Aldenham

4. ALDENHAM.

(O.S. 6 in. ^(a)xxxix. S.E. ^(b)xliv. N.E.)

Roman

^a(1). Kilns, two at Radlett, found 1898 in a sand pit, on the E. side of Loom Lane.

Condition—Nothing above ground; built over.

^b(2). Building Material, found 1878 in making a bath, on the N. side of the grammar school on Boyden's Hill. (See also Sarratt.)

Ecclesiastical

^a(3). Parish Church of St. John the Baptist, in the centre of the village, is built of flint with ashlar dressings; the roofs are covered with tiles and with lead. The W. window of the South Aisle is the only evidence left of a 12th-century church, to which a West Tower was added early in the 13th century. A little later the Chancel was re-built and the South Chapel added to it, both being lengthened to the E. c. 1300. The S. arcade of the Nave and the greater part of the S. aisle were re-built c. 1340, and the North Aisle and N. arcade c. 1440. Late in the 15th century the upper part of the tower and the nave clearstorey were added, the tower arch was re-built and the nave re-roofed. The chancel was widened to the N. early in the 16th century, and the North Vestry was built c. 1530.

The church is of great interest on account of the varied dates of its development. The plan is unusual, as the widening of the chancel has thrown it out of centre with the nave.

Architectural Description—The Chancel (45½ ft. by 23½ ft.) has a modern E. window; in the N. wall is a 16th-century arcade of two bays with arches of two hollow-chamfered orders and octagonal capitals, pillars and bases; near the E. end is a two-light window of c. 1300, partly blocked. In the S. wall is a similar window, now of one light only; W. of it is a doorway, and an arcade of three bays with arches of two hollow-chamfered orders, and octagonal shafts with moulded capitals and bases; two bays are of c. 1260, and the third of c. 1300. Over the doorway is part of a 13th-century lancet window. The South Chapel (30½ ft. by 10 ft.) has an E. window of three lights with tracery, of c. 1300; in the S. wall are two 13th-century lancet windows and a two-light window of c. 1300. The Nave (60 ft. by 14 ft.) has a S. arcade of four bays with arches of two chamfered orders, and octagonal shafts with carved capitals, of c. 1340. The 15th-century N. arcade is a copy of the other, but with slightly different details. The clearstorey has windows of two lights with square heads. The North Aisle (19½ ft. wide) has three N. windows of two lights each, of c. 1450, and a 16th-century W. window of three lights. The South Aisle (9½ ft. wide) has a small 12th-century W. window, much restored, and three S. windows of two lights each, of c. 1340. The doorways in both aisles are modern restorations. The Tower is of three stages, with embattled parapet and small shingled spire. The windows of the ground stage are of early 13th-century date; the tower arch and the upper windows are of the 15th century. The Roofs of the nave and aisles are also of the 15th century, and the roof of the nave retains much of its original painted decoration.

Note.—The plan is reproduced by permission of the Victoria County Histories.

Fittings—Bells: eight and a sanctus; tenor 1683, sanctus 1647. Brasses and Indents: in the chancel, of Lucas Goodyere, late 16th-century, with inscription: to Nicholas Chowne, 1569, inscription and arms only: of Edward Brisko, 1608, and his wife, with inscription: of a man and his wife, two sons and six daughters, 16th-century, no inscription: in the S. chapel, of Jane Warner, a child and part of inscription, 16th-century: of a civilian (head missing), his two wives and two children, early 16th-century, no inscription: of a civilian and his wife, early 16th-century, no inscription: of a woman, without inscription, 16th-century: indents of a man, his wife and children, 16th-century; with brasses of two other wives, imperfect, one without a head and the other without feet: of a civilian, the head missing, 16th-century, no inscription: indents of a figure, three shields and a scroll: in the nave, a shield with the arms of Stepney and indents of a knight and another shield: indents of a man, wife and inscription, much worn: in the vestry, two pieces of a brass with part of an inscription of 1538, said to be to John Long and his wife, palimpsest, on a 15th-century plate. There are other indents in the S. chapel and N. aisle. Chest: in the tower, large, iron-bound. Communion Table: now in the vestry, 17th-century. Font: of Purbeck marble, with a square bowl on a central stem and four shafts, 13th-century. Monuments and Floor Slabs: in the S. chapel, late 14th-century monument, consisting of two canopied altar tombs, each with the effigy of a lady; the arms and quarterings of Crowmer carved in the panelled front have been damaged by restoration: on the E. tomb, in front, (1) Crowmer, (2) a fesse on which three roses between six crosslets fitchy, (3) roughly incised cross, probably modern; on the W. tomb, in front, (1) a fesse between three saltires engrailed, (2) the same quartered with the second coat on the other tomb, (3) as (1) but with a label bearing crosslets fitchy; in the E. spandrel of canopy, coats (1) and (2) of the E. tomb, quarterly; in the W. spandrel, coat (1) of the W. tomb: in the same chapel, coffin lid with cross and inscription, defaced, 14th-century: in the N. aisle floor slab of John Robinson, 1674, with incised figure and inscription. Piscinae: in S. wall of chancel, modern, with old drain; further W., 13th-century recess without basin. Plate: includes cup of 1565, and another of 1635. Screen: at the W. end of the S. chapel, 15th-century, wood, made up with modern work; traces of painted decoration on the old part. Miscellanea: in the vestry, four oak shutters, probably 16th-century.

