Steeple Claydon

197. STEEPLE CLAYDON.

(O.S. 6 in. ^(a)xviii. N.E. ^(b)xviii. S.W. ^(c)xviii. S.E.)

Ecclesiastical

^c(1). Parish Church of St. Michael, stands at the E. end of the village, and is built of stone rubble, except the N. and S. transepts and the E. gable of the nave, which are of brick. The roofs are tiled. The Chancel is of late 14th-century date. The Nave was widened towards the S. in the 15th century, and the walls were heightened in the 16th or 17th century. The North and South Transepts, North Aisle, West Tower and South Porch are all modern.

Architectural Description—The Chancel (31½ ft. by 18 ft.) has a late 14th-century E. window of three cinque-foiled lights and tracery in a two-centred head with an external label; the tracery apparently has been re-cut; over the apex, outside, the cinque-foiled head of a 15th-century single-light window is built into the wall. In the N. wall are two windows; the eastern is of two trefoiled lights and tracery in a two-centred head with an external label, all of late 14th-century date, re-cut; the rear arch is modern; the western window, now opening into the modern vestry, is a single cinque-foiled light, all modern except the splays and rear arch. In the S. wall are two 14th-century windows, the eastern of two trefoiled ogee lights and tracery in a two-centred head with an external label; the mullion is modern; the western window is similar to the eastern window in the N. wall, but the rear arch is original; in the W. splay is a squint from the nave, now blocked: between the windows is a priest's doorway, with chamfered jambs and two-centred head under a moulded external label, of which half is modern; roughly cut at the apex is the date 1631, probably that of the doorway, the head being only of two stones. The Vestry is modern, but re-set in the E. wall is a single-light window, with jambs and sill, probably of the 15th century; the head is modern. The Nave (56 ft. by 21 ft.) has an incomplete modern N. arcade. In the S. wall are two 15th-century windows, each of two trefoiled lights under a square head with sunk spandrels; the eastern window has a moulded external label with head-stops, the western window a similar label, but with scroll-stops: between the windows is the S. doorway, with chamfered jambs and two-centred head of uncertain date. The clearstorey has modern windows in the N. wall, but in the S. wall are three rectangular chamfered openings, possibly of the 16th century, with modern wooden frames.

Fittings—Bells: five; 2nd dated 1620, possibly by Richard Eldridge; 3rd, by Bartholomew Atton, 1592. Font: octagonal bowl and stem, with broach-stops at base, 15th-century. Font-cover: flat, octagonal, sides made up of carved oak, c. 1630, top modern, with carved boss in middle, 17th-century. Locker: In chancel—in N. wall, square, rebated for door. Monuments: S. transept—built into E. wall, outside, headstones, (1) to Richard Churchill, 1675, and Jane his wife, 1685; (2) to Thomas Rosoman (?), 1685, and Elizabeth his wife, 1693; also to William, son of Joseph Churchill, 169(?)5. Piscina: In chancel—in S. wall, with chamfered jambs and two-centred head, 14th or 15th-century, basin modern. Plate: includes cup and cover paten of 1569, both repaired, after damage by fire at vicarage in 19th century. Pulpit: four sides of pentagon, small, each side with three panels, upper panel raised and fluted, middle panel round-headed, lower panel square, moulded, with carved top rail, c. 1630, made up with modern wood. Seating: In nave—many seats with plain shaped ends and moulded back rails, 15th-century, restored. Sedile: In chancel— ledge of S.E. window carried low down, further lowered about 1 ft. in 19th century.

Condition—Good.

Secular

Monuments (2–27)

These buildings are nearly all of two storeys, of timber and brick, and of the 17th century, but restored with modern brick. The roofs are thatched. Many of the buildings are of rectangular plan and have wide fireplaces, now partly blocked, and chamfered ceiling-beams.

Church End, N. side

^c(2). House, now three tenements, about 230 yards N.W. of the church. The roof is carried down to within a few feet of the ground at the back. The two chimney stacks are original, and have each three square shafts set diagonally.

Condition—Good, but covered with ivy.

^c(3). Cottage, facing E., at the corner of a road running towards the N., 260 yards N.W. of the church. The central chimney stack is original. Interior:—The stairs have old oak treads and risers.

Condition—Fairly good; the upper floor out of level.

^c(4). Cottage, ¼ mile W.N.W. of the church, was built late in the 16th or early in the 17th century. The filling visible in the walls is of plaster; the W. wall is covered with rough-cast. The central chimney stack is original, and at the E. end is a stack of late 17th-century date. Interior:—The two staircases are of old oak.

Condition—Fairly good.

^c(5). School, now part of the Public Library, about 550 yards W.N.W. of the church, is of one storey, with walls of red brick; the roof is tiled. It was built and endowed in 1656 by Sir Thomas Chaloner, and was converted to its present use when the present school was built in the 19th century. The plan is rectangular, with modern additions on the N.E. and N.W. The S.W. front has a chamfered plinth and a moulded brick cornice; the porch at the S. end is modern, but re-set in the gable is an original stone, carved with the inscription 'H~ SCHOL~ FUND~ T.C. MDCLVI', a shield with the Chaloner arms, and the motto 'Libertas optima rerum'. The gabled S.E. end also has a chamfered plinth. Over the E. end is a bell-cot, probably original. Interior:—On the S.W. wall is a piece of oak panelling of mid 17th-century date. The ceiling is a segmental barrel-vault of plaster.

Condition—Good.

S. side

^c(6). Cottage, facing N.E., opposite to the church. The walls have some plaster filling. At both ends are modern additions, and at the S.E. end is an original chimney stack.

Condition—Fairly good.

^c(7). Cottages, two adjoining, opposite to (2). The western cottage is of one storey and an attic, and has been re-faced with modern brick. Some of the windows have old metal casements.

