Camberwell

3. CAMBERWELL.

(O.S. 6 in. London, Sheet O.)

The Borough of Camberwell is coterminous with the civil parish of Camberwell.

Ecclesiastical

(1) Parish Church of St. Giles was entirely rebuilt in 1844 on the site of the earlier building and contains the following:—

Fittings. Brasses: fixed on back of quirestalls—(1) of Mighell [Sk]inner, 1497, figure in civil costume and foot-inscription; (2) of Richard Skynner, 1407 (should be 1492), and Agnes, his wife, 1499, headless kneeling figure of man in civil costume and inscription; (3) of John Scott, 1532, and [Elizabeth (Skinner)] his wife, kneeling figures of man in armour and wife at prayer-desks, four sons (set separately) and inscription; (4) of Edward, son of John Scott, 1538, with a re-used figure in armour of c. 1465; palimpsest on inscription an inscription to John Ratford, 15th-century; (5) of John Bowyar, 1570, and Elizabeth (Draper) his wife, 1605, kneeling figures of man and wife, eight sons and three daughters, and achievement-of-arms (set separately); (6) to Mathye Draper, 1577, and Sence (Blackwell) his wife, kneeling figures at prayer-desk, inscription and shield-of-arms of Blackwell (set separately); (7) to Margaret (Keleatt) wife of John Dove, 1582, inscription and shield-of-arms, palimpsest on inscription, part of border of large foreign brass with two weepers and part of inscription; palimpsest on shield, part of foot of a shrouded figure and part of canopystandard; (8) to Thomas Muschamp, 1637, inscription and shield-of arms. Glass: In W. window— incorporated with modern glass, numerous medallions in grisaille with coloured borders and foliage, late 13th-century, much restored. Monument: In churchyard—S.W. of nave, to Sarah, wife of William Sims, 1700 (?), table-tomb. Plate: includes a cup, probably of 1597, the bowl and base having representations of drops of blood, the stem has two flanges, the lower enriched with oak leaves and acorns; a cup of 1630; a stand-paten of 1632 or 1635 with incised drops of blood, as on the first cup; a large stand-paten of 1665 given by Theodore Cock; a paten of c. 1630 engraved with drops of blood and two flagons of 1691, given by John Byne and each with an achievement-of-arms. Piscina and Sedilia (Plate 13): in one range of three bays, divided and flanked by shafted piers, each bay with a cinquef oiled and sub-cusped arch in a square head with foiled spandrels and a continuous moulded and embattled cornice; E. bay narrower than the others and containing piscina with quatrefoiled drain; recess of middle bay carried down to the ground and piers at sides pierced by small openings with cinquefoiled heads; third bay with seat and wall at back pierced by a small window of two cinquefoiled lights with a quatrefoil in a square head, possibly a 'low-side'; late 14th-century, re-set and partly restored.

Condition—Re-built.

(2) Church of St. Antholin, on the S. side of Nunhead Lane, Peckham, is a modern building, but contains from the destroyed church of St. Antholin, Budge Row, in the City, the following:—

Fittings. Bells: two, one re-cast and both now inaccessible. Reredos (Plate 44): of oak and of three bays with four fluted Corinthian columns on pedestals and supporting enriched entablatures and segmental pediments over the side bays, cornice only continued over the middle bay; in middle bay, two round-headed panels with enriched mouldings and inscribed with the Decalogue, carved cartouche in middle spandrel with the Hebrew name Jehovah and a cherub-head; other cherub-heads fixed on cornice; side bays each with two raised panels, the upper ones inscribed with the Creed and the Lord's Prayer respectively; between the capitals of the columns, carved swags, late 17th-century.

The upper part of the spire of the same destroyed church is preserved in the garden of Roundhill House, Dartmouth Road, Forest Hill. It is of Portland stone and of octagonal form with roll-moulded angles; each face has a carved scallop-shell pierced with a round opening. The spire is finished with a carved capping surmounted by a ball and vane. The old church of St. Antholin was built from the designs of Sir Christopher Wren in 1678–91 and was pulled down in 1874.

