Putley

66 PUTLEY (D.d.)

(O.S. 6 in. ^(a)XXXV, S.W., ^(b)XLI, N.W.)

Putley is a small parish 4 m. W. of Ledbury. The church, Putley Court, dated 1712, with a curious E. front rendered in stucco and pointed to resemble brickwork, and the Brainge, dated 1703, are the principal monuments.

Roman

^b(1). In 1876 a Mr. T. Blashill exhibited to the British Archæological Association "a large collection of Roman relics . . . recently found in the foundation of the N. wall of the church at Putley. . . . The remains consisted of a lump of burnt clay, marked bricks, one having the print of a sandal, others with the impressions of a cat's foot, woven cloth and thumb-markings; several flue, roof and flanged tiles" (B.A.A., XXXII, 250). In 1877 Mr. Blashill exhibited "some Roman pottery just found by John Riley, Esq., on his estate at Putley . . . together with wall-tiles, roof-tiles and other objects" (Ib., XXXIII, 120; see also A.J., XXXIV, 364).

Ecclesiastical

^b(2). Parish Church (dedication unknown) stands on the E. side of the parish. The walls are of local sandstone rubble with dressings of the same material; the roofs are covered with tiles and stone slates. The church would appear to date from the 12th century, but, with the exception of the S. and part of the W. walls of the Nave and the mid to late 16th-century South Porch, the whole structure was re-built in 1875–6; to this date belong the Chancel, chancel-arch and North Vestry.

Architectural Description—The Chancel (22 ft. by 17 ft.) incorporates some old material including a late 13th-century window of one trefoiled light in the N. wall and a 13th or 14th-century doorway in the S. wall, with a two-centred head and now blocked.

The Nave (33½ ft. by 18¾ ft.) has, re-set in the modern N. wall, a 14th-century window of one trefoiled light; farther W. is a 16th-century doorway with chamfered jambs and elliptical head and now blocked. In the S. wall are two windows, the eastern of late 13th-century date and of two trefoiled lights with a quatrefoil in a two-centred head; the western window is modern; the 13th or 14th-century S. doorway has chamfered jambs and two-centred arch. In the W. wall is a modern window and the W. gable is modern. The bell-turret stands on four modern posts at the W. end of the nave; the superstructure is square and shingled and is finished with a pyramidal tiled roof.

The South Porch is of timber and of late 16th-century date. The outer archway is formed by curved braces below the tie-beam and the gable has moulded bargeboards with shaped pendants at the apex and base. The side-walls have posts forming five square-headed openings. The roof-timbers are of the same date.

The Roof of the nave is of trussed-rafter type with one 16th-century moulded tie-beam.

Fittings—Bells: three, inaccessible. Churchyard Cross (Plate 46): S. of the church, octagonal base with broach-stops and pointed niche in W. face, on three steps, shortened octagonal shaft with broach-stops, re-set head with figures under damaged gables on each face, as follows—W. face, crucifix; E. face, crowned Virgin and Child; N. face, St. Andrew; S. face, archbishop with cross-staff, probably 14th-century. Piscina: In chancel—recess with shafted jambs and moulded and cinque-foiled arch in a two-centred head, octofoiled drain, mid 13th-century, re-set. Plate: includes secular dish of 1662 with repoussé ornament of foliage in compartments, given by Henry Gwillim of Brains, 1699. Pulpit: and low chancel-screen, made up of panelling from the Putley Court pew, seven bays in all, divided by fluted Ionic pilasters and each bay with enriched arched panel with side-pilasters and carved spandrels, gadrooned frieze or cornice at top, early to mid 17th-century. Stoup: In nave— E. of N. doorway, recess with two-centred head, bowl destroyed, mediæval. Miscellanea: Re-set in blocked N. doorway, portions of attached shafts, a scalloped capital, two pieces of cheveron-ornament, 12th-century, also a carved head, probably 13th-century.

Condition—Good, largely re-built; of porch, bad.

Secular

^b(3). Putley Court (Plate 21), house and summer-house, 270 yards W. of the church. The House is of three storeys with cellars; the walls are of brick with stone quoins and the roofs are of slate. The main block was built in 1712 and the N. and S. wings were added later in the 18th century. The E. front is of brick with stone quoins; the wall face is rendered in red stucco and pointed to imitate brickwork; the front is symmetrically arranged with square-headed windows and a central doorway; the doorway (Plate 38) is flanked by fluted Ionic pilasters, supporting an entablature, broken scrolled pediment and an urn; on the frieze are the initials and date E.P., 1712. The windows of the basement are of two lights with stone mullions. On the middle of the hipped roof is an octagonal cupola with an ogee-shaped roof, weather vane and bell. Inside the building, two rooms on the ground-floor are lined with original bolection-moulded panelling, with some modern work. The staircase has cut strings with carved brackets; the balusters, and perhaps the whole staircase, are later than the house. The cellars have rubble walling.