Condition—Poor.

^c(8). The Phœnix Inn, 330 yards W.N.W. of the church. The original filling is partly of wattle and daub, but the walls have been almost entirely re-faced with modern brick. The two chimney stacks are of 17th-century brick.

Condition—Good; much altered.

^c(9). Cottage, now four tenements, opposite to (4), is of two storeys and an attic, built partly of stone, partly of modern brick; the timber-framed walls have some plaster filling, and are on stone foundations. There are two original chimney stacks in the middle, only a few feet apart; the cottage was therefore probably originally two buildings, each with a chimney at one end, and subsequently connected to form one dwelling; a third chimney at the E. end is probably of late 17th-century date. Inside one of the tenements is an original oak door.

Condition—Fairly good.

^c(10). Cottage, facing N.E., on the W. side of the road from the vicarage to the modern school, 730 yards W.N.W. of the church. It has been re-faced with modern brick. The central chimney stack is of 17th-century brick.

Condition—Poor.

Main road (in the middle of the village),

N. side

^c(11). Cottage, W. of the modern school, ½ mile N.W. of the church, is of two storeys and an attic. The central chimney stack is original.

Condition—Fairly good.

S. side

^c(12). Cottage, now a builder's workshop, opposite to (11), facing E. The central chimney stack is of early 17th-century brick.

Condition—Poor.

^c(13). Cottage, now three tenements, 50 yards N.W. of (12). The plan is L-shaped, the wings projecting towards the N. and W. Half the W. wing was built apparently early in the 17th century, and is of one storey, with an original brick chimney at the E. end; the rest of the building was added probably late in the same century, and has two chimneys of late 17th-century brick.

Condition—Fairly good.

West End, S. side

^b(14). Cottage, now two tenements, about 1,000 yards W. by N. of the church, facing N.W. A modern addition at each end has made the plan of half-H shape. In front some of the window frames are original. One room has an open timber ceiling with stop-chamfered beams and joists.

Condition—Good.

^b(15). The Prince of Wales Inn, about 60 yards S.W. of (14), on the E. side of a road running towards the S. Some of the filling in the walls is of plaster, and the S.W. end is of brick. Inside the house is an open timber ceiling with rough beams and joists.

Condition—Good.

^b(16). House, about 50 yards S.W. of (15). The W. half was built probably late in the 16th century, the E. half late in the 17th century, and each has a chimney stack at the E. end. At the back are some old window frames. Interior:— In the W. half of the building the ceilings have heavy stop-chamfered beams; the beams in the E. half are rough.

Condition—Of W. half, which is inhabited, fairly good; of E. half, now used as storehouse and fowl-house, poor. The front is overgrown thickly with ivy.

^b(17). Farmhouse, now unoccupied, W. of (16). In front the brick filling in the wall is modern; at the back it is of late 17th-century red and black bricks. The W. end is partly weather-boarded.

Condition—Good.

N. side

^b(18). Cottages, a range, now seven tenements, 1⁵/8 miles W. by N. of the church. Some of the window frames are original. Of the four chimney stacks along the ridge of the roof, two are original, and a third is possibly also of the 17th century.

Condition—Fairly good.

^b(19). Cottage, formerly an inn, sets back from the road, 200 yards N.E. of (18), and is built of stone rubble. In front, over the doorway in the middle, is a small moulded brick panel with a pediment above it. At the E. end is an original chimney stack; at the W. end a stack possibly of later 17th-century date. Inside the building are chamfered ceiling-beams with moulded stops; and fixed against a wall is the shaped standard of an old oak settle.

Condition—Fairly good.

North End, S.E. side

^c(20). Cottage, about 150 yards N. of the modern school. In front, over the doorway, is a moulded tablet under a pediment. At the back, on the ground floor, is a small oriel window with a moulded lintel of wood and brick. The chimney stack is of old thin bricks, restored.

Condition—Good.

^c(21). Cottage, now four tenements, 50 yards N.E. of (20). The northernmost tenement has been re-faced with brick. Two of the chimneys are of 17th-century brick, restored, and some of the windows retain old metal casements.

Condition—Fairly good.

^c(22). Cottage, 100 yards N.E. of (21), is of two storeys and an attic. The timber-framing has heavy corner posts with diagonal braces, and is painted black. At the S. end is a half-hipped gable; at the N. end a chimney stack of thin bricks. Some of the windows are old. Interior:— On the ground floor there are open timber ceilings.

Condition—Good.

^c(23). Cottage, adjoining (22), is of one storey and an attic. At the N. end is a modern weather-boarded extension. Some of the windows are old. The chimney stack of (22) also serves this cottage.

Condition—Good.

N.W. side

^c(24). Cottage, opposite to (21). Some of the windows are old.

Condition—N. part of the building in disrepair, rest fairly good.

^c(25). Cottage, about 50 yards N.E. of (24). Some of the windows are old, and at the S. end is a chimney stack of 17th-century brick. At the N. end is a modern addition.

Condition—Fairly good.

^c(26). Cottage, about 80 yards N.E. of (25). The plan is L-shaped, the internal angle facing E. One wall has been entirely re-faced with modern brick. Some of the windows and three chimney stacks are old.

Condition—Fairly good.

^a(27). Lower Kingsbridge Farm, about 1¼ miles N. of the church. At the E. end of the house is an addition constructed of weather-boarding, and there are modern buildings at the back.

Condition—Fairly good.

Unclassified

^c(28). Entrenchment, in the grounds of Camp House, about 200 yards W. of the church, possibly thrown up in the 17th century, during the Civil War. The work now consists of two lines of entrenchment at right angles to each other, the ground falling, sharply away towards the S.

Condition—Much denuded.