Royston

107. ROYSTON.

(O.S. 6 in. iv. N.E.)

Ecclesiastical

(1). Parish Church of St. John the Baptist and St. Thomas of Canterbury, stands on the S. side of Melbourn Street, near the middle of the town; it is built chiefly of clunch faced with flint rubble, and has modern stone dressings. The history of the church is unusual. The Nave and Aisles of the present building, built c. 1250, originally formed the quire and sanctuary, with their aisles, of a very large church of pre-Reformation date, belonging to the Augustinian Priory of Royston. The former rood-screen was one bay E. of the present tower, the stair-turret having been discovered opposite this point some years ago, and afterwards destroyed. The South Aisle of the quire was originally of two bays; at some uncertain period it was lengthened towards the E., and another bay added to the arcade. The West Tower was built, re-using old material in the tower arch, probably in the 16th century, and the westernmost bay of the S. arcade was inserted, also using old material, at the same time. The arcade in the North Aisle was re-built, except the middle pillar, in the 17th or 18th century. In the 19th century the church was much restored, the Chancel, Organ Chamber and Vestry were built, and the south aisle again lengthened towards the E., an additional bay being added to the S. arcade. The windows have almost all been renewed, and the appearance of the church outside is modern.

The church is of unusual interest on account of its former size and importance, its history and the excellence of the earlier details, especially the remains of the lancet windows. The 14th-century alabaster effigy is noticeable.

Architectural Description—The Chancel (34½ ft. by 22 ft.) is modern. The Nave (70½ ft. by 22 ft.) has remains of lancet windows of c. 1250 in the N. and S. walls at the E. end; there were originally three windows in each wall with clustered shafts in the jambs and richly moulded arches with dog tooth ornament: in the N. wall the easternmost window remains, though the bases and capitals have been restored; the other windows have disappeared: in the S. wall the heads of the three windows also remain, but the two easternmost are blocked, and the lower part of all three windows has been cut away to make room for the arcade of two bays inserted beneath them. Of this arcade the easternmost arch and middle pillar with its capital, etc., are modern; the second arch has a plain label and is of two orders, the outer of one hollow in a chamfer, and the inner of two; the details are of 14th-century character and may be re-used stones of that period: the next arcade is of c. 1250; it is of two bays, separated from the other arcade by a short length of wall, and has clustered responds and middle pier, with round shafts, pointed rolls, and moulded bases and capitals of c. 1250 the arches have moulded labels and are of two orders, the outer of a hollow in a chamfer and the inner of two hollow chamfers: a wider space of thinner wall divides this arcade from the westernmost arch, which has details of c. 1240, but was probably re-built later with the old material; the jambs have clustered shafts and rolls, with moulded capitals and plain bases; the arch is almost semi-circular and has undercut pointed rolls and a moulded label. The N. arcade is of four bays, and has pointed arches (only 1 ft. 6 in. thick) carried on two thin octagonal pillars and a middle pier of four half-round shafts with smaller intermediate rolls; all the capitals are alike and probably modern. Above the first N. pillar are two small lights, and over the S.W. arch is a modern window which lights the W. gallery. The North Aisle (58 ft. by 14½ ft.) has an E. window of three lights and four N. windows of two lights, all modern, except possibly the inner jambs of the second window from the E., which may be of the 15th century; it is inserted in the filling of an archway, possibly one of two bays which opened into a former N. chapel: the jambs of this archway have clustered shafts and rolls like those in the arcade, and moulded capitals of the 14th century; the capital of the W. jamb appears to belong to a whole detached pier rather than to a respond; the arch is of two orders, the inner hollow-chamfered, the outer with undercut rolls and filleted bowtells, possibly of the same date as the capitals, but characteristic of earlier work; the label is plain, splayed on both sides, and has a king's-head stop at the E. end. W. of this archway the wall sets back eight inches inside. The W. doorway is modern. The South Aisle (13½ ft. wide) has four S. windows in the older part, all apparently of modern stonework, but the two large lancets in the middle have inner edge rolls, and may be original windows restored, or copies of them. The small S. doorway, now blocked, and the W. doorway are modern. The West Tower (20½ ft. by 14 ft.) is of three stages with square angle buttresses and an embattled parapet, the angles surmounted by crocketted pinnacles; the wide tower arch has jambs with rudely moulded capitals of mid or late 16th-century date; in the arch there are re-used stones, similar in section to those of 14th-century style in the S. archway which cut into the lancet windows in the nave; the W. doorway is modern. W. of the church, and on a line with the S. wall, is the ruined wall of the former S. aisle of the original nave; in it are the remains of a doorway and a recess (see below). The Roof of the nave is of low pitch and has moulded principals and carved bosses; it is of late 15th or early 16th-century date; the S. aisle has a plain trussed lean-to roof of the 15th century, and the N. aisle has some re-used timbers of the same period.

