Upminster

95. UPMINSTER. (B.d.)

(O.S. 6 in. ^(a)lxvii. S.W. ^(b)lxxv. N.W. ^(c)lxxv. S.W.)

Upminster is a parish and village about 2½ m. S.E. of Romford. The principal monuments are the church, Upminster Hall and Great Tomkyns.

Ecclesiastical

^b(1). Parish Church of St. Laurence stands in the village. The walls are of mixed rubble with limestone dressings; the roofs are covered with lead and slates. The West Tower is of c. 1200; the bell-chamber is probably of rather later date. The N. arcade of the Nave is of early 14th-century date. A N. chapel was added in the 15th century. The church was much altered in 1771, and again in 1862, when the Chancel, North Chapel, North Aisle and South Porch were practically re-built, except perhaps the core of some of the walls; at the same time the S. wall of the nave was refaced or re-built.

Architectural Description—The Chancel (26 ft. by 16 ft.) and North Chapel (22½ ft. by 19 ft.) have no ancient features.

The Nave (36¾ ft. by 18½ ft.) has a 14th-century N. arcade of three bays with two-centred arches of two chamfered orders; the columns are of quatrefoil plan with moulded capitals and bases; the W. respond has an attached half-column; the E. respond is modern and the easternmost arch has been widened. The other details of the nave are modern.

The North Aisle (17¾ ft. wide) has no ancient features.

The West Tower (19½ ft. by 15½ ft.) is of three stages, with clasping buttresses to the ground-stage and a pyramidal roof surmounted by a small timber lantern and spire (Plate, pp. xxxii–iii). The two lower stages are of early 13th-century date, and the top stage was added rather later. The two - centred tower - arch is of two chamfered orders with chamfered imposts and bases to the responds. The N. and S. walls have each a single light lancet-window, that on the N. being blocked and having below it a modern doorway; E. of this is an original doorway, to the stair-turret, with a round head. In the W. wall is a window of two trefoiled lights with tracery in a two-centred head, all modern externally. The floor of the stage above is supported on a heavy beam resting on two chamfered posts with moulded bases and other oak framework, all of the 15th century. The N., S. and W. walls of the second stage have each a lancet-window, restored externally. The bell-chamber has in each wall a window of two lights, all modern externally, but with old splays and rear-arch and a semi-circular relieving-arch on the external face. All these windows have relieving-arches.

Fittings—Bells: three; 1st by John Kebyll, late 15th-century and inscribed "Sancte Gabrile Ora Pro Nobis"; 2nd by Robert Mot, 1583; 3rd probably by Richard Holdfeld, and dated 1602. Brasses: In N. aisle—on N. wall, (1) to Hamlett Clarke and Alice, his second wife, 1636, widow of William Lathum, inscription only; (2) of [Elizabeth (de la Felde), wife of Roger Dencourt, 1455] figure of woman in horned head-dress with mantle, etc., dog at feet; (3) of Geerardt D'Ewes, 1591, figure of man in plate-armour with restored inscription-plate; (4) of Grace, daughter of William Latham, 1626, figure of woman in costume of period; on W. wall, (5) figure of man in civil dress, of c. 1530, with fur-lined gown, etc., palimpsest on back, part of figure of bishop or abbot, 15th-century; (6) to John Stanley, 1626, inscription only. In N. aisle—on E. wall, (7) of Nicholas Wayte, 1542, and Ellyn (Dencort), his wife, figures of man in fur-lined gown and woman with pedimental head-dress, palimpsest on back of both effigies, parts of large figure of bishop or abbot, Flemish work of c. 1480, palimpsest on inscription part of another inscription; (8) figure of woman, c. 1560, holding a book. Chair: In chancel— with late 17th or early 18th-century panelled back and seat, rest modern. Doors: In tower— in lower doorway to turret staircase, panelled door, probably 15th or 16th-century, with early 13th-century ornamental hinge refixed; in doorway to second stage, with hollow-chamfered frame and fillets and strap-hinges, 15th-century. Font: octagonal bowl with moulded edges, each side with quatre-foiled panel enclosing a foliated boss, stem with trefoil-headed panels, moulded base, late 15th-century. Glass: In N. chapel—in N.E. window, collection of glass, mostly of 1630, the date occurring in both lights, consisting of helms with crests of Lathum and elaborate mantling, four shields-of-arms, including those of Dencourt and Engaine, other miscellaneous pieces, among them four enamel-painted quarries of the 17th century, made up with modern glass. Monuments and Floor-slabs. Monuments: In N. aisle—on N. wall, (1) to Elizabeth (Goodlad), wife of Thomas Dugdale, 1701, also to an infant daughter, 1701, and to Mary, 1674, William, 1678, and Abraham Goodlad, 1685, white marble tablet with shield-of-arms. In churchyard—E. of church, (2) to Joseph Bryan, 1695, head-stone; (3) to Mrs. Ann Collentt, 1710, head-stone. Plate: includes 17th-century cup, probably of 1608, an alms-dish of 1686 and a stand-paten of 1704. Screen: In W. arch of N. chapel—incorporates some fragments of late 15th or early 16th-century tracery. Stall front or desk: with shaped end and moulded rail and book-rest, one standard with remains of popey-head and carved and panelled front edge, other standard not rising above desk, early 16th-century.

