West Hanningfield

98. WEST HANNINGFIELD. (D.b.)

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

West Hanningfield is a parish and scattered village 4 m. S. of Chelmsford. The church, the Meeting House and Elm Farm are interesting.

Ecclesiastical

^b(1). Parish Church of SS. Mary and Edward stands E. of the village. The walls are of flint and pebble-rubble and pudding-stone; the chancel is mostly of brick, and the tower is timber-framed; the dressings are of limestone and the roofs are covered with slates and lead. The Nave is probably of the 12th century, but there is little evidence of this remaining. About 1330 the South Chapel and Aisle were added. The timber Belfry was added late in the 15th century, and probably early in the 16th century the Chancel was re-built and lengthened; the South Porch was added about the same time. The church has been restored in modern times and the South Vestry added.

The timber belfry is interesting from its cruciform plan.

Architectural Description—The Chancel (34 ft. by 20 ft.) has a modern E. window set in the blocking of a larger and earlier window of doubtful date. In the N. wall are two early 16th-century windows of brick, the eastern is of three four-centred lights under a square head with moulded jambs and label; the western window has a square head and moulded label, but has been fitted with a wooden frame of two lights. In the S. wall is a modern doorway. There is no chancel-arch.

The Nave (37½ ft. by 20 ft.) has in the N. wall two 18th-century windows, both with modern wooden frames; the opening of the eastern is of uncertain date; the western has a semi-circular rear-arch probably of the 12th century; below it is a blocked doorway, probably of the 14th century, with chamfered jambs and two-centred head. The S. arcade is of c. 1330 and of five bays, of which one and a half are included in the chancel; the two-centred arches are of two chamfered orders, and have perhaps been re-built at a later date; the octagonal columns have moulded capitals and bases and the responds have attached half-columns. In the W. wall is a window probably of the 14th century, but fitted with a modern wooden frame; further S. is a doorway, probably of the 15th century and with moulded jambs and two-centred arch.

The South Chapel and Aisle (10 ft. wide) has in the E. wall a window, now blocked, the splays and segmental rear-arch are probably of the 14th century. In the S. wall are four windows of the 14th century with two-centred heads; the three westernmost have moulded labels with head-stops, and all have 18th-century jambs and modern wooden frames; between the two easternmost windows is a doorway with hollow-chamfered jambs and segmental-pointed head, made up of re-used material; the 14th-century S. doorway has double chamfered jambs and two-centred arch with a moulded label and head-stops. In the W. wall is a window similar to those in the S. wall but with plastered stops.

The Belfry (29 ft. by 24 ft.) is of late 15th-century date and of cross-shaped plan; the whole structure (Plate, pp. xxxviii–ix) is weather-boarded, and the arms of the cross are of two stages and have low-pitched gabled roofs; the central portion is carried up one stage higher and finished with an octagonal spire, splayed off at the base. The ground-stage (Plate, pp. xxxviii–ix) of the central portion has curved braces to the cross-beams, forming two-centred arches, and an inserted floor, probably of the 16th or 17th century, at the level of the second stage; this stage has curved diagonal braces meeting at the centre in a key-block, carved on the soffit with a grotesque face. The timbering of the spire and the studding of the outer walls is modern.

The South Porch is timber-framed and of early 16th-century date on 18th-century dwarf brick walls. The outer archway is two-centred. The side walls are each of two bays, each divided into three lights with cinque-foiled heads. The roof has curved braces to the collars and curved wind-braces.

The Roof of the nave is ceiled, but has two 15th-century king-post trusses; the octagonal king-posts have moulded capitals and bases.

Fittings—Bells: four, all by Miles Graye, 1676, bell-frame old. Brasses and Indents. Brasses: In chancel—(1) to John [Clouville or Clonville] and Margerie (Alyngton), his wife, 16th-century, two shields-of-arms and fragments of marginal inscription in marble slab with moulded edge. In S. aisle—(2) of Isabel Clouvill, and John, her son, 1361, half-figure of woman in veiled head-dress and inscription in French, indent of second half-figure. Indents: In chancel—(1) of half-figure of priest and inscription-plate, 15th-century. In S. aisle—(2) of two figures and inscription-plate, 15th-century. Chest (Plate, p. xliii): In nave— long dug-out (8 ft.), heavily iron-bound, lid in two parts with drop-handles, two hasps and money-slot, 13th or 14th-century. Communion Table: with heavy turned legs and fluted upper rail with small carved brackets, early 17th-century. Rails: with heavy balusters alternately turned and twisted, late 17th-century. Doors: In nave— in W. doorway, of feathered battens, with strap-hinges, 15th-century. In S. doorway—of moulded overlapping battens with strap-hinges, oak stock, lock and old drop-handle, 14th or 15th-centuryFloor-slab: In nave—to John F...., marginal inscription with Tudor rose at each angle, 16th or 17th-century, much worn. Font (Plate, pp. xlii–iii): octagonal bowl, probably cut down and having sunk ornament on faces, moulded lower edge with carved ball-flowers and heads, moulded necking, stem with trellis ornament and roundels, probably all 14th-century; base of larger font, let into ground, with setting and mouldings for a central and four angle shafts, Purbeck marble, c. 1200. Glass: In chancel— in N. window, two small heads of women and a Tudor rose, 16th-century. In S. aisle—in third window, shield-of-arms of Clouville—two cheverons with five nails on each, 15th-century. Panelling: In S. aisle—round organ—late 16th or early 17th-century panelling. Piscina: In S. aisle—in S. wall, with moulded jambs and ogee head, round drain, 14th-century. Plate: includes cup and a stand-paten of 1709, the former with the date 1710. Stair: In tower—of solid oak balks, probably 16th-century.

