Heversham

37 HEVERSHAM (D.g.)

(O.S. 6 in. XLII, S.E.)

Heversham is a parish on the E. side of the Kent estuary and 6 m. S. of Kendal. The church and Heversham Hall are the principal monuments.

Ecclesiastical

(1). Parish Church of St. Peter (Plate 108) stands in the village. The walls are of local rubble with sandstone dressings and the roofs are covered with lead. The earliest part of the existing structure is the late 12th-century S. arcade of the Nave. The South Aisle was re-built and widened late in the 14th century and the South Porch is perhaps of the same date. The Chancel was re-built early in the 15th century together with the North Vestry; rather later in the century the nave clearstorey was built, the South Chapel added and the North Aisle added or re-built. The North Chapel was added probably early in the 16th century. In 1601 the church was badly damaged by fire, mainly on the N. side of the nave; many of the arches were repaired, the N. arcade re-built and the roofs renewed. The church was restored in 1868, when the N. arcade was again re-built and the chancel-arch and West Tower re-built.

The church has a good 15th-century E. window and among the fittings the Anglian cross-shaft and the chest are noteworthy.

Architectural Description—The Chancel (39½ ft. by 17¼ ft.) has a 15th-century E. window of five trefoiled lights with tracery in a two-centred head with a moulded and embattled label; the wall is ashlar-faced. In the N. wall is an early 16th-century arcade of two bays with segmental-pointed arches of two chamfered orders; the cylindrical column and square chamfered responds have crudely moulded capitals and chamfered bases; farther E. is a 15th-century doorway with chamfered jambs and flat head with rounded angles. In the S. wall is an arcade of two bays all modern except the 15th-century semi-octagonal E. respond with moulded capital and base. The chancel-arch is modern.

The North Vestry is of the 15th century and ashlar-faced, including the W. wall. In the E. wall is a window of two trefoiled lights in a square head with a moulded label.

The North Chapel (25 ft. by 16 ft.) has a modern window in the E. wall. In the N. wall are two windows both probably re-set; the eastern is perhaps of late 14th-century date and is of three trefoiled lights with tracery in a four-centred head with a moulded label; the 15th-century western window is of two trefoiled lights with vertical tracery in a square head with a moulded label; farther W. is an early 16th-century doorway with chamfered jambs and rounded head. In the W. wall is a modern arch. On the projection, farther N., is a panel with the initials I.B. (James Bellingham) with his arms and the date 1602.

The South Chapel (40 ft. by 19½ ft.) has a modern E. window with two decayed head-stops to the label. In the S. wall are three 15th-century windows, each of two trefoiled lights with vertical tracery in a square head with a moulded label; the doorway in this wall is modern. In the W. wall is a modern arch.

The Nave (45 ft. by 18 ft.) has a modern N. arcade. The late 12th-century S. arcade (Plate 13) of three bays shows marks of fire and has been much repaired in cement and partly restored; the two-centred arches are of two square orders; the columns are cylindrical, the eastern having a moulded capital partly retooled and the western a simple foliated capital with water-leaves; both have moulded bases, the eastern being modern; the E. respond is modern except for the foliated capital of the inner order and the moulded capital of the outer order on the S.; the W. respond is modern. The N. clearstorey is modern, but that on the S. has three 15th-century windows, each of two trefoiled lights in a square head.

The North Aisle (11 ft. wide) has, in the N. wall, three windows, the two eastern of the 15th century and similar to those in the S. chapel; the third window is modern. In the W. wall is a 15th-century window similar to those in the N. wall.

The South Aisle (average 19¼ ft. wide) has, in the S. wall, three late 14th-century windows, each of three trefoiled lights with modern tracery in a two-centred head with a moulded label and head-stops; the late 14th-century S. doorway has chamfered jambs and two-centred arch with a moulded label and beast-stops. In the W. wall is a 15th-century window of two cinque-foiled lights in a square head with moulded reveals.

