Tendring

83. TENDRING. (F.c.)

(O.S. 6 in. xxix. S.W.)

Tendring is a parish about 9 m. S.W. of Harwich. The church is the principal monument.

Ecclesiastical

(1). Parish Church of St. Edmund stands about the middle of the parish. The walls are of stone and flint-rubble, largely covered with plaster; the dressings are of limestone and the roofs are tiled. The Chancel was built about the middle of the 13th century. The Nave was rebuilt probably c. 1300 and the North Porch and a bellturret added about the middle of the 14th century. The church has been drastically restored in modern times when the South Chapel and Aisle and the West Tower were added and the E. wall rebuilt.

Architectural Description—The Chancel (28½ ft. by 17½ ft.) has three modern windows in the E. wall. In the N. wall are two mid to late 13th-century lancet-windows, the western being partly restored. In the S. wall is a modern window and an archway, also modern. The chancel-arch is modern.

The Nave (48¾ ft. by 21¼ ft.) has in the N. wall two windows; the eastern is of c. 1300, partly restored and of two trefoiled lights with a trefoil in a two-centred head; the western window is modern except for some stones in the splays and rear-arch; further W. is the N. doorway, all modern except the 14th-century splays. In the S. wall is a modern arcade and further W. is the 14th-century S. doorway with re-cut chamfered jambs and two-centred arch.

The North Porch (Plate, p. xxxvi) is timber-framed and of mid 14th-century date. The outer archway has a moulded two-centred head and is flanked by two open lights with trefoiled ogee heads and tracery (one restored). The side walls have each six open lights with cinquefoiled ogee heads, cusped spandrels and modern mullions.

The Roof of the nave has, above the two doorways, a 14th-century hammer-beam truss with curved braces under the hammer-beams springing from framed timber arches (Plate, p. xxxvi), enclosing the doorways; the framing is moulded and the spandrels have traceried panelling; the truss supported a former bell-turret. The 14th-century roof of the N. porch has foiled bargeboards, a cambered tie-beam and moulded wallplates.

Fittings—Font: octagonal bowl with panelled sides carved with foliage or pomegranates and four with blank shields, moulded lower edge with scroll ornament, stem with cinquefoil-headed panels, moulded base, early 16th-century. Glass: In nave—in N.E. window, a rose and fleurs-de-lis, 14th-century. Monument: In chancel—on S. wall, of Edmund Saunder, 1615, alabaster wall-monument with kneeling figure of man in civil dress, at prayer-desk, all within a round-headed recess with flanking pilasters, cornice and defaced shield of arms. Piscina: In chancel—with chamfered jambs, 13th-century, head modern. Plate: includes cup of 1567. Miscellanea: In rectory garden—remains of window jambs and mullions, etc.

Condition—Good, much altered.

Secular

(2). Tendring Hall, 200 yards N.W. of the church, is of two storeys with attics, timber-framed and plastered; the roofs are tiled. It was built probably late in the 17th century on an H-shaped plan with the cross-wings at the N. and S. ends. Inside the building are some exposed ceiling-beams and an original door.

Condition—Good, much altered.

(3). Church Farm, house, about 1,000 yards N.N.E. of the church, is of two storeys, timberframed and plastered; the roofs are tiled. It was built early in the 16th century, but only the W. cross-wing of the original building remains. The upper storey projects on the W. and N. sides with projecting joists and a moulded plate beneath them; the angle-post forms a pilaster with a moulded and enriched capping and a curved diagonal bracket. In the N. wall is a bay-window of c. 1600, of five lights with moulded mullions. Inside the building are original ceiling-beams, one moulded, and a cambered tie-beam with braces.

Condition—Good.

(4). Fisher's Farm, house, nearly 1½ m. S.W. of the church, is of two storeys, timber-framed and plastered; the roofs are tiled. It was built probably in the 16th century and has a projecting upper storey on the S. side. The W. chimney-stack has two attached shafts.

Condition—Good.

Tey, see Great Tey and Little Tey.