Description

KIRKLAND CHURCHTONWN
SD 44 SE
7/130 Church of St. Helen
17-4-1967
GV I

Church, C15 with remains of c.1220 and c.1300, C16 alterations, clear
storey and roof of 1811, restored 1865-8. Comprises a west tower, a nave
and lower chancel with clear storey, north and south aisles, north-east
vestry, south porch with C18 hearse-house, and south chapel. The tower has
diagonal buttresses, a stair turret with stone spirelet, and an embattled
parapet. The bell openings are of 2 trefoiled light under a flat head
with hood. The west window is of 3 trefoiled lights with pointed head and
Perpendicular tracery. The west door has a pointed head. The west window
of the north aisle is C14 and is of 3 trefoiled lights under a pointed
head with straight bar tracery. The south aisle west window is of c.1300,
with cusped intersecting tracery. The north aisle has 4 bays, separated by
buttresses, which have 3-light windows with pointed heads and
Perpendicular tracery. To their west is a molded doorway with pointed
head. Adjoining the east corner of the aisle is a 2-storey vestry,
probably late C16. Its north wall has a window of 2 round-headed lights on
each floor. Its east, gable, wall has a similar window of 3 lights to a
ground-floor lean-to, and one of 2 lights above. On the gable is an
octagonal chimney shaft. The east window of the north aisle is similar to
those in its north wall. The clearstorey windows on both sides are of 3
pointed lights under flat heads. On the south side the gabled porch has an
outer pointed doorway chamfered in orders. Adjoining its west side is a
gabled hearse-house with a doorway with round arch and keystone dated
1754. The south chapel is of 2 bays, as is the south aisle. Their windows
are similar to those of the north aisle. The chancel east window is of 5
cinquefoiled lights under a pointed head with Perpendicular tracery.
Inside, the 5-bay nave arcades have pointed arches chamfered in 2 orders,
probably C15, and round piers with capitals, possibly c.1300. The nave
roof has bolted king post trusses. 2 pointed arches lead to the south
chapel, which has a lean-to roof with moulded beams, and a wallplate with
Latin inscription and date 1529. In the south wall is a piscina with
trefoiled head, probably re-set. This wall has remains of wall painting.
The chancel arch is pointed and moulded in 2 orders. Its southern pier has
a squint, converted from a stone stair. The 2-bay north chancel arcade has
compound piers and responds of c.1220 with stiff-leaf capitals. The west
respond is lower and encased within later masonry. The piscina has a
trefoiled head. The pulpit incorporates C17 carved woodwork and date
'1646'. 2 of the rows of choir stalls incorporate medieval woodwork, with
carved misericordes.

Listing NGR: SD4816242798

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• St Helen's Church, Churchtown at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q7593311

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.

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  Essex: Buildings of England Series (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
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