Fittings—Brasses: under the communion table, stone slab, with long, thin brass cross standing on stepped base representing masonry, and incised with the symbols of the Five Wounds, 15th-century: in the nave, of a man and his wife, and indent of a second wife, c. 1500, without inscription: of William Tabram, rector of Therfield, 1462, half-figure of priest in hood and tippet, below a cusped and crocketted canopy with side pinnacles, and inscription: on E. wall of N. aisle, inscriptions, to Robert White, prior of Royston, 1534: to William Chamber, 1546: verse in English, probably c. 1500. Desks: two, made up of part of traceried rood screen, 15th-century. Door: former W. door, now in the upper part of the tower, panelled and traceried, apparently made up from screens, as the various parts do not fit well together. Glass: in N. window of N. aisle, fragments, 15th-century. Images: two, in the chancel, alabaster, 15th-century, discovered during modern restorations, evidently wilfully maltreated; one is of the Virgin (headless) and Child holding in His left hand a bird; this was found in the former rood-stair turret in the S. wall: the second, of a bishop (also headless) with pastoral staff broken away. Monument: in the chancel, under a modern recess, alabaster effigy of a knight, 14th-century. Panelling: in ground stage of tower, oak, 17th-century, not in situ. Piscina: in the chancel, with octofoil basin, 13th-century, set in a modern recess. Plate: includes paten, elaborately chased, of 1629, cup of 1621. Pulpit: on stone base made up of panelled and traceried tomb, with parts of the 15th-century traceried rood screen incorporated in the upper part. Recess: in ruined wall, W. of church, probably for a tomb.

Condition—In good repair throughout; nearly all external stonework is modern.

(2). Font, now standing in the garden of a house (see No. 5) N.E. of the Palace, is of stone, and has a 13th-century bowl with plain sides and a moulded stem and base of the 15th-century.

Condition—Much weatherworn; the upper edges are broken away, and the mouldings of the stem and base much decayed.

Secular

(3). The Palace, Stables, and a House, now divided into two cottages, on the E. side of Kneesworth Street, are the remains of the palace built by James I., incorporating some 16th-century houses. It originally extended to Melbourn Street on the S., and a considerable distance towards the E., and included many buildings, since destroyed. The Palace is the E. half of 'The King's Lodgings', the rest having been pulled down, probably c. 1700; it is a two-storeyed building of brick; the roof is tiled. The plan is rectangular and faces E.; the back, towards the street, was re-built probably c. 1700, and has two projecting chimney stacks with tall shafts repaired at the top. The interior was much altered in the 18th century, but some chamfered ceiling beams on the ground floor, a four-centred brick fireplace in a S. room, the newel post of the staircase, and some wall painting, discovered behind 18th-century panelling, are probably original.

The Stables: only a small part remains, overgrown with ivy.

The House, built early in the 16th century, is of timber and plaster, with an overhanging upper storey, supported on brackets; the steeppitched roof is tiled. The doorway, in the centre, retains its original moulded wood frame. The lower rooms have been altered, but the open timber roof remains, and has moulded trusses, purlins, spandrels and wind braces.

Condition—Of Palace, good, though much altered; of Stables, overgrown with ivy; of House, good.

(4). The Priory, S. of the church, is the manor house of Royston, and was probably originally part of the building erected on the site of Royston Priory, after the dissolution of the monasteries. It retains, however, little old work except the walls on the S.W. side, which are of 17th-century brick.

Condition—Good.

(5). House, on the N. side of Melbourn Street, opposite the church, was built at the beginning of the 17th century or possibly earlier. It is of two storeys and an attic; the walls are of brick; the roofs are tiled. The S. front has been practically re-built, probably in the 18th century. At the back are twin gables, in which are original windows, one blocked; the other windows have been renewed. On the ground floor one room is lined with small square 17th-century panels, and there are some original beams with moulded edges in the ceilings. On the first floor there are two carved and painted mantelpieces dated 1635, one being in a panelled room which also retains an original cupboard. Another room has panelling and a carved chimney piece with turned pillars, of cedar; the original painting of festoons of fruits, etc., has been found on some of the panels under a later coating of paint. In a third room there are traces of mural painting over the fireplace, and the constructional timbers are exposed. Two of the ceilings have painted figures in medallions. The attic has exposed timbers, an oak door, with traces of stencilling of an early date, and, at the W. end, an original oak window frame, now blocked. In the garden is a stone font (see No. 2 above).

Condition—Good.

(6). Cottages, N. of the church, built of timber and plaster, are probably of the 17th century.

Condition—Decayed.

High Street, W. side

(7). House, now divided into three cottages, opposite the Bull Hotel, is a 15th-century building of two storeys and attics; the walls are timber-framed and plastered, on brick foundations; the roof is tiled. The projecting upper storey is supported on curved brackets, formerly springing from slender wood shafts with moulded capitals and bases, of which one is partly visible, buried in the plaster; at the N.E. angle is a larger curved bracket to the angle post, with a traceried panel at the foot. On the ground floor, facing the street, are two bow windows and a sash window, and on the first floor are three wood mullioned windows; all have modern wood frames. The attics are lighted by three gabled dormer windows. The two plain chimney stacks are of thin 17th-century bricks.

Condition—Fairly good.

(8). Cottages, several, of timber and plaster, built in the 17th century, with modern fronts.

Condition—Fairly good.

(9). Base of Cross, and Stone Coffin Lid, at the junction of the Cambridge and Newmarket roads, E. of the town; the base is a large shapeless block of conglomerate, with a square socket, probably for the cross, in the upper surface. Two fragments of the coffin lid remain, with a cross on the face.

Condition—Weatherworn.

Unclassified

(10). Royston Cave, at the W. end of Melbourn Street, where the 'Icknield Street' and the 'Ermine Street' cross, is a bottle-shaped cavern (about 28 ft. deep and 17 ft. in diameter at the bottom) hollowed out of the natural chalk, and lighted only by the small opening at the top. It is said to have been filled up at the time of the Reformation, and accidentally discovered in 1742. Near the bottom there are six recesses of various sizes, and on the face of the cavity figures have been rudely carved in relief, probably in the 13th or 14th century; they represent the Crucifixion, St. Christopher, St. Catherine, figures on horseback, etc.

The present entrance, on the N., is modern, the former entrance is higher up on the N.E. side.

Condition—Good.