Beauchamp Roding

5. BEAUCHAMP RODING. (D.b.)

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

Beauchamp Roding is a small parish 4½ m. N.N.E. of Chipping Ongar. The Church is the only monument of interest.

Ecclesiastical

^c(1). Parish Church of St. Botolph stands near the S. of the parish ¼ m. E. of the DunmowOngar road. The walls are of flint-rubble intermixed with some freestone; the dressings are mostly of clunch; the roofs are tiled. The Nave is possibly of 11th-century plan, but the present structure is apparently of the 14th century. The Chancel is a 15th-century rebuilding perhaps of a 13th-century structure, and the West Tower was added in the 15th century. The South Porch is modern. In the 19th century the building was restored, largely with cement.

Architectural Description—The Chancel (22 ft. by 17 ft.) has in the E. wall a modern window. In the N. wall are two 15th-century windows, the eastern of three and the western of two cinque-foiled lights and vertical tracery under a four-centred head, both partly restored. In the S. wall are two similar windows, also restored; between them is a modern doorway. The chancel-arch and its jambs are of two orders, the inner order of the jambs being semi-octagonal and having moulded capitals and bases; the soffit of the arch is grooved to receive the former wood tympanum of the Rood.

The Nave (35½ ft. by 22 ft.) has in the N. wall two windows; the eastern is of three trefoiled lights under a four-centred arch, of early 15th-century date, partly restored; the western is of two trefoiled lights under a two-centred head containing a quatrefoil, and has a label with headstops, all of early 14th-century date partly restored; between the windows is the 14th-century N. doorway, now blocked, with moulded jambs, two-centred arch, and label. The S. wall has two windows, both uniform with the western window in the N. wall; between them is the early 14th-century S. doorway with moulded jambs, two-centred arch, and label; E. of the eastern window is a straight rood-stair of the 15th century, with lower and upper doorways each with a four-centred head.

The West Tower (10 ft. square), is of three stages with an embattled parapet. The 15th-century tower-arch has a two-centred head and is of two chamfered orders, the inner order having moulded capitals and bases. The W. window is of three cinque-foiled lights under a four-centred head, of the 15th century, much repaired with cement; the W. doorway has a two-centred head and is of two chamfered orders. The second stage has in each of the N., S. and W. walls a single window of two chamfered orders with a two-centred head, partly cemented. The bell-chamber has in each wall a window of two trefoiled lights under a four-centred head with a moulded label; the jambs and head are of two chamfered orders.

The Roof of the chancel has moulded wall-plates and tie-beam, with curved braces carried on stone corbels, the N. corbel carved with a beast's head, the S. corbel with an angel (defaced) and shield; all of the 15th century. The roof of the nave has two 15th-century tie-beams bearing king-posts with moulded capitals and bases.

Fittings—Bells: four; said to be by Miles Graye, 1664. Bracket: In nave—in wall S. of chancel-arch, plain, connected with former rood-loft. Panelling: In chancel—below S.W. window, early 17th-century panelling and a window-board carved with running pattern in low relief. Piscinæ: In chancel—drain missing, two-centred head, rebated edges, possibly 13th-century. In nave— in S. wall, circular drain, cinque-foiled and four-centred head, 15th-century.

Condition—Good, but bad repairs in cement, which is falling away, and some of tower windows much weathered.

Secular

^a(2). Frayes, house and moat, about 1 m. N.N.E. of the church. The House is of two storeys, timber-framed and plastered; the roofs are tiled. It was built in the 17th century and has a later wing towards the N. making the plan T-shaped. Inside the building is an original moulded and shaped wall-post.

The Moat lies to the N. of the house.

Condition—Of house, poor.

^c(3). Longbarns, house, ²/3 m. N. of the church, is of two storeys, timber-framed and plastered; the roofs are tiled. It was built probably in the 16th century on an H-shaped plan with the crosswings on the E. and W. On the N. front the W. wing has original carved and dentilled bargeboards. At the back the upper storey projects at the end of the E. wing.

Condition—Good, much altered.

^b(4). Woodend Farm, house, about ½ m. N.W. of the church, is of two storeys, timber-framed and plastered; the roofs are tiled. It was built probably in the 16th century, but the main block has been subsequently raised and there are later additions on the N. side. On the S. front the doorway has an original moulded frame and a nail-studded door with moulded rails and muntins. At the back is an original chimney-stack with six octagonal shafts.

Condition—Good, much altered.

^c(5). Gubbie's Farm, house, 600 yards S. of the church, is of two storeys, timber-framed, and partly plastered and partly faced with modern brick, the roofs are tiled. It was built in the 16th century on an L-shaped plan with the wings extending towards the W. and N. There are modern additions in the angle between the wings. Inside the building, on the ground floor is an original fireplace with chamfered jambs and four-centred arch, above which is a band of plaster enrichment with a running design of roses and dragons' heads. On the first floor are two original fireplaces with four-centred arches.

Condition—Poor.