Taplow

88. TAPLOW.

(O.S. 6 in. lii. S.E.)

Ecclesiastical

(1). Parish Church of St. Nicholas, at the E. end of the village, was re-built on the present site in 1828. It contains brasses and other fittings from the former church, of which the site, near Taplow Court, is marked by the remains of the churchyard.

The brasses are of unusual interest, especially that of c. 1340.

Fittings—Brasses and Indents: In nave— set in a range of eight slabs at the E. end, (1) to Henry Manfild, 1568, inscription in Latin verse, black-letter, three shields with arms of Manfield (three right hands cut off at the wrist) and their alliances and indent of another; (2) to Jane, wife of Henry Manfylde and daughter of John Lovelace, 1584, inscription in English verse, black-letter, two shields and indent of another; (3) of Nichole de Aumberdene 'jadis pessoner de Londres', small figure of civilian set in the floriated open head of a slender cross with long stem which rests on a dolphin, inscription in French, probably c. 1340; (4) of Rychard, son and heir of Robard Manfeld, 1455, of Isabelle, his sister, and John his half-brother, an infant in a shroud, small figures, scrolls, two shields above, one shield and indents of four others below, inscription, English verse; (5) to Robert Manfelde, c. 1435, served in the wars with France under Henry V., and died in the reign of Henry VI., Latin inscription, Roman letters; (6) to Robert Manfeld, 1500, and Jane his wife, daughter of Peter Fetipace, 1512, English inscription in Roman letters; (7) to Robert Manfyld, date incomplete, probably 1409, inscription, Latin, blackletter, formerly marginal, now set in four lines, (8) six shields with arms of the Manfield family; (5) (6) (7) (8), all on same slab; (9) to Hester, wife of Henry Manfeild, 'died in the Catholique Romane faith in which she lived', 1617, inscription with anagram of the name of Hester Manfield, partly black-letter, partly Roman, in English, one shield with arms; (10) of Thomas Manfeld, 1540, and Augnes his wife, daughter of John Trewonwall, brass laid by Katherine, his second wife, three figures, the man in armour between the two wives, inscription in black-letter, English, three shields with arms, indents of two others; (11) to Thomas Jones, 1584, served Henry VIII., Edward VI., Mary and Elizabeth, inscription only; (12) to Ursula, wife of Thomas Jones, c. 1570, undated, inscription in English verse, Roman letters, recording that she had been imprisoned for her faith, lozenge with arms. Font: moulded and carved base of Purbeck marble, 12th-century, the rest modern. Panelling: in N. transept, from former pews, oak, 17th-century.

Condition—Good.

Secular

(2). Cottage, about 200 yards N. of the church, is of two storeys, built of brick and timber in the 17th century, and restored in the 19th century; the roofs are tiled. On the W. front are two small gables, and the porch has an overhanging upper storey; the woodwork of the lower part is modern. The central chimney stack has two square shafts of thin bricks, the other chimney stacks have been restored. Inside the house the wide fireplaces have been partly blocked, and the original floorjoists are visible in two ceilings.

Condition—Good.

(3–4). Cottages, on a hill N. of the church: several in one block, and a detached cottage, built probably late in the 17th century, and much restored in the 19th century. They are all of one storey and an attic, timber-framed, with filling almost entirely of modern brick. The heads of the gables are filled with lath and plaster and the attic is lighted by dormer windows; the roofs are tiled. The detached cottage has a central chimney stack of thin bricks.

Condition—Fairly good.

Unclassified

(5). Tumulus and Lines of Entrenchment in the old churchyard, now enclosed in the gardens of Taplow Court. The tumulus stands on high ground about 200 ft. above O.D. and is 82½ ft. in diameter at the base and 12¼ ft. high. It was opened in 1883 and Anglo-Saxon remains were discovered. On the slope of the hill S. of the tumulus are two slight lines of entrenchment.

Condition—Of tumulus, good; of entrenchment, almost obliterated.