Nevendon

59. NEVENDON. (D.c.)

(O.S. 6 in. ^(a)lxviii. S.E. ^(b)lxix. S.W.)

Nevendon is a parish 4 m. S.E. of Billericay.

Ecclesiastical

^b(1). Parish Church of St. Peter stands in the middle of the parish. The walls are of ragstone-rubble mixed with tile in the chancel and with dressings of limestone; the roofs are tiled. The Chancel was built in the 13th century, the nave at that time being probably of timber, as the stone W. quoins of the chancel are preserved. The Nave was re-built in stone in the 14th century. The bell-turret is of the 17th century or earlier. The church has been restored in modern times, when the walls were repointed and the South Vestry added.

Architectural Description—The Chancel (23½ ft. by 18 ft.) has an E. window all modern except for some re-used stones in the splays. In the N. wall are two 13th-century lancet-windows, modern externally; close to the W. end of the wall is a straight joint formed by the N.W. quoins of the chancel. In the S. wall are two 13th-century lancet-windows, the eastern modern externally; between them is a modern opening. There is a straight joint about 1½ ft. E. of the junction with the nave, similar to that in the N. wall.

The Nave (30 ft. by 20 ft.) has in the N. wall a modern window; further W. is the late 14th-century N. doorway with moulded jambs, two-centred arch and label with defaced head-stops. In the S. wall is a window and a doorway similar to those in the N. wall, but the doorway has no label. In the W. wall is a modern window.

The Roofs of the chancel and nave are of the 15th century with four king-post trusses with octagonal king-posts; at the W. end of the nave is the framing supporting the bell-turret.

Fittings—Monument and Floor-slab—Monument: In churchyard—to Thomas Blackmore, 1679, and to Elizabeth, 1690, and Ann, 1677, his daughters, table-tomb. Floor-slab: In chancel— to Thomas Hervey, rector of the parish, 1712. Piscina: In nave—in S. wall, with cinque-foiled head and sex-foiled drain, 15th-century. Recess: In chancel—in N. wall, extending to floor and with rebated jambs and segmental head, date uncertain. Stoup: In nave—E. of N. doorway— rough recess covered with modern cement.

Condition—Good.

Secular

^a(2). Homestead Moat, at Cranes, nearly ½ m. S.W. of the church.

^b(3). Fore Riders, house and moat, 500 yards N.N.E. of the church. The house is of two storeys; the walls are of timber-framing partly plastered and partly weather-boarded; the roofs are tiled. It was built probably in the 16th century on an L-shaped plan with the wings extending towards the N. and W. The upper storey projected at the S. end of the W. front and is carried on a moulded bressummer with curved brackets.

The Moat is incomplete.

^b(4). Great Bromfords, house (Plate, pp.xxxiv-v) and moat, nearly ¾ 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 15th century on an L-shaped plan with the wings extending towards the S. and E. In the 17th century an addition was made on the N. side of the E. wing, and there is a modern extension at the N.W. corner. The upper storey projects on the S. front of both wings and on the E. side of the E. wing; at the S.E. corner of the E. wing is an exposed wall-post with a moulded cap. The base of one of the chimney-stacks is of thin bricks. Inside the building the ceiling-beams in the rooms of the original house are exposed and the principal beams are supported on curved brackets.

The Moat is incomplete.

Condition—Of house, good.

^b(5). Little Bromfords, house (Plate, pp. xxxiv-v) and moat, 150 yards N.N.E. of (4). The House is of two storeys with attics, timber-framed and plastered; the roofs are tiled. It was built probably late in the 16th century on a modified L-shaped plan with the wings extending towards the N. and E. and a small projecting bay (possibly originally a porch) extending westward at the S. end of the W. wing; there is a modern addition on the N. The gables to the E. wing and at the W. end of the S. front have moulded barge-boards, as has also the W. projecting bay; the upper storey of the latter projects on both sides and has moulded bressummers supported on elaborately shaped brackets. In the upper storey is an original window of two lights with a moulded mullion. The main chimney-stack is original and of grouped diagonal shafts. Inside the building some of the timber-construction and ceiling-beams are exposed. One of the rooms on the ground-floor has two original doors divided into small panels by moulded rails and muntins, and there is a similar door on the first floor made up of old material. In one of the ground-floor fireplaces is a fire-back with the initials E.M. and the date 1641, brought from elsewhere. The roof is of collar-beam construction.

The Moat surrounds the house and garden but is partly filled in.

Condition—Of house, good.

(6). Frampton's Farm, house, 200 yards E.N.E. of the church, is of two storeys, timber-framed and plastered; the roofs are tiled. It was built probably in the 16th century with a gabled cross-wing at the E. end which has the upper storey projecting on both the N. and S. fronts. Inside the building the W. room on the ground-floor has exposed ceiling-beams.

Condition—Good.