part of the former rood-loft. The North Vestry is modern, but in the E. wall, re-set from the E. wall of the N. aisle, is a 15th-century window of three cinque-foiled lights under a square head. The Nave (36 ft. by 18½ ft. at the E. end and 19 ft. at the W. end) has a late 13th-century N. arcade of three bays; the two-centred arches are of two chamfered orders with a label; the semi-circular responds and circular columns have moulded bell capitals with alternate octagonal and circular abaci; over the E. respond is a 15th-century doorway to the former rood-loft. The S. wall inclines outwards at the W. end; at the E. end is an early 14th-century window, much restored; it is of two lancet lights, with a pierced spandrel under a two-centred head; the S. doorway, of late 14th-century date, restored, has continuously moulded jambs and two-centred arch, enriched with four-leaved flower ornament, and a moulded external label with head stops; the flat rear arch and the internal label are moulded; W. of the doorway is a window of two lights, with a few old stones in the jambs. The clearstorey has modern windows, and over the E. arch of the N. arcade are traces of a blocked window. The South Porch is modern. The North Aisle (8½ ft. wide) has, in the E. wall, a modern arch opening into the vestry. In the N. wall are two windows of 15th-century design, each of two cinque-foiled lights under a square head; between the windows is a doorway with a pointed head, possibly of the 13th century. In the W. wall is a window of two lancet lights of 13th-century style; all the windows and the doorway have been almost completely restored. The West Tower (13 ft. by 8 ft.) is of three stages, with an embattled parapet and a pyramidal roof. The tower arch, of late 13th or early 14th-century date, is two-centred, of two chamfered orders, with flat responds. All the windows are modern. The Roof of the nave is of king-post type and of early 16th-century date; it is low-pitched, of three bays, and has a moulded tie-beam, and curved brackets with tracery in the spandrels; the wall-brackets rest on contemporary grotesque corbels. The roof of the aisle is probably also of early 16th-century date; it is of four bays, and has bracketed principals, with chamfered purlins and wall-plates.

Fittings—Bells: six, modern, sanctus, by James Keene, 1624. Font: cup-shaped fluted bowl, with band of foliage at the top, circular stem and circular moulded base, 13th-century, restored. Piscina: in the chancel, with trefoiled head, and stone block forming shelf at the back, 15th-century. Plate: includes small cup, 16th-century. Sedile: see window in S. wall of chancel. Miscellanea: in S. wall of nave, outside, fragments of old worked stone, including damaged corbels, pieces of window tracery, and a stone having rude carving of half-figure with uplifted arms: scratched on jambs on S. doorway, inscriptions, 15th and 16th-century.

Condition—Very good, much restored.

Secular

^a(2). Homestead Moat, W. of Moat Farm.

^a(3). Church Farm, N.W. of the church, is of two storeys, built c. 1600; the walls are timber-framed with brick filling; the roofs are tiled. The plan was originally of the central chimney type, facing S., modified by the addition of an extra room and a chimney stack at the E. end, and a staircase wing at the back; in the 18th century a wing projecting towards the S. was added at the E. end of the front, and in the 19th century small additions were built at the back and at the W. end. The S. front has been covered with rough-cast and much altered; the back retains the original timber-framing and brick filling, and at the E. end has a gable with a simple form of truss. The chimney stacks have each two square shafts, set diagonally.

Condition—Good.

^a (4). Cottage, about 100 yards W. of the church, is of two storeys, timber-framed, with brick filling; the roof is thatched. It was built on a rectangular plan in the 17th century, but much restored and altered in the 18th century, when a wing was added, making the plan L-shaped.

Condition—Poor.

^a (5). The Duke's Head Inn, about 150 yards E. of the church, is a small, two-storeyed building of c. 1600, but has been much altered. The walls are timber-framed, with heavy wall-posts and brick filling; the roof is thatched. The plan is of the central chimney type.

Condition—Poor.

^a (6). Cottage, now two tenements, opposite the Duke's Head Inn, is of two storeys, built in the 17th century, but considerably altered and enlarged. The walls are of timber and brick, partly covered with rough-cast; the roof is thatched. The plan is rectangular.

Condition—Poor.

^b (7). House, probably formerly a farmhouse, now two cottages, at Buckland Common, 4 miles S.E. of the church, is of two storeys, the upper storey partly in the roof. It was built probably early in the 17th century on a rectangular plan, and appears to be the only house of a date prior to 1700 remaining in the hamlet, which includes some thirty or forty buildings. In the 18th century two wings were built at the back. The W. front has three gabled dormers and at the N. end retains the original timber-framing, with whitewashed brick filling; in the middle the wall has been re-faced with 18th-century brick, and at the S. end with modern brick. At the back the main block is of original timber and whitewashed brick; at the N. end the upper storey is also timber-framed, with brick filling, and is gabled; the lower storey is of brick; at the S. end the main block is timber-framed, with modern brick filling and a weather-boarded gable; the 18th-century S.E. wing retains the timbers of a low lean-to addition of earlier date, and the upper part of the wall is of brick. The roofs are tiled. The central chimney stack is of brick, partly of early 17th-century date, and partly of the 18th century. One room has an open timber ceiling, with chamfered beams and a large open fireplace with corner seats, and another room has chamfered beams in the ceiling.

Condition—Fairly good.

Unclassified

^b(8). Grim's Ditch (see also Aston Clinton, Bradenham, Drayton Beauchamp, Great and Little Hampden, Great Missenden, Lee, Monks Risborough, Princes Risborough, and Wendover), is incorporated in the field boundary running between Layland's Farm, on the border of Aston Clinton, and the parish boundary of Drayton Beauchamp.

Condition—Almost obliterated.