Condition—Good throughout.

Secular

^a(4). Homestead Moat, W. of Batler's Green.

^a(5). House, at Batler's Green, one mile E. of Aldenham village, was built c. 1560, of plastered timber and brick, but has been much enlarged and altered in the 18th and 19th centuries; the roof is tiled. The original plan is untraceable; the 16th-century part of the house is now L-shaped, the long wing facing E. and the short wing N. The wall at the N. end of the E. front is of brick, the rest being of timber with pargetting in large panels, much restored; some original brickwork remains on the S. and W. sides of the short wing. There are two gables on the E. front, with 16th-century barge-boards, one of a pierced guilloche pattern. Only one small window, high up in the N. wall, is original, and has moulded oak mullions and jambs; the oriel window of the hall, and the other windows of the 16th-century house have modern casements. The large central chimney retains its original base. In the hall, now enlarged, is a fireplace with a segmental brick arch of two orders; there is a similar fireplace in the W. part of the hall, formerly a separate room; a part of the ceiling is of open timber work with massive moulded beams and joists; the walls are panelled in oak up to the white plaster frieze. At the S. end of the main block are two more rooms; in one is a fireplace resembling those in the hall, and there is some oak panelling in a small room on the N. The room at the S. end of the house is said to have been formerly a granary, and contains a modern staircase, in which some old timberbraces have been used as balusters. Some of the walls on the first floor have exposed timbers, and in one room is a fireplace similar to those in the hall. In the grounds, S.E. of the house, is a large brick and timber out-building, possibly also of the 16th century.

Condition—Good throughout; the old work is carefully preserved.

^b(6). Aldenham House stands in a park about 2¼ miles S.E. of Aldenham, and 1 mile N.W. of Elstree village. It was practically re-built in the 18th century, and enlarged in the 19th century. The following 17th-century fittings remain: in the Entrance Hall, panelling, now grained and varnished to imitate new oak. In the Pine Room on the mezzanine floor, a carved and panelled oak overmantel from Elstree Hall (now demolished): in a passage on the same floor, a dado of oak panelling: in the West Room on the first floor, another 17th-century overmantel, also from Elstree Hall; the stonework of the fireplace bears the date 1529, but the detail of the carving is at least a hundred years later. In the Pillar Room on the same floor, a piece of 17th-century carved panelling is used as an overmantel.

Condition—Good.

^b(7). Delrow House, in the hamlet of Delrow, about a mile S. of Aldenham Church, is a two-storeyed building of plastered brick; the roofs are tiled and gabled; the plan is L-shaped. A house was built here by William Hutchinson in 1666, and a rain-water head bears that date.

Condition—Good.

^b(8). Cottage, opposite Delrow House, of late 16th-century date, appears to have been originally part of a large building. It is of two storeys, the upper projecting. The walls are of closely-spaced vertical timbers and plaster; the roof is tiled. At the back is a large brick chimney stack with two shafts, on the S.E. side is an oriel window, and on the S.W. front an original door.

Condition—Good.