Condition—Fairly good, but some cracks in walls.

Secular

^a(2). The Meeting House (Plate, p. 32), formerly known as Fullers, 1¼ m. W.N.W. of the church, is of two storeys with attics. The walls are of plastered timber-framing and the roofs are tiled. It was built in the second half of the 16th century on an L-shaped plan with the wings extending towards the N. and E. and a small central-newel staircase in the angle. In recent years it has been considerably restored and the walls refaced with sham half-timbered work and modern additions made at the back.

The paintings on the walls and roof of the attics in the W. wing are of considerable interest.

There are three original chimney-stacks with grouped diagonal shafts, modern at the top; a few original windows with moulded mullions remain. Inside the building there are two original doorways to the entrance passage with moulded framing, one carved with the initials C. (S ?). There is also re-used panelling of late 16th-century date. On the upper floors much of the timber-construction is exposed, and two of the rooms have stone fireplaces with flat four-centred heads. The walls and roof of the two rooms in the attics in the W. wing are decorated with panels painted in brown, black and white enriched with grotesque figures, animals, centaurs, fishes, etc., with borders of conventional and interlacing foliage (Plate, p. 166). In one panel is the date 1615, and there is a shield of Skynner impaling Folkes or Fulke and Bowyer.

Condition—Good.

Monuments (3–10).

The following monuments, unless otherwise described, are of the 17th century and of two storeys, timber-framed and plastered; the roofs are tiled. Some of the buildings have original chimney-stacks and exposed ceiling-beams.

Condition—Good or fairly good unless noted.

^b(3). Pynning's Farm, ½ m. S.W. of the church. The walls are partly of brick and the roof is covered with slate. It appears to have been practically re-built in the 18th-century except the early 17th-century central chimney-stack, which is of cross-shaped plan and set diagonally.

^b(4). Cottage, on N. side of road, 720 yards W. of the church, is of timber-framing, partly plastered and partly weather-boarded. It appears to be the wing of a 16th-century house, and has a small modern addition at the back.

Condition—Bad.

^a(5). Compasses Inn, at cross-roads, 270 yards W.S.W. of (4), is a small rectangular building with modern additions on the N.E. and W.

^a(6). House, now two tenements, 80 yards S.S.W. of (5), is timber-framed and weather-boarded, and is probably of late 16th-century date. The upper storey projects on the W. front.

^a(7). Slough House Farm, on S. side of road, 1,500 yards W. of the church, is built on an H-shaped plan with E. and W. cross-wings. The cross-wings are gabled and on the N. front retain their original barge-boards, those to the W. gable being foiled and to the E. gable carved with sunk tracery.

^a(8). Kent's Farm, on E. side of road, 400 yards N.W. of (7), is of timber-framing, partly plastered and partly weather-boarded. It was built probably in the 16th century, and has a cross-wing at the S. end, the upper storey of which projects on the W. front.

^a(9). Elm's Farm (Plate, pp. xxxiv–v), 1 m. W.N.W. of the church, was built probably in the 16th century on an L-shaped plan with the wings extending towards the W. and N. It was remodelled early in the 17th century, and in the last century the W. bay of the S. wing was destroyed, except for the base of the walls. The S. Front is in two bays with projecting gables at the eaves-level, each supported on two brackets carved in the form of grotesque figures. The E. gable has early 17th-century moulded barge-boards with a moulded pendant at the apex, and below each gable is a bay-window with an original moulded brick base. The main and N. chimney-stacks are of the 17th century, and have six and three grouped diagonal shafts respectively. Inside the building the staircase has some early 17th-century flat-shaped balusters, refixed, and there are some others outside the E. doorway. Lying in the garden is a carved figure from the destroyed gable.

^a(10). Hill Farm, about 1½ m. N.W. of the church, is of one storey with attics. The walls are of weather-boarded timber-framing. It has a cross-wing at the S. end and an 18th-century addition on the N.