Fulmer

40. FULMER.

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

Ecclesiastical

(1). Parish Church of St. James, in the village, is built of red brick, the older part has quoins and dressings of plaster, the modern dressings are of stone; the roofs are tiled. The Nave, West Tower and North Porch are part of the church built c. 1610 by Sir Marmaduke Dayrell (see Monuments), but some of the fittings may be from the former church; the Chancel, South Aisle and South Vestry are modern.

The tomb of the founder in the chancel is a good example of a 17th-century monument.

Architectural Description—The Chancel is modern. The Nave (36 ft. by 18 ft.) has two N. windows of c. 1610; the eastern is of three plain pointed lights under a square head; the other of two similar lights; both originally had quoins of plaster; the N. doorway, possibly original, has an oak frame and a flat lintel inside. The S. arcade and the South Aisle are modern. The Tower (9½ ft. square) is of three stages, and has diagonal buttresses at the W. angles, square buttresses at the E. angles, and an embattled parapet. The tower arch is pointed, plain and covered with plaster. The W. window of the ground stage is pointed and has a square rear arch; the second stage has a similar W. window, and the bell-chamber is lighted by four windows each of two pointed lights. The North Porch is gabled and has a four-centred outer archway. The Roof of the nave is probably original, and has a plastered collar-beam ceiling.

Fittings—Bells: six, 1st inscribed 'sancta maria ora pro nobis I^WS', probably by John Saunders, c. 1540, and from the former church, 4th and 5th of 1617. Doors: in N. doorway, oak, with strap-hinges and scutcheon, probably 15th-century and from the former church: outer door of N. porch, of moulded battens, 17th-century. Glass: in N.E. window of nave, four circular roundels, with allegorical subjects, probably 17th-century. Monument: In the chancel—of Sir Marmaduke Dareil, knight, lord of the manor of Fulmer, who was in the household of Queen Elizabeth, and afterwards cofferer to James I. and Charles I., and founder of this church, died 1631, and of Anne his first wife, daughter of John Lennard, also to Mary their daughter, wife of Sir Robert Gorges, knight; tomb in round-headed recess, marble and alabaster, with modern colour and gilding, recumbent effigies of the knight in plate armour, and of his wife; in front of tomb, kneeling figures, probably of his two sons, their wives and children, with inscription; above arch, allegorical figures and achievement of arms with helm, on each side of achievement a funeral helm.

Condition—Good; the lower stages of the tower are covered with ivy.