Condition—Good, mostly re-built.

Secular

^b(2). Homestead Moat at New Place, 550 yards E. of the church.

^b(3). Upminster Hall, house (Plate, pp. xxxiv–v) and moat, 1,500 yards N.N.E. of the church. The house is of two storeys with attics; the walls are of plastered timber-framing and the roofs are tiled. It was built in the second half of the 16th century with a Hall and projecting cross-wings on the N. and S., a N.W. block was added in the 18th century; further extensions have since been made, the external walls refaced and the interior much altered. On the W. front the first floor of the wings and porch at the S. end of the Hall projects; the bressummer of the S. wing is moulded, and the porch gable has carved barge-boards and a carved and moulded pendant. The porch is entered through a four-centred arch, now cased in modern woodwork. On the E. front the projecting upper storey to the original N. wing has been partly under-built. The Hall chimney-stack has diagonal shafts on a rectangular base with a moulded capping, the N.W. stack has two similar shafts.

Inside the house some of the timber-framing is exposed, and in the Hall are some moulded beams. The roof of the N. wing has a queen-post truss with curved wind-braces to the side purlins, and in that over the Hall are some cambered tiebeams.

The Moat is fragmentary.

Condition—Of house, good.

^a(4). Great Tomkyns, house (Plate, p. xxxiv) and barn, about 2 m. N.N.E. of the church. The House is of two storeys, timber-framed and plastered; the roofs are tiled. It was built in the 15th century on a rough half H-shaped plan with the wings projecting to the N. Modern alterations include an addition between the wings, an extension of the W. wing and the gallery re-built at the E. end of the Hall. Except on the N. front the timber-framing is exposed.

On the S. Elevation the upper storey of the crosswings projects. There is an original window of four lights with flat mullions on the W. side of the entrance doorway, and in the E. wall is a similar window of two lights. An original first-floor window at the S. end of the W. front is of five lights with moulded frame, transom and mullions.

Interior—The Hall is open to the roof, and has in the E. wall (Plate, p. 65) two doorways with moulded frames, one of which retains its original four-centred arch, the timber - framing in the walls of the ground-floor rooms and in some of those on the first floor is exposed; some of the rooms have exposed ceiling-beams. Over the E. wing the roof is in four bays and has two cambered tie-beams with curved braces; all of unusually heavy timbers. The tie-beams of the roof over the W. wing have shaped wall-posts supporting them and curved braces which form flat two-centred arches.

The Barn, S. of the house, is of 17th-century date, and is built of weather-boarded timber-framing and has a thatched roof. The roof is in three bays with braced ties and purlins (Plate, p. xli).

Condition—Of house, good.

Monuments (5–12).

The following buildings, unless otherwise described are of the 17th century, and of two storeys, timber-framed and covered with plaster; the roofs are tiled or thatched. Many of the buildings have exposed ceiling-beams and original chimneystacks.

Condition—Good or fairly good.

^b(5). High House, 100 yards S.E. of the church, is of two storeys with attics. It was built late in the 16th century on a rectangular plan and has large modern additions at the back and sides. The W. front has a projecting porch of three storeys, carried on four columns having moulded capitals and modern cased bases, and has a modillioned pediment and cornice. At the eaves-level of the main building is a modillioned cornice which stops against the projecting porch, and above it the wall is carried up in three pointed gables. The central chimney-stack is original and has small V-shaped projections at the sides.

^b(6). Hoppy Hall, house, about 400 yards S. of the church, is of two storeys with attics. Inside the building are some fragments of early 17th-century panelling and two battened and one panelled door of the same period.

^b(7). Park Corner Farm, house, about 1 m. S.W. of the church, is of two storeys with attics. It was built in the 16th century; the house has since been extended on the N. and W., probably in the 18th century. The two 17th-century chimneystacks have diagonal shafts. Inside the building the roof is of collar-beam construction with curved wind-braces to the purlins.

^c(8). High House, at Corbet's Tye, now two tenements, nearly 1 m. S. by E. of the church, is of two storeys with attics. The original building has been considerably added to and altered. The central chimney-stack is original and has four diagonal shafts. In one of the ground-floor rooms is an elaborate mantelpiece of c. 1700. On either side of the fireplace two turned balusters support a frieze carved with cherubs' heads, dolphins, and figures; the overmantel is divided into three bays by twisted Corinthian columns; in the centre of each bay is a shaped panel, carved with a cherub's head.

^c(9). Cottage, 60 yards S.W. of (8). The walls are partly weather-boarded. The original chimney-stack has three diagonal shafts.

^c(10). House, now three tenements, 150 yards E. of (8). The middle block is possibly of 15th-century date, but the rest of the building is of the 18th-century. The N. front has a projecting upper storey supported by heavy carved brackets.

^c(11). Great Sunnings, house, 300 yards S.S.E. of (10), is of two storeys with attics. The W. end has a projecting upper storey carried on a moulded bressummer. The original central chimney-stack has six diagonal shafts on a square base. Inside the building, one room on the ground and three on the first floor are panelled in oak and have carved mantelpieces of c. 1600.

^c(12). Cottage at Chafford Heath, about ¾ m. S. of (10).