An Inventory of the Historical Monuments in Herefordshire, Volume 3, North West. Originally published by His Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1934.
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'Brimfield', in An Inventory of the Historical Monuments in Herefordshire, Volume 3, North West( London, 1934), British History Online https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/rchme/heref/vol3/pp25-26 [accessed 23 November 2024].
'Brimfield', in An Inventory of the Historical Monuments in Herefordshire, Volume 3, North West( London, 1934), British History Online, accessed November 23, 2024, https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/rchme/heref/vol3/pp25-26.
"Brimfield". An Inventory of the Historical Monuments in Herefordshire, Volume 3, North West. (London, 1934), , British History Online. Web. 23 November 2024. https://prod.british-history.ac.uk/rchme/heref/vol3/pp25-26.
In this section
10 BRIMFIELD (D.b.)
(O.S. 6 in. (a)VII, N.E., (b)VII., S.E., (c)VIII, N.W., (d)VIII, S.W.)
Brimfield is a parish on the N. edge of the county, 6 m. N.N.E. of Leominster. Nun Upton is the principal monument.
Ecclesiastical
b(1). Parish Church of St. Michael (Plate 6) stands on the N. side of the parish. The walls are of local sandstone rubble and ashlar with dressings of the same material; the roofs are slate-covered. The church, judging by some re-set fragments, was partly a 12th-century building. The West Tower was added probably early in the 13th century, and the chancel was re-built perhaps in the 14th century. In 1834 the Chancel and Nave were re-built. The tower was restored in 1884, and in 1904–5 the Nave was again largely re-built. The South Porch and Vestry were added in 1908.
Architectural Description—The West Tower (9½ ft. by 10¼ ft.) is of three stages, the two lower probably of early 13th-century date and of stone, and the top stage timber-framed and with pyramidal roof. The ground stage has a modern doorway in the E. wall with a doorway to a former gallery above it; there is a blocked modern doorway in the N. wall; the W. window is modern, but above it is the round head of the original window. The second stage has an original window of one round-headed light in the N. and S. walls; on the E. wall is the mark of the mediæval roof of the nave with a blocked opening below it. The timber-framed bell-chamber is probably of 16th or 17th-century date, and has vertical framing with curved braces and close studding on the outward face; the weather-boarding and windows are modern.
Fittings—Bells: three; 1st, inscription obliterated, but possibly mediæval; 2nd, by John Martin, 1659; 3rd, cracked and inscribed in Lombardic capitals "Sanb[c]ta Maria pro [no]bis," many of the letters reversed, early 16th-century. Chair (Plate 48): In chancel—with turned front legs, curved arms, enriched rails, panelled back with incised design, carved top rail and cresting, c. 1640. Font: quatre-foiled bowl with moulded underside, quatre-foiled stem and moulded base, early 13th-century, stem modern. Panelling: Round walls of church, 17th-century panelling, re-set as dado. Plate: includes a cup and cover-paten of 1637, and a pewter flagon and two plates. Miscellanea: Re-set in E. wall of porch, part of round head, perhaps of a window; the round head of a second window is re-set in a building at the S.W. angle of the church, both probably 12th-century or earlier.
Condition—Good, largely re-built.
Secular
d(2). Nun Upton (formerly Nunn's Upton), house, over 1 m. S.E. of the church, is of two storeys with cellars and attics; the walls are partly of brick and partly timber-framed, and the roofs are covered with tiles. The central block of the house was built in the 16th century with a cross-wing on the N. Early in the 17th century the S. cross-wing was re-built and a further N. wing added, both in brick; at the same time the W. side of the main block was faced in brick. Late in the same century the gables of the brick wings were re-built in curvilinear form. The roofs have been largely re-built, and an addition made on the E. in modern times. The E. face (Plate 21) of the original building has close-set timber-framing; the porch has been largely re-built, but the upper storey projects on a moulded bressummer; S. of it is a 17th-century window of four lights with moulded frame, mullions, transom and sill. The S. wing has a moulded brick string between the storeys and a later curvilinear gable with a moulded coping and ball-ornaments at the base; the 17th-century window on the first floor is of four lights with moulded jambs, mullions and label. The middle chimney-stack is of early 17th-century date with two diagonal shafts; the S. stack is of late 17th-century date with three shafts, the two outer being rusticated; the N. stack is of the same period. The S. face has two added round gables, one retaining its ball-terminal. The W. end of the S. wing is similar to the E. end. The 17th-century brick porch, on the W. side, has a round gable and a segmental-headed doorway in the N. wall with a moulded label or string above it. The N. end of the N. wing is similar to the ends of the S. wing. Inside the building the ceiling-beams are mostly exposed. The S.E. room on the ground floor has an early 17th-century plaster ceiling with remains of moulded panels enclosing bands of running foliage and fruit ornament. The mid 17th-century S. staircase has heavy moulded strings and rails, turned balusters and square newels with ball-terminals; some balusters of the same date remain at the top of the N. staircase. There is also a 17th-century panelled door.
Condition—Good.
Monuments (3–14)
The following monuments, unless otherwise described, are of the 17th century and of two storeys; the walls are timber-framed, and the roofs are covered with tiles or slate. Most of the buildings have exposed external timber-framing and internal ceiling-beams.
Condition—Good or fairly good, unless noted.
c(3). Cottage, on the W. side of Lynch Lane, 1¼ m. E.N.E. of the church.
c(4). Cottage, at Gosford, 1,200 yards N.E. of the church, has been partly re-built.
Condition—Poor.
b(5). Cottage, on the S.E. side of the road, 300 yards N. of the church, was built probably in the 16th century, but has been much altered.
b(6). Cottage, on the S. side of the lane, 400 yards S.S.E. of the church.
b(7). Cottage, on the N.E. side of Brimfield Common, 1,020 yards S.W. of the church, has a thatched roof.
Condition—Poor.
b(8). Shortgrove, house, 1,450 yards S.W. of the church, was built on an L-shaped plan with the wings extending towards the E. and S. The upper storey projects at the W. end of the E. wing on a moulded bressummer; at the base of the gable are carved brackets.
b(9). Holmecroft, house, on the S. side of the road at Wyson, ½ m. W. of the church, has a thatched roof.
b(10). House, on the S. side of the road, 100 yards E.N.E. of (9), has exposed framing in squares. In the E. wall is a blocked doorway with a triangular head.
b(11). Cottage, on the N. side of the road, nearly opposite (10).
b(12). Pool Cottage, on the S.E. side of the road, 800 yards W.N.W. of the church, has been heightened.
b(13). Cottage, 20 yards E. of (12), has a thatched roof.
Condition—Poor.
a(14). Cottage, on the W. side of the road, 950 yards N.W. of the church, has a corrugated iron roof.