Description

ALPHAMSTONE Parish Church of St
TL 83 NE Barnabas
2/1 (25/1)
GV I
Parish church. C12, altered in C14 and C16, and restored C19. Flint rubble, partly
plastered, and red brick, with dressings of limestone, roofed with handmade red clay
tiles and slates. S porch and spire timber framed, the latter weatherboarded. Nave
C12, W tower added at unknown date and later demolished, chancel rebuilt early C14, and
S wall altered C16. N porch C15, S proch of unknown date. Restored in C19 by Sir
Arthur Blomfield. The chancel, early C14, is faced on the N and E with dressed flint,
C19. E window mainly C19. In the N wall are 3 windows, the 2 eastern mainly C19
except the splays and rear-arches, c.1300. The western window is c.1300, restored, of
2 pointed lights with a quatrefoil in a 2-centred head; it is carried down below a
transom to form a low-side, fitted with wrought from grilles and rebated for shutters.
In the S wall are 2 windows; the eastern is C19 except the C14 splays and rear-arch;
the western is uniform with that opposite except that it retains one original or early
shutter, remounted. Between the windows is a C14 doorway with chamfered jambs and
segmental-pointed arch. The C14 chancel-arch is 2-centred, of 3 chamfered orders; the
semi-octagonal responds have moulded capitals and bases. The roof of the chancel has
plain tiebeams and king-posts of the C17. The nave has in the N wall 2 windows; the
eastern is early C14, of 2 trefoiled ogee lights with tracery in a 2-centred head
with moulded lable and wrought iron grille; the western window is C15, of 3 cinquefoiled
ogee lights with tracery in a 4-centred head with moulded label. Further W is a
blocked C12 round-headed window, visible internally. W of this window is the C13 N
doorway, probably reset, with chamfered jambs and 2-centred arch. The door is C14, of
V-edged boards on ledges, with strap-hinges inscribed with a diaper pattern. There is a
pierced scutcheon-plate with drop-handle, probably original, and latch with S-shaped
plate handle, C17. The early C14 S arcade is of 3 bays with 2-centred arches of 2
chamfered orders; the octagonal columns and semi-octagonal responds have moulded
capitals and bases. In the W wall is a C19 window, and to either side of it the
responds and springers of the demolished tower-arch. The roof of the nave is in 7
cants with rafters, collars and soulaces exposed, C15, and 2 later tiebeams. The S
aisle has an early C14 E window of 3 trefoiled ogee lights with reticulated tracery in
a 2-centred head. In the S wall are 3 windows, the 2 eastern C14, of 2 trefoiled lights
with tracery in a 2-centred head, with wrought iron grilles; the westernmost is C17,
with an oak frame and square head. Between the 2 western windows is the early C14 S
doorway, with chamfered jambs, 2-centred arch, moulded label and head-stops. The C15 N
porch is mainly timber framed, with later dwarf walls of brick. It is built in one
bay with a 2-centred outer arch, the sides formerly with moulded mullions, removed,
and at the inner end one cambered tiebeam with arch-braces. The roof is of collar-
rafter construction. The S porch is irregular, markedly out of line with the S
doorway, of plastered rubble repaired with brick, and of unknown date. It has a 4-
centred outer archway, weathered bargeboards, with a plain loop with timber lintel in
the E wall. The roof is of collar-rafter construction. Fittings. There are 3 bells,
the first and third from Bury foundry, c.1500, and inscribed 'Sancte Gorge Ora Pro Nobis'
and 'Sancte Maria Ora Pro Nobis': the second is by Austen Bracker, c.1550 inscribed
'In Honore Scaunte Marie'. There is a brass in the floor of the chancel to
Margaret Sidey, widow, 1607, inscription only. The font has a square bowl of Purbeck
marble, with 5 shallow round-headed panels on each side, late C12, with later stem. The
font cover is of oak, domed and panelled, with turned ball-finial with fretted supports,
C17. There is C15 glass, re-set, in the side windows of the chancel, fragements of
figures, suns and tabernacle work, and C14 glass, re-set, in the SE window of the S
aisle, borders of yellow fleurs-de-lys and cups on a black
ground. There is an early C14 locker in the N wall of the chancel, with moulded
jambs and trefoiled ogee head with finial. In the same wall is a C14 piscina
with mutilated moulded and cinquefoiled head, moulded label and octofoiled
drain, the jamb-shaft restored, and another with chamfered jambs and 2-centred
head, damaged quatrefoiled drain, C13, re-set. In range with the first are 3
sedilia with detached shafts with moulded bases and capitals, moulded and
cinquefoiled arches with moulded labels and horizontal string, early C14.

Listing NGR: TL8787835461

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17535831

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

• 
  Old House Eco Handbook: A Practical Guide to Retrofitting for Energy-Efficiency & Sustainability
• 
  Lancashire: Manchester and the South-East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Suffolk: East (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Northumberland (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  [(Shropshire)] [By (author) Nikolaus Pevsner] published on (January, 1958)
• 
  Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990