Stewkley

198. STEWKLEY.

(O.S. 6 in. ^(a)xix. S.E. ^(b)xx. S.W. ^(c)xxiii. N.E. ^(d)xxiv. N.W.)

Ecclesiastical

^b(1). Parish Church of St. Michael, in the middle of the village, is built of limestone rubble mixed with local iron limestone, and entirely coated with Roman cement, except the E. wall of the chancel and the W. wall of the nave; the dressings are of stone; the roofs are tiled. The Chancel, Central Tower and Nave were built c. 1160, and the only additions to the structure are the late 14th-century pinnacles, parapet and stair-turret of the tower, some modern buttresses at the angles of the chancel, and the modern South Porch and South Vestry. The vaulting of the chancel was re-built, except the 12th-century ribs, in 1844, and the whole church, including the roofs, was considerably restored in 1862.

The building is exceptionally interesting as a complete example of a 12th-century church, and contains good moulding and carving of that date. Among the fittings are some alabaster figures, probably part of a 15th-century reredos.

Architectural Description—All the detail, except where otherwise mentioned, is of c. 1160. The Chancel (19½ ft. by 19 ft.) has, on the N. and S. walls under the eaves, a corbel table with square stone corbels, and below the windows an external string-course with zig-zag ornament. The E. window is a single round-headed light, internally with splayed jambs and rear arch of two continuous cheveron-moulded orders; externally the head is of two similar orders, and the jambs have attached shafts with scalloped capitals, and grooved and chamfered abaci; one order of the window is continued on each side to form a round-headed recess with shafts similar to those of the window. In the N. wall is a single round-headed light, externally of one cheveron-moulded order, and internally of two orders, similar to those of the E. window. In the S. wall is a window resembling that in the N. wall; further W. is a doorway, formerly external, now opening into the vestry, with chamfered jambs and round head; the stonework on the S. side is probably of the 13th century, and on the N. side is modern. On each wall, under the windows, is an internal string-course with double indented ornament. The vaulting is of one bay and of modern brick, except the original chamfered diagonal ribs of stone, enriched with lozenge-shaped ornament, and the corner shafts, also of stone, with moulded bases, somewhat decayed, and scalloped capitals of various designs, which have grooved and chamfered abaci. The Central Tower (19½ ft. by 18½ ft.) is of two stages, with a N.E. stair-turret and a late 14th-century parapet, which has, at the corners, square pinnacles with trefoiled panelled sides and gabled heads with tapering crocketed finials; under the parapet is a string-course with grotesque gargoyles at the angles, and between them on each wall a gargoyle representing one of the symbols of the Evangelists; they are all coated with cement, but are probably of late 14th or early 15th-century date. Below the windows of the ground stage is an external string-course with zig-zag ornament continued from the chancel. The E. arch of the tower is semi-circular and of two moulded orders on the W. side, the inner order with beak-head and cats-head ornament, the outer order with hollow cheveronmoulding and a label with zig-zag ornament; the jambs are of two square orders on the W. side, and have in the angles two detached shafts with scalloped and foliated capitals which have chamfered abaci; the bases are moulded and much worn. The W. arch is similar to the other, but on the E. side is of two plain orders and has a label enriched with zig-zag ornament; on the W. side the label has beak-head stops. In the N. wall is a window similar to the N. and S. windows of the chancel, and at the E. end of the wall, opening into the stair-turret, is a doorway with a segmental head, of uncertain date; an upper doorway, which probably opened into the rood-loft, has a two-centred head, and is of late 14th-century date; the stairs have oak treads. In the S. wall is a window similar to that in the N. wall. The ringing-chamber has, in the E. wall, opening into the space above the vaulted ceiling of the chancel, a doorway with a round head, which has grooves worn by bell-ropes, indicating that some of the bells were rung formerly from the W. end of the chancel: above the W. arch of the tower, opening into the nave, is a similar doorway. The bell-chamber has, in each wall, an opening with a round head, set in the middle of an external arcade of seven bays with interlacing semi-circular arches, cheveronmoulded, and carried on attached shafts, which have cushion capitals with square abaci; the moulding and abaci are continued round the angles: below the arcading is a plain string-course. The Nave (48 ft. by 22 ft.) has, on the N. and S. walls, under the eaves, a corbel table similar to that of the chancel; on the N. wall the easternmost corbel, and on the S. wall three of the corbels are carved with heads. Under the windows, and over the doorways, is an external string-course with zig-zag ornament, continued from the tower, and carried round the W. wall; the internal string-course is similar to that of the chancel. In the N. wall are two windows similar to those of the chancel, but the inner order of the rear arches is plain; W. of the second window is the N. doorway, with a round head of two cheveron-moulded orders and a segmental arched tympanum; the outer order has detached shafts, the E. capital is carved with a grotesque head and foilage, and the W. capital is scalloped; the grooved and chamfered abaci are continued across the inner order, and the W. abacus has zig-zag ornament; the bases are moulded; the label has an unusual form of stepped dentil ornament, and stops carved as small beasts, much defaced. In the S. wall are two windows resembling those in the N. wall, and the S. doorway is similar to the N. doorway, but the label has pellet ornament, and the carving of the capitals is slightly different; the bases are much worn. In the W. wall, flanked on each side externally by a narrow blind arch, is a doorway with a round head, of three cheveron-moulded orders, the innermost continuous: the middle order has original shafts; the N. shaft has roll and bead cable ornament, and a capital carved with a head and foliage; the S. shaft has roll and ring-pellet cable ornament, much restored, and a scalloped capital; the abaci are moulded: the outermost order has modern shafts, with original capitals, somewhat defaced; the N. capital is carved with beasts and interlacing ornament, the S. capital is scalloped; the capitals and abaci are of one stone carried across the adjoining shafts of the flanking arches: the tympanum of the doorway is unusual, if not unique (see Plate, p. 14); it has a long central keystone, with a small semi-circular canted arch on each side of it; the face of the tympanum, above the arches, is carved with winged monsters and foliage, slightly defaced; the moulded label is continued over the flanking arches which are semi-circular and each of one cheveronmoulded order, with plain shafts; the N. capital of the N. arch is carved with a small grotesque head and foliage; the S. capital of the S. arch has a plain cushion capital: above the doorway is a window similar to the others in the nave: the head of the gable, with a small window in it, is modern. The Roof of the tower is probably of late 14th or early 15th-century date. On the E. and W. walls of the tower are traces of the weathering of the former low-pitched roofs of the chancel and nave.