In the garden, W. of the house, is an early 18th-century Summer-house; with a half-round recess at the back and a roof carried on four Doric columns with a frieze and pediment.

Condition—Good.

^b(4). The Brainge (Plate 21), house and outbuildings, 550 yards N.N.E. of the church. The House is of two storeys with cellars and attics; the walls are of brick and the roofs are slate-covered. It was built in 1703 and has an early 19th-century wing at the back and porch on the W. The S. front is symmetrically arranged with stone quoins, band-course, key-stones and a modillioned eaves-cornice. The windows have square heads and flush frames and the central doorway (Plate 38), approached by a flight of steps, has a stone architrave, cornice and scrolled pediment. The basement has stone windows of two lights. The E. and W. fronts are generally similar to the S. front, but the windows on the W. side are mostly blocked and have rounded heads. On the keystone of a doorway to the basement are the date and initials 1703, I. and M.G., probably for Sir John Gwillim and his wife. Inside the building, the hall has a pavement of black and white marble squares. The S.E. room is lined with original bolection-moulded panelling with a dado-rail and cornice. The staircase, probably not in situ, has twisted balusters, grouped to form newels and turned balusters at the top. There are several original doors. The roof is of king-post type and the cellars have brick vaults.

The Cider-mill, N.W. of the house, is of two storeys, timber-framed and with a tiled roof. It dates probably from the 17th century. N. of the house is a two-storeyed, timber-framed outbuilding, also probably of the 17th century.

Condition—Good.

Monuments (5–23)

The following monuments, unless otherwise described, are of the 17th century and of two storeys, timber-framed and with roofs of tiles or slates. Some of the buildings have original chimney-stacks and exposed ceiling-beams.

Condition—Good or fairly good.

^b(5). The Twern, house, on the S. side of the road, 750 yards N.N.W. of the church, has been generally enlarged and altered.

^b(6). Cottage or lodge, 100 yards E.N.E. of (5), has a thatched roof.

^b(7). Coldmoor Farm, cottage, 100 yards E.N.E. of (6), has exposed timber-framing and a thatched roof.

^b(8). The Grove, cottage and barn, 1,020 yards N. of the church. The Cottage is weather-boarded. The Barn, N. of the cottage, is partly weather-boarded and partly with brick or interlacing-slat filling.

^b(9). Cottage, on the E. side of the road, 640 yards E. of the church, has exposed timber-framing.

^b(10). Smithy, S.W. of (9), has exposed timber-framing.

^b(11). Cottage, S. of (10), has exposed timber-framing and a modern roof of lower pitch than the original roof.

^b(12). Cottage, 40 yards S. of (11), has exposed timber-framing and has been incorporated in a larger building.

^b(13). New House, house and cider-mill, 760 yards E.S.E. of the church. The House is partly weather-boarded and has large modern additions. The Cidermill, N.W. of the house, is partly of brick.

^b(14). Black House, two tenements, 380 yards S.E. of the church, is partly weather-boarded and partly re-faced with stone and brick.

^b(15). Newtons, house and barn, 200 yards S.S.W. of the church. The House is weather-boarded and has modern additions. The Barn, N.W. of the house, is of four bays with crutch-trusses probably of mediæval date.

^b(16). Lower Court, house and outbuilding, 50 yards N.N.W. of the church. The House has been much altered and added to and the roofs re-built. It has some exposed timber-framing. The Outbuilding, S.W. of the house, is partly timber-framed.

^b(17). Aylhill, house and outbuilding, 1,000 yards S. of the church. The House has exposed timber-framing and a thatched roof. The Outbuilding, N. of the house, also has exposed timber-framing.

^b(18). Hatsford Farm, house, ¾ m. S. of the church, has 18th-century and modern additions. The timber-framing is exposed.

^b(19). Upper House, 780 yards S.W. of the church, has exposed timber-framing and some weather-boarding.

^b(20). Cottage, 60 yards S.W. of (19), has exposed timber-framing.

^b(21). Prior's Grove, house, 540 yards N.W. of the church, has a modern house on the W. and the walls of the original building have been raised. Some of the timber-framing is exposed.

^b(22). The Lacons (Plate 32), cottage, 20 yards N.W. of (21), has exposed timber-framing and a thatched roof. The cottage is of crutch-construction of mediæval date; the crutch-trusses are visible in both the end walls.

^a(23). Hazle Farm, house and stable, nearly 1¼ m. N.W. of the church. The House is of T-shaped plan with the cross-wing at the N. end, and 18th-century or modern additions on the S. and W. The timber-framing is exposed. Inside the building, a doorway in the cross-wing has shaped angle-pieces to the head.

The Stable, S.E. of the house, is of three bays with queen-post roof-trusses.