Description

FELTWELL BELL STREET
TL 7190
22/1 Church of St. Mary
8.7.59
- I

Parish church. C15 west tower and south aisle, mid C14 chancel, north aisle
of 1861-63. Flint with ashlar dressings, rendered to clerestory. Slate roofs.
3 stage tower with angle buttresses upon heavy plinth mouldings. Polygonal
stair turret to north-east. Arched west door below 2-light reticulated west
window. Ringing chamber lancets to north and south and 2-light reticulated
belfry windows. String course below parapet comprising trefoiled panels,
alternately wide and narrow. Centre of parapet stepped up and decorated with
shields and figures. 4 corner pinnacles. West end of south aisle repaired
with brick in C18. 4 4-centred 3-light Perpendicular aisle windows with
transomes. Gabled south porch illuminated from sides through 2-light trefoil
headed windows. South clerestory of 5 2-light cusped Perpendicular windows
under 4-centred arches. Aisle and chancel with flat buttresses, diagonal to
east. 3 3-light reticulated south chancel windows, that to east shorter to
accommodate internal sedilia. String course below low parapet. Splendid 5-
light east window of mid C14 : trefoiled lights in disposition of 2-1-2 support
cusped petal motif of 5 lobes. One 3-light reticulated window to north chancel.
C19 north aisle supported by flat buttresses to flank, diagonal to east and
west. 3-light east window in lancet formation. 2 3-light reticulated windows
to narrower east bays, 4 2-light Geometric windows to remainder. Corbelled
parapet. 4-light Geometric west window to aisle. North door set between 2
buttresses with jambs enlivened by 2 orders of shafts. North clerestory
removed on construction of this aisle. Interior. C14 south arcade of 5 bays
comprising quatrefoil piers with rolls between the lobes. Moulded bases and
capitals. Double sunk quadrant arches. Clerestory windows over spandrels.
C19 north arcade of similar design but taller and with lugged plinths. Tall
tower arch with semi-circular responds. Chancel arch of same date and style
of south arcade. C15 nave roof of roll moulded tie beams dropping on arched
braces and wall posts to corbels, the corbels to north C19, those to south
C15 figures of angels. Each alternate tie beam is supported on shorter arched
braces and carries carved figure of an angel on each side. The major trusses
have pierced spandrels and Queen post struts to moulded principals. One tier
moulded butt purlins and ridge piece. South aisle roof restored 1860 but small
carved angels with shields remain. Nave retains 36 C15 benches with pierced
backs, poppyheads and mutilated animal or figurative handrests. Chancel screen
originally late C15 but much altered; 3 bays right and left of 4-centred
opening; tabernacle work and canopies in head; dado with 2 crocketted ogees
in each bay; 9 angels with musical instruments decorate stiles below canopy.
2 bay C19 arcade opens from chancel to north aisle chapel supported upon
circular pier with annulated subsidiary shafts. Stiff leaf capitals with
figures of King David and angels. Chancel roof of principals on arched braces,
all of 1860. 14 Cl5 poppyhead bench ends to Cl9 stalls. Flamboyant ogeed
stepped sedilia and piscina. Stained glass in chancel windows by Didron (of
Paris) 1860. Chancel wall monument to Francis Moundeford 1590 : kneeling
figure of knight in semi-circular panel flanked by strapwork pilasters.
Inscription panel in apron below is also flanked by strapwork design.
Entablature above, upon which stands achievement. To left is wall monument
to Osbertus Moundeford 1580 : Kneeling figure of knight with wife and daughter
in trefoil arcaded panel flanked by strapwork pilasters. Inscription panel
in apron below with strapwork borders. Achievement above entablature. On
chancel south wall brass to Margaret Mundford 1528. On north wall large brass
to Rev. William Newcombe 1846.

Listing NGR: TL7151890738

External Links

• Historic England Listing
• Wikidata Q17536160

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

• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects, Supplement 2014
• 
  Central Leinster: Kildare, Laois and Offaly (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)
• 
  Cork: City and County (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Ireland)
• 
  Essex: Buildings of England Series (Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Gwent/Monmouthshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of Wales)
• 
  Oxfordshire (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)