Fittings—Bells: five and sanctus; 1st, by Richard Chandler, 1636; 3rd, by Anthony Chandler, 1661; sanctus by Chandler, 1686. Font: plain, tapering circular bowl, of limestone, date uncertain, probably 12th or 13th-century. Locker: In chancel—in N. wall, long, narrow, probably mediæval, door modern. Monuments and Floor-slabs. Floor-slab: In chancel—on N. side, of stone with long incised cross, stepped base, foliated head, probably 13th-century. Painting: In tower—on soffit of W. arch, small patch of foliage. Piscina (see Plate, p. 39): In chancel—with chamfered jambs and two-centred head, moulded, re-cut label, 13th-century; small corbel head set in back of recess. Plate: includes cup of 1654, dated 1671. Sedile (see Plate, p. 39): In chancel— bench with standard at W. end, stone, probably 13th-century. Tiles: In chancel—now set in N. wall, five, encaustic, probably 15th-century. Miscellanea: In chancel—on N. wall, figures, alabaster, probably part of a reredos:—(1), of the Virgin and Child, the Virgin holds a sceptre (broken), and is crowned, hair and crown gilded, traces of colour and gilding on dress, the Child, now headless, holds a bird (?), also headless, on each side a censing angel, one censer broken off; background of gilded diaper ornament: (2) upper half of figure probably of St. Joseph, holding staff (now broken) and scroll, purse suspended from shoulder-strap, hair and beard gilded, traces of colour and gilding on sleeve; all probably 15th-century. On E. jamb of S. doorway, three sundials, incised.

Condition—Good, but disfigured by cement.

Secular

Homestead Moats (2–3)

^b(2). 200 yards S.W. of the parish church, is situated on the side of a hill and has a retaining bank on the S.W. side.

^a(3). 1¼ miles N.W. of the parish church.

