Stretton Grandison

75 STRETTON GRANDISON (C.c.)

(O.S. 6 in. XXXV, N.W.)

Stretton Grandison is a small parish in the Lodon valley, 6 m. N.W. of Ledbury. The church is the principal monument.

Ecclesiastical

(1). Parish Church of St. Lawrence stands near the middle of the parish. The walls are of local sandstone and the roofs are covered with slates. A re-set doorway in the chancel and perhaps the N.E. angle of the chancel may date from the 12th century, but the church generally was re-built in the 14th century, beginning with the Chancel, early in the century, and continuing with the Nave and West Tower about the middle of the century. The South Porch was added perhaps in the 17th century. The church has been restored in modern times and the North Vestry added.

Architectural Description—The Chancel (30 ft. by 18½ ft.) has a modern E. window. In the N. wall are a modern arch and doorway. In the S. wall are two early 14th-century windows, the eastern of one trefoiled ogee light and the western partly restored and of two trefoiled ogee lights in a square head; between them is a doorway with roll-moulded jambs and square head; it may be of late 12th-century date re-set. The early 14th-century chancel-arch is segmental-pointed and of two chamfered orders, the outer continuous and the inner dying on to the responds.

The Nave (40 ft. by 19¾ ft.) has, in the N. wall, three mid 14th-century windows each of two trefoiled ogee lights with a quatrefoil in a two-centred head; the N. doorway, now blocked, has chamfered jambs and four-centred head; at the E. end of the wall is the blocked doorway to the rood-loft staircase; it has a four-centred head; one jamb of the upper doorway is also visible and there is an external doorway to the staircase also blocked. In the S. wall are three windows and a S. doorway similar to those in the N. wall, but the doorway is not blocked.

The West Tower (about 8½ ft. square) is of mid 14th-century date and of three stages with an embattled parapet and an octagonal stone spire with roll-moulded angles. The tower-arch is similar to the chancel-arch. In the W. wall of the ground stage is a window of two trefoiled ogee lights with a quatrefoil in a two-centred head, and below it is a blocked doorway with a four-centred head. The second stage has, in the S. and W. walls, a window of one trefoiled light; in the N. wall is a window of one pointed light. The bell-chamber has, in each wall, a window of one ogee-headed light.

The South Porch has an outer archway with chamfered jambs and four-centred head.

The Roof of the nave is of trussed-rafter type with a 17th-century moulded tie-beam and plaster cornices covering the wall-plates.

Fittings—Font: hexagonal bowl, each face with a quatre-foiled panel, plain stem and modern base, 14th-century. Locker: In chancel—in N. wall, rectangular recess with rebated reveals. Glass: In tower—in head of W. window, quatrefoil with roundel and fragments, 14th or 15th-century. Monuments and Floor-slab. Monuments: In chancel—on N. wall, (1) to Sir Edward Hopton, 1668, and Deborah (Hatton) his second wife, 1702, who erected the monument, wall-monument (Plate 61) of stone and alabaster with two segmental-headed panels flanked on the outside by twisted composite columns supporting entablatures and a curved pediment with figures of Hope and Charity and a cartouche-of-arms; below monument, a 17th-century gauntlet. In nave—on S. wall, (2) to John Taylor, 1676, freestone tablet (Plate 63) with enriched border and cherub-head. Floor-slab: In chancel—to Deborah, widow of Sir Edward Hopton, 1702, with lozenge-of-arms. Painting: In nave—on S. wall over E. haunch of doorway, remains of large standing figure in red, 14th-century, traces of painting elsewhere. Pulpit (Plate 70): four sides of octagonal pulpit, each side with trefoiled and sub-cusped head and tracery, cornice with carved foliage and modern top member, 15th-century. Recess: In chancel—in N. wall, with moulded jambs and segmental-pointed arch, late 14th-century.

Condition—Good.

Secular

(2). New House, house, barn and moat, ¾ m. E. of the church. The House is of two storeys with attics, timber-framed and with tiled roofs. It was built late in the 16th or early in the 17th century, but the W. wall has been moved outwards a few feet at some subsequent date. Much of the timber-framing is exposed. Inside the building are some exposed ceiling-beams. The middle room has the beams enclosed in moulded casing and plaster mouldings round the panels of the ceiling; the walls are lined with late 16th or early 17th-century panelling with a frieze and cornice; the fireplace is flanked by fluted pilasters and has a mid 17th-century overmantel of four arched panels divided by pilasters with a range of rectangular panels above and below. The room above has early 17th-century panelling and an overmantel of three arched panels with guilloche-ornament; other rooms on the same floor have similar decoration.

The Barn, N. of the house, is probably of the 17th century, and is timber-framed and five bays in length.

The Moat now consists of a long arm, S.E. of the house.

Condition—Of house, good.

(3). Town End Farm, house and outbuildings, ¼ m. W.S.W. 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 probably early in the 18th century and is of half H-shaped plan with the wings extending towards the S. The S. front has a brick band between the storeys and a pediment to the main block; the wings have hipped roofs. There is a second pediment in the middle of the N. front. Inside the building, the rooms in the wings are lined with early to mid 18th-century panelling and there is a small amount of 17th-century panelling and some ceiling-beams of the same date re-used in the house.

The Outbuilding, E. of the house, is about 140 ft. long and of 17th-century timber-framing. It includes a barn of five bays.

Condition—Good.

Monuments (4–11)

The following monuments, unless otherwise described, are of the 17th century and of two storeys, timber-framed and with tile or slate-covered roofs. Many of the buildings have exposed external framing, chamfered ceiling-beams and original chimney-stacks.

Condition—Good, or fairly good.

(4). Cottage, on the N. side of the road, 300 yards E.N.E. of (3).

(5). Barn, at the Vicarage, 200 yards W. of the church, is of six bays now divided up and used for various purposes. It is of late 16th or early 17th-century date, except the W. bay, which is a later addition.

(6). Barn, on the S. side of the road, opposite (4), is of four bays.

(7). Stretton Court, house, 100 yards W. of the church, is of two storeys with attics. It was originally of L-shaped plan with the wings extending towards the W. and N. A later addition has made the plan rectangular. Inside the building there is some original panelling on the first floor.

(8). Cottage, 25 yards W. of the church, has a thatched roof.

(9). Cottage, on the W. side of the road, 150 yards S.W. of the church, has a corrugated iron roof.

(10). Little Home End, cottage, on the N.E. border of the parish, 1,050 yards N.E. of the church.

(11). Smithy and barn, 270 yards N.W. of (10). The Smithy was built late in the 17th or early in the 18th century. The Barn, S. of the smithy, is of three bays, but has been partly re-built.

Unclassified

(12). Earthworks at Homend Bank, 200 yards N.E. of the church, consist of some terracing in a field N. of the churchyard, some scarping at the S. end of Homend Bank, a round mound (42 ft. in diam. and 3 ft. high) on the top of the Bank and a sunken track extending in a northerly direction from near St. Catherine's Well.