Secular

(3) The Old College, Dulwich, stands at the junction of College Road and Gallery Road. The College of God's Guift was built by Edward Alleyn in 1605–14 and originally formed three sides of a quadrangle, open on the N. side. The E. range was rebuilt in 1740 and the S. and W. ranges have been so much altered and re-faced that it is now impossible to determine how much of the old work survives. The tower and cloister were added to the S. range in 1864 and there are modern additions on the W. side of the W. range. Externally the building is entirely modern except that the E. window of the chapel, at the E. end of the S. range, appears to incorporate some old work. Inside the building, the passage through the S. end of the W. range retains some original brickwork. In the chaplain's house, at the W. end of the S. range, is some re-used original panelling. In the chapel are the following:—

Fittings. Floor-slabs: (1) to H.A., 1714; (2) defaced, but said to be that of the Founder, now re-set vertically in the cloister. Painting: On N. wall, a copy of Raphael's Transfiguration, ascribed to Pierino del Vaga (1500–1547). Plate: includes a cup (Plate 20) of 1599, with chased bowl and stem, the former with three scallopshells; stand-paten (Plate 20) of 1708, with cherub-heads, conventional foliage, etc., on underside the initials and date R.A., D., G.B. 1709; stand-paten of 1671, given by Ralph Alleyn, fourth master of the college in 1672, with achievement-of-arms; flagon of 1712, with cartouche-of-arms and the name James Alleyn, 1712; alms-dish (Plate 20) of 1668, with an enriched octofoiled bowl having a holy Dove in the middle, also a silver-headed staff of early 17th-century date with the monogram E.A.C.R.

Condition—Good, mostly re-built.

Monuments (3–10).

The following monuments, unless otherwise described, are of two storeys with attics; the walls are of brick and the roofs are tiled. They were mostly built late in the 17th century, but all have been more or less extensively altered.

Condition—Good or fairly good, unless noted.

(4) "The Old Manor," house, on the E. side of Devonshire Street, 20 yards N.E. of Old Kent Road and 110 yards E. of Christ Church, was largely re-modelled c. 1720 and an addition made on the E. side. The elevations have 18th-century openings, but the N. and S. ends appear to be original and have brick bands between the storeys and brick gables. The internal fittings are all of the 18th century.

Condition—Bad.

High Street, Peckham. S. side:—

(5) Range of Houses, Nos. 56 to 66, 15 yards W. of Rye Lane, are timber-framed; the two middle houses are of three storeys and the rest of four storeys and all have had shops added in front. The back elevations are weather-boarded. Inside the buildings are some exposed ceiling-beams.

Condition—Poor.

(6) Houses, Nos. 102 and 104, 110 yards E. of Rye Lane, are timber-framed, but No 104 has been re-fronted in brick. No. 102 has a wooden modillioned eaves-cornice in front, and the same house has a staircase of the central-newel type.

(7) Houses, Nos. 110 and 112, 15 yards E. of (6), were built c. 1700; No. 110 is of three storeys. The back of No. 112 has brick bands between the storeys. Inside the buildings are some exposed ceiling-beams, central-newel staircases and 18th-century panelling.

(8) Houses, Nos. 156, 158 and 160, 40 yards W. of Clayton Road, were built late in the 17th or early in the 18th century, but have had modern shops added. The back elevation has a brick band between the storeys and each house has part of an original window with solid frame of three lights and a transom; the window of No. 160 is complete. Inside the buildings are some exposed ceilingbeams and No. 158 has a central-newel staircase and an old panelled and battened door.

(9) House, No. 166, 5 yards E. of (8), is of three storeys with attics; the walls are timber-framed, with some brickwork. It was built in the second half of the 17th century, but has been much altered and modern shops added. The N. front has a cornice above the second-floor windows and above it are two gables finished with moulded pediments supported on plain pilasters. Inside the building, the ground-floor rooms have moulded ceiling-beams; in the S.E. room are remains of a wooden overmantel of two panelled bays divided and flanked by pilasters; within the square panels are oval panels and the pilasters support a dentilled cornice. There is some original panelling and also some 18th-century panelling. On the first floor the hall and the S.W. room have original plastered ceiling-beams with guilloche-ornament on the soffit and rosettes at the intersections. The original staircase (Plate 27), between the first and second floors, has turned balusters, square newels and moulded strings and hand-rail with a grip-moulding on the top; the N.W. room has a moulded surround to the fireplace, and both this and the N.E. room have chamfered ceiling-beams. On the second floor is an old panelled door to the attic-staircase.

Condition—Poor.

(10) Houses, Nos. 180, 182 and 184, on the N.W. side of Meeting House Lane, 20 yards N. of High Street, were built c. 1700. The front has a brick band between the storeys. Inside the building are some 18th-century panelling, cornices and beams and each house has a staircase of central-newel type.

Condition—Poor.

(11) House, Nos. 6 and 10, on the S. side of Queen's Road at the W. angle of Harder's Road, was built c. 1700 and is of three storeys with attics. The front has rubbed-brick bands between the storeys and the windows have flat rubbed-brick heads. The windows at the back and sides have segmental heads. The roof is hipped and finished with a lead flat. Inside the building is some 18th-century panelling and both tenements have their original staircases with round balusters and straight moulded strings.