^c(4). Littlecote Farm, house and fish-ponds, about 1¾ miles S.W. of the church. The House is of two storeys and a basement. The walls are of brick, much covered with rough-cast; the roofs are tiled. The plan is L-shaped, with the wings projecting towards the N. and E.; the N. wing was built c. 1680, apparently as a coach-house or stable; the E. wing is said to be modern, but has some 17th-century brickwork in a projecting chimney stack at the E. end. The E. wall of the N. wing is covered with rough-cast; the other walls of the wing are, in the lower storey, of late 17th-century brick with some blue burnt headers, in the upper storey of brick of later date. The E. and W. walls of the upper storey have each three windows of late 17th or early 18th-century date.

The garden on the N.E. side of the house is enclosed on three sides by a high wall of late 17th-century brick; in the E. wall is a doorway with a contemporary door of six raised panels with moulded framing.

The two Fish-ponds are S. of the garden.

Condition—Of house, good; of fish-ponds, fairly good.

Monuments (5–30)

These buildings form a group typical of many of the villages in N. Buckinghamshire; they are almost all of late 16th or early 17th-century date, and of two storeys, with the upper storey partly in the roof; the walls generally are timber-framed, with brick or plaster filling: in many of the buildings the timber-framing is whitewashed, and most of them have been restored and partly re-built. The roofs are thatched or tiled. The plans are usually rectangular.

The Wing road, W. side

^b(5). Cottage, formerly two, now four tenements, 220 yards S. of the parish church. At each end is a modern addition.

Condition—Poor.

^b(6). Dovecote Farm, 50 yards S. of (5). Most of the building is modern, but one wing is probably part of a house built late in the 16th century on an H-shaped plan.

The original wing is a good example of timber and brick work of the period (see Plate, p. 280).

The timber-framing has closely-spaced studs without braces, and the brick filling is set in herring-bone pattern. The upper storey projects on the E. and N. sides; the beams supporting the first floor form brackets; they run both ways and are framed into a large diagonal joist, which projects at the angle and rests on a curved bracket with a roughly moulded base.

Condition—Good; partly re-built.

^b(7). The Manor Farm, house and dove-cot, 130 yards S. of (6). The House was built probably in the second half of the 16th century, much altered in the 18th century, and is now covered with plaster and rough-cast. The plan is T-shaped; the transverse wing is at the N. end of the main wing, and has two small projecting wings on the N. side, and a modern extension at the W. end. On the ground floor the main wing contains, at the N. end, the entrance hall, and at the S. end a parlour, with a staircase in the thickness of the chimney stack; the transverse wing contains the kitchen and another room, and the small N. wings contain each one room. Elevations:—The wings have gabled ends, with plain tiled verges; at the angles of the walls slight projections of plaster form rough pilasters. The chimney stacks are original; that in the main wing has a plain square plinth and two square shafts with V-shaped pilasters and over-sailing courses at the top; the stack in the transverse wing has a square plinth and three square shafts set diagonally, with oversailing courses at the top. Interior:—In the ceiling of the kitchen are some moulded crossway beams.

The Dove-cot. about 5 yards S.W. of the house, is octagonal, built of brick in Flemish bond with a diamond pattern in black headers. The pyramidal roof is tiled, and has a modern blind lantern and a dormer window; the cornice of the plinth and the string-course are of moulded brick; at the angles are small pilasters; the doorway has a segmental head, and over it is a small panel, of stone or plaster, with the initials and date 'G^HA1704' on it. in a moulded brick frame.

Condition—Good, much altered; the shafts of the chimney stack in the main wing lean towards the S., but are apparently sound.

^d(8). Cottage, 80 yards S. of (7). The E. end faces the road; the central chimney stack is original.

Condition—Fairly good.

^d(9). Cottage, S. of (8). The E. end faces the road; at the W. end is an 18th-century addition; and on the N. and S. sides there are modern additions. The E. end has been almost entirely re-faced with modern brick. In the S. wall the brick filling is of the 18th century.

Condition—Fairly good.

^d(10). Cottages, possibly formerly outbuildings, now several tenements, facing a courtyard at the back of (9). The plan consists of a rectangular range and a small wing at the N. end of the front, extending towards the E. Only a little of the original timber-framing remains.

Condition—Fairly good.

^d(11). Cottage, 100 yards S. of (8). Some of the original brick filling, in herring-bone pattern, remains in the walls. A modern shop has been built on to the front.

Condition—Poor.

^d(12). Cottage and Outhouse, 90 yards S. of (11). The cottage retains the heavy framing of naturally curved timbers in part of the S. wall and in the E. gable; the chimney stack is probably of 17th-century brick. The outhouse is entirely timber-framed.

