Description

TL 3256-3356 BOURN CHURCH STREET
(South-East Side)

15/22 Parish Church of
31. 8.62 St Helen and St
Mary

GV . I

Parish Church. C12 nave arcades, north and south aisles, and south wall of
chancel. Tower and flanking aisles C13. Transepts and south porch C14,
chancel rebuilt late C14 and clerestory added. Restorations 1875-6 and
1912. Walls of field stones and ashlar with some reused material, dressings
of limestone and clunch. Roofs of tiles and lead. South Elevation. Tower
of three stages with steeply pitched pent roof to aisle. Angle buttresses of
four stages with south-west buttress enclosing stair turret approached by an
external stair, and rising above embattled parapet. Belfry with very fine
three bay wall arcade divided by transomes, central bay four-light window
with pair of roll-moulded lancet-lights and quatrefoil in two-centred arch
(West doorway with two-centred arch and jamb of six keeled or filleted shafts
with moulded caps and bases). Leaded wooden spire reduced in height possibly
in C17. Lead panels inscribed 'John Ferrar, 1620'. Five quatrefoil
clerestory windows. Two three-light and one two-light C14 and C15 traceried
nave windows. South door, C12, with round arch of two orders with label,
moulded impost and shafted jambs. Porch with low-pitched gable roof and
archway of two continuous moulded orders. C14 chapel window rebuilt in C16
of three-lights. Chancel with irregular angle buttresses, three restored
two-light C14 windows with higher cill to right hand window. South doorway
with double ogee-moulded jambs and segmental head. Interior. Nave arcade of
five bays of two-centred arches with two chamfered orders, round and
octagonal piers with moulded and scalloped caps and chamfered bases. Tower
arch two-centred of three chamfered orders with keeled and filleted shafted
jambs. Chancel arch widened in 1875. Piscena defaced, of three cinquefoil
arches in square head. Font, octagonal bowl with restored base C13 or C14.
Hammer beam roof of chancel reconstructed and restored of five bays C14 or
C15. Ceiling to ground stage of tower divided into nine square bays with
flat joists C16. Nave roof C19, aisle and chapel roofs reconstructed.
Screen of five ogee-headed bays C15. Pews, restored early C16, and manorial
pew rebuilt C17 panels with acorn finials. Chancel seats also rebuilt with
poppy head desk ends, one inscribed 'P OF BA 1537'. For monuments and wall
slabs see RCHM report.

R.C.H.M. West Cambs. p18, mon.1 (Plates 4, 49, 50, 51, 81).
Pevsner Buildings of England, p305
V.C.H. Vol. V, p13-15

Listing NGR: TL3244256371

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17528216

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Staffordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Huddersfield in 50 Buildings
• 
  Listed Buildings, Conservation Areas and Monuments
• 
  Lancashire: Manchester and the South-East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Central Leinster: Kildare, Laois and Offaly (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)
• 
  London 4: North: North v. 4 (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)