The South Porch has a late 14th-century outer archway with jambs and two-centred arch of two chamfered orders with a moulded label.

The Roofs, where old, are all of the 17th century. The roof of the N. chapel is flat-pitched and of three bays with chamfered principals, purlins and plates. The roof of the S. chapel is flat-pitched and of six narrow bays with chamfered principals and purlins; the ridge is scalloped on the soffit. The roof of the nave is of six bays, low-pitched and with cambered tie-beams supporting short posts under the ridge; the main timbers are chamfered, the ridge has guilloche ornament on the soffit and under the middle of each tie-beam is a round boss or pendant. The N. aisle has a simple pent-roof of seven bays. The S. aisle has a low-pitched roof of seven bays, with chamfered main timbers; the principals have flat bosses fixed under the intersections of the ridge and purlins. The porch has a low-pitched roof of two bays with cambered tie-beams and chamfered main timbers.

Fittings—Chest: In vestry—iron-bound oak chest (Plate 38) 8½ ft. long, with lid in two pieces; strap-hinges and straps generally with foliated ends, four locks and staples to hold horizontal bar in position, probably 15th-century, with some added straps. Communion Rails: now in S. chapel—short length of moulded rail with symmetrically turned balusters, early 17th-century, probably part of former communion-rails. Cross-shaft: In porch—length of sandstone shaft (Plate 6) (4¾ ft. high by 14 in. by 7¾ in. at base) on broad face a design of double vine-scroll with grapes and two 'Anglian beasts,' on narrow face simpler and more conventionalised single vine-scroll design, remains of carving of corresponding type on the other two faces, much defaced; built into S. wall of S. aisle below westernmost window small fragment of same shaft with vine-ornament, probably mid 8th-century. Doors: In doorway to vestry—of nail-studded battens, 16th or 17th-century. In S. doorway—with strap-hinges and strap with curved branches and remains of foliations, probably 17th-century with 13th-century strap refixed. Glass: In N. chapel—in N.E. window, fragments of cartouche, 17th-century. In S. chapel— in S.E. window (Plate 42), a shield-of-arms of Buskell quartering Bindloss with fragments, below, two quarries both dated 1601, one with the initials A.P. and the other with a device, below the quarries the name Buskell in black-letter; in adjoining light a shield-of-arms of Preston with an eagle and ornamental work, also two quarries with the arms of Preston impaling Curwen and Westly, mostly early 17th-century, Preston heraldry probably late 17th-century. Monuments: In N. chapel —on S. wall, (1) to Dorothie (Boynton), wife of Sir Henry Bellingham, Bart., 1626–7, alabaster tablet (Plate 45) with side-pilasters, rounded head, obelisks and cartouche-of-arms, in base small reclining figure of lady with swaddled infant, monument repaired by Sir Griffith Boynton, Bart., 1765. In S. chapel—(2) to Mary (Molineux), wife of Sir Thomas Preston, Bart., 1673, low table-tomb with slate slab and shield-of-arms. Piscinæ: In N. chapel (Plate 47)—in S.E. angle, round drain in semi-octagonal corbel set partly in round-headed recess, early 16th-century. In S. chapel—in S. wall recess with ogee head and square moulded label with head-stops, 15th-century, no drain. Plate: includes cup of 1655 with baluster-stem and cover-paten probably of the same date; stand-paten of 1673, given by James Bellingham, 1674; two flagons of the same date and with the same inscription and a stand-paten of 1713, with the date 1713. Screen (Plate 98): In N. chapel—forming enclosure of pew and extending across chapel, with close lower panels and open upper part with symmetrically turned balusters, top finished with deep panelled frieze and panel over doorway carved with initials and date I. and A.B. 1605, screen partly rearranged and with some modern work. Seating: In N. chapel—bench (Plate 60) with high panelled back, shaped arms and turned front-posts, on frieze at back the initials and date E.W., W.B., I.A., 1601. In S. chapel —bench with panelled back and modern standards, on frieze-panel, the inscription "Thomas Lockey 1626"; desk in front with lockers, panelled front, square endposts with acorn-tops and square-headed moulded standards, early 17th-century; also stool with turned legs, probably late 17th-century. Sedilia: In S. aisle —in S. wall, range of three recesses with ogee heads, entirely restored but probably representing a late 14th-century feature. Stoup: Loose in N. chapel—two fragments of stone bowl, possibly stoup. Sundial: In churchyard—S. of chancel, chamfered stone shaft (Plate 37) with the date 1690 and a brass dial in the top, shaft set on three steps.