Condition—Fairly good.

^d(13). Cottage, now three tenements and a shop, 60 yards S. of (12). The S. front faces an alley and has two bays of the original timber-framing with curved braces; a third bay, at the E. end, also has old timber-framing at the base of a modern gable covered with cement; the E. end of the front and the E. wall, facing the main road, are of modern brick.

Condition—Fairly good.

^d(14). Cottages (see Plate, p. 257), a range of three, 60 yards S. of (13). The original timber-framing is almost complete; it is constructed in bays with heavy posts and lighter intermediate struts; one post has diagonal braces; in the half-hipped gable at the S. end is a heavy tie-beam with an irregular natural camber.

Condition—At time of visit, poor; now entirely re-built.

^d(15). Cottage, 60 yards S. of (14). At the S. end of the E. front the wall is partly of stone rubble; the filling in the rest of the walling is modern. The chimney stack at the S. end is probably old. The windows are boarded up.

Condition—Uninhabited and dilapidated.

^d(16). Barn, 40 yards S. of (15), retains a few old timbers; the E. wall is partly of stone.

Condition—Poor.

E. side

^d(17). Cottage, opposite to (14), has been almost entirely re-built or re-faced.

Condition—Poor.

The Dunton road, N. side

^d(18). Cottage, ½ mile S. of the parish church and 60 yards W. of the Wing road. A little of the original brick filling, in herring-bone pattern, remains in the walls. The plan is of the central chimney type.

Condition—Fairly good, much re-built.

^d(19). Cottage, W. of (18). The upper storey retains the original timber-framing and brick filling in herring-bone pattern; the lower storey is of 18th-century brick, and the doors and windows are of the 18th century.

Condition—Good, much re-built.

^d(20). Cottages, a range of four, about 60 yards W. of (19). The walls are constructed in bays with plain rectangular timber-framing, replaced at the W. end by rubble walling and patches of brick of a later date. Some old metal casements remain; the chimney stacks are original.

Condition—Poor.

The Drayton Parslow road, W. side

^b(21). Cottages and Shops, a group, opposite to the Bull Inn, 80 yards N.W. of the parish church. The plan is L-shaped, the wings extending towards the N. and W. The walls are much plastered and whitewashed. The timber-framing in the E. front has closely-set studs and two remaining braces. The windows have old metal casements. The chimney stacks are original.

Condition—Fairly good.

^b(22). Farmhouse, 320 yards N. of (21), is of modified central chimney type, and stands on the N. side of a large farmyard; the other sides are enclosed by outbuildings. The brick filling at the E. end of the house is original, set in herringbone pattern. The windows retain some old casements, and the chimney stacks are original.

Condition—Fairly good.

^b(23). Cottage, 70 yards N. of (22).

Condition—Good, much restored.

^b(24). Cottage (see Plate, p. 257), about 70 yards N.W. of (23), stands back from the road. The timber-framing is closely spaced, and almost all the brick filling is original, and set in herring-bone pattern; at the E. end is an addition built of modern brick. The original plan is of the central chimney type, with a lobby on the S. side, in the thickness of the chimney stack. The present parlour, at the W. end, was probably originally the kitchen; the staircase is on the N. side of the chimney stack.

Condition—Fairly good.

^b(25). Cottage, 700 yards N.W. of the parish church. The N. front retains the original heavy timber-framing, and has a half-hipped gable.

Condition—Good.

E. side

^b(26). Cottage, near the Cricketers' Inn, 630 yards N. of the parish church, is similar to (24), but the lower storey has been re-faced or under-built with brick, the main posts of the timber-framing are braced, and the original filling is of plain brick. The windows have metal casements, and the chimney stack is original.

Condition—Fairly good.

^b(27). Cottage, 420 yards S. of (26). Only the ends retain the original timber-framing with some brick filling in herring-bone pattern.

Condition—Good, much altered.

^b(28–29). Cottages, two, both now several tenements, one on the S. side of (27), the other 50 yards further S. The timber-framing remains only at one end of each building.

Condition—Good, much altered.

^b(30). Cottage, 60 yards S. of (29). Some of the brick filling in the walls is original, and set in herring-bone pattern. A modern wing, with a shop, has been added on the W. front.

Condition—Good.