Brington

9. BRINGTON (A.d.).

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

Brington is a small parish 5 m. N. of Kimbolton. The church is the principal monument.

Ecclesiastical

(1). Parish Church of All Saints stands at the N.W. corner of the village. The walls are of roughly coursed Weldon rubble with dressings of Weldon stone; the tower is faced with ashlar; the roofs are covered with tiles and lead. The Nave was built in the 14th century and probably later in the same century the West Tower and South Porch were added. The Chancel was re-built in the 15th century; it was, however, extensively restored and the E. gable raised in 1675. The church was restored in 1868 when the walls of the chancel were heightened.

Architectural Description—The Chancel (29¼ ft. by 19¾ ft.) has a 15th-century E. window of three cinque-foiled lights in a four-centred head with casement-moulded jambs and moulded label. Set in the gable is a lozenge-shaped stone with the date 1675. In the N. wall is a 15th-century window of two cinque-foiled lights in a four-centred head with jambs and label like the E. window; the wall has an internal string-course now cut back. In the S. wall are two windows uniform with that in the N. wall; the sill of the eastern window is carried down to form a seat; between the windows is a doorway all modern except part of the chamfered jambs and square moulded label with carved stops of c. 1675. The 15th-century chancel-arch is two-centred and of two chamfered orders, the outer continuous and the inner springing from attached half-round shafts, with moulded capitals, partly restored, and chamfered bases. The lines of the earlier low-pitched parapet string-course of the nave are visible above the chancel-arch. S. of the arch is a square-headed squint.

The Nave (40 ft. by 19 ft.) has in the E. wall, N. of the chancel-arch, the upper doorway of the rood-loft staircase; it is of the 15th century and has a square head. In the N. wall, adjoining, is the lower doorway of the same staircase also with a square head and now blocked; the staircase is set in a projection from the N. wall; in the same wall are two windows, the eastern of late 14th-century date and of two trefoiled lights with a quatre-foiled spandrel in a four-centred head with a moulded label; the western window is of the 14th century and of two trefoiled ogee lights in a square head with a moulded label and head-stops; the late 14th-century N. doorway has moulded jambs and four-centred head. In the S. wall are three windows; the two eastern are similar to the western window in the N. wall; the easternmost partly restored and having a modern label; the westernmost window is of c. 1340 and of three trefoiled ogee lights with flowing tracery in a two-centred head with a moulded label and mask-stops; the 14th-century S. doorway has jambs and two-centred arch of two moulded orders.

The West Tower (9½ ft. by 8½ ft.) is of mid to late 14th-century date and of three stages (Plate 4) with a moulded plinth and a panelled band of trefoils and quatrefoils at the base of the spire. The tower-arch is two-centred and of three chamfered orders, the two outer continuous and the inner springing from attached shafts with moulded capitals and bases. The W. window is of two trefoiled lights with a quatrefoil in a two-centred head with moulded jambs and label; the doorway to the turret-staircase has chamfered jambs and ogee head. The second stage has in the E. wall a square-headed opening to the roof. In the W. wall is a window of one trefoiled light in a two-centred head with a moulded label. The bell-chamber has in each wall a window of two trefoiled and transomed lights with a quatre-foiled spandrel in a two-centred head with a moulded label and grotesque stops. The octagonal ashlar-faced spire has low pitched broaches at the base, terminating in grotesque heads; there are three tiers of spire-lights each having four windows set in the cardinal faces of the spire; the windows of the two lower tiers are each of two trefoiled lights with a spandrel in a gabled head; the windows of the top tier are each of one pointed light in a gabled head.

The South Porch is of late 14th-century date and has a two-centred outer archway with jambs and arch of two chamfered orders and a moulded label. The side walls have each a window of one trefoiled light.

The Roof of the nave is of 1674 and of four bays; it is of low pitch with cambered and chamfered tie-beams with curved braces and trefoiled spandrels; the braces rest on wooden brackets except at the W. end where there are two re-used grotesque corbels of stone; the other main timbers are chamfered except for some moulded timbers of the 16th century, re-used in the W. bay; the tie-beams have carved bosses, some with conventional foliage, and on the E. tie-beam is the date 1674.

Fittings—Chest: In tower—with panelled front cut down and made into coal-box, 17th-century. Communion Table: with turned legs, shaped brackets to rails and plain stretchers, early 17th-century, top extended. Doors: In N. doorway— of overlapping battens, with strap-hinges, probably 16th-century. Font and Cover: plain oval tapering bowl, set on plain octagonal base brought out to square by ridged stops, 14th-century, bowl probably 13th-century or earlier. Cover: octagonal and of pyramidal form with moulded styles and turned finial, 17th-century. Glass: In nave—in one N. and two S. windows, fragments with oak leaves, etc., 14th-century. Locker: In chancel—in E. wall, square-headed recess, partly restored. Monument and Floor-slab. Monument: In tower— on N. wall, to Oliver Pocklington, rector of the parish, 1681, black marble slab. Floor-slab: In chancel—to John Knight, 1629–30. Piscina: In chancel—in N. wall, double with shafted jambs and free marble shaft in middle, all with moulded capitals and bases: flat lintel with moulded edge and chamfered re-used shelf without drains, late 13th-century material re-set. Plate: includes cup of 1663 with a shield of the arms of Pocklington and the inscription "Brington Com. Huntingdon, 1664," also paten of 1638.

Condition—Good.

Secular

(2). Church Farm, house and barns, 150 yards S. of the church. The House is of two storeys with attics; timber-framed and plastered; the roofs are tiled. It was built c. 1617 on a half H-shaped plan with the wings extending towards the E. There are late 17th-century additions on the E. and W. and a modern extension on the N. The main chimney-stack has a panel inscribed "P.H. 1617," and three shafts, one of which is set diagonally. Inside the building are original chamfered ceiling-beams and exposed joists.

The Barn, N.W. of the house, is of brick with a stone plinth. It is square on plan and dates from early in the 17th century.

The Barn (Plate 150), W. of the house, is of cornbrash and of five bays with a tiled roof. On the S. gable is the date 1672 and a shield-of-arms.

Condition—Good.

(3). Cottage, now the Post Office, 200 yards E. of the church, is of two storeys, timber-framed and plastered; the roof is thatched. It was built probably in the 17th century and has stop-chamfered ceiling-beams and exposed joists.

Condition—Good.

(4). Wayside Cross, in front of (3). The base is of stone, square and with chamfered angles; only the lower part of the stem remains. The cross is probably mediæval.