Condition—Good.

Secular

(2). Cock Pit, on the hill-side, 300 yards N.E. of the church, consists of a round flat-topped enclosure, about 27 ft. in diameter, surrounded by a slight ditch, with an outer bank on the W. and N.

Condition—Fairly good.

(3). Deepthwaite Bridge (Plate 27), over Stanton Beck, on the E. edge of the parish nearly 1½ m. E. of the church, is a rubble structure of two spans with cutwaters to the middle pier. The segmental arches have rubble voussoirs. The bridge is probably a 17th-century structure but has been widened on the N. side and the parapets are modern.

Condition—Good.

(4). Heversham Hall (Plate 71), 260 yards S.W. of the church, is of two storeys. The walls are of rubble and the roofs are slate-covered. The main block appears to have been built late in the 14th century, but the upper storey was probably re-built in the 16th century. There are modern additions on the S., E. and W. The N. front has an original doorway with chamfered jambs and two-centred head; flanking it are two original windows each of two trefoiled and transomed lights; the upper storey has a range of two light square-headed windows of the 16th century. There are two original windows and one 16th-century window on the S. front all similar to those described above. In the E. wall is a window of two trefoiled lights. The original windows are rebated internally for shutters. Inside the building is a little 17th-century panelling and some exposed ceiling-beams. The 16th-century W. fireplace has a segmental stone arch. There is a panelled door of c. 1600. A few feet E. of the house is the ruined wall of a destroyed two-storey building.

Condition—Good.

Monuments (5–10)

The following monuments, unless otherwise described, are of the 17th century and of two storeys. The walls are of rubble and the roofs are slate-covered. Some of the buildings have exposed ceiling-beams.

Condition—Good or fairly good.

(5). Old Grammar School, 260 yards N.E. of the church, is of one storey only. It is said to have been founded in 1613, but there is little evidence of the date of the existing structure. A door-frame with the initials and date E.W. (for Edward Wilson) 1613 has been re-set in the modern school-house.

(6). Spout House, 250 yards S. of the church, retains an original window with a solid frame.

(7). Park House and barn, 800 yards S. of the church. The House has later additions on the W. and N. Inside the building is an original battened door with strap-hinges. The Barn, E. of the house, is probably of early 16th-century date. It is of eight bays with tiebeams and curved principals of crutch-type to the roof-trusses (Plate 29) and curved wind-braces.

(8). Lower Haverflatts, house, 1,100 yards S.E. of the church, has a panel on the lintel of the porch with the initials and date E. and D.W. 1691. The W. chimney-stack has a cylindrical shaft. Inside the building is a cupboard of the local type dated 1693. The original staircase has turned balusters and square newels.

(9). Rowell Farm, house, 1¼ m. E.S.E. of the church, was built probably early in the 16th century, with later additions on the W. The main N. doorway is original and has moulded jambs and depressed arch in a square head with a moulded label; flanking it are square-headed stone windows with similar labels; above the doorway is a panel with the initials and date R.P. 1719 (for Rowland Parker). There is another original window on the S. side. Inside the building is a small cupboard with the initials and date R. and A.P. 1677; there is also a muntin and plank partition and some enriched 17th-century panelling, not in situ.

(10). Deepthwaite Farm, house, 40 yards W. of (3).