Turville

90. TURVILLE.

(O.S. 6 in. xlvi. N.W.)

Ecclesiastical

(1). Parish Church of St. Mary, in the village, is built of flint, with dressings of clunch and stone; the chancel is covered with rough-cast; the N. aisle and the S. porch are of red brick; the roofs are tiled. The Nave was built probably early in the 12th century; the original Chancel was re-built and the West Tower added c. 1340, and at the end of the 15th or beginning of the 16th century the tower was re-built from the foundations, except the arch opening into the nave. The South Porch is probably of late 17th-century date; the North Aisle or chapel is of the 18th century and the North Vestry is modern. The whole building has been much restored.

Architectural Description—The Chancel (19 ft. by 14½ ft.) has an E. window of three lights and tracery, all modern, except the outer jambs and mullions which are of clunch, probably of the 14th century. In the N. wall is a modern arch opening into the vestry. In the S. wall are two windows; the western is of two lights and tracery, under a pointed head; it is of clunch, of mid 14th-century date, but partly restored outside: the eastern window is similar to the other, but has been entirely restored, except the two-centred drop rear arch of clunch: the S. doorway, between the windows, has a chamfered, two-centred, slightly ogee arch; the upper part and the rear arch are of 14th-century clunch, re-worked, the rest is modern. The 14th-century chancel arch is pointed, of one chamfered order, of fine limestone, smoothly worked, dying into square jambs, of coarser limestone with 12th-century tooling. The North Vestry is modern, but in the E. wall is re-set a small trefoiled ogee light of 14th-century clunch. The Nave (43 ft. by 19 ft.) has, at the E. end of the N. wall, two round-headed 18th-century arches, covered with plaster, which open into the N. aisle; in the middle of the wall is the N. doorway, which has a chamfered pointed head, and is externally of the 13th century; the inner jambs and semi-circular rear arch, of coarser limestone, are of the 12th century. In the E. half of the S. wall are two modern windows: the 13th-century S. doorway, partly of clunch and partly of coarse limestone, has a pointed head of two moulded and chamfered orders, and a segmental rear arch: E. of the doorway is the small rough outer arch of a single light, now blocked, possibly of the 12th century; a line in the plaster indicates the position of the inner arch: W. of the doorway is a single light with a cinque-foiled slightly ogee head, of limestone, probably of late 14th-century date. The West Tower (12 ft. by 11½ ft.) is low and massive, of two stages, divided by a moulded string-course; the plinth is moulded; at the W. angles are diagonal buttresses, at the E. angles square buttresses, of which the lower quoins are of the 13th century, and the upper quoins of late 15th-century date; the embattled parapet is of late 17th-century brick. The 14th-century tower arch is pointed, of one order, similar to the chancel arch, but entirely of limestone and of the same date throughout. All other details in the tower are of c. 1500. The W. doorway has moulded jambs with much worn bases and a flat four-centred arch of two orders in a square head; the moulded label has been restored with brick; the W. window is of two uncusped four-centred lights in a square head, partly broken away, with a moulded label and moulded jambs. In the S. wall, above the moulded string-course, is a four-centred light in a square head, with a label. The bell-chamber has windows on the N., S. and W., each of two uncusped lights in a square head with a label. On the E. wall are weather-courses of the former roof of the nave, level with the ridge of the present roof, but about 1 ft. higher at the eaves. The walls are repaired inside with 17th-century red brick. The Roof of the chancel is modern inside, but sprocket pieces, probably of the 14th century, can be seen under the eaves, outside. The roof of the nave is probably of the 14th century, and has old tie-beams, king-posts with four-way braces, and open collar-beams, but the rafters have been lowered, as they do not meet the weathering on the E. wall of the tower. The floor of the ringing chamber in the tower is of old timbers.

Fittings—Bells: four, 1st, by Henry Knight, 1670, 2nd, by Ellis Knight, 1628. Communion Rail: made up from balustrade of gallery, 17th-century. Font: circular, slightly cupshaped deep bowl, 12th-century, on lead lining of bowl the date 1746, base modern. Gallery: in nave, four posts or newels fixed to old seats, and length of balustrade, similar to the Communion rails, all part of former gallery, 17th-century. Piscina: in the chancel, with chamfered, two-centred trefoiled head, no basin remaining, drain through the back, of clunch, 14th-century. Plate: includes cup of 1565 and cover paten of 1637. Seating: in nave, on S.W., five oak seats, moulded top-rails, plain square standards, 15th-century, two repaired: in vestry, bench with narrow standards, 15th-century. Miscellanea: in W. tower, stone coffin, raised cross on lid broken in two pieces, early 13th-century.

Condition—Good; tower weatherworn.

Secular

The Green, S. side (N. side, see Ibstone)

(2). Cottage, at the S.E. gate of the churchyard, is of two storeys, built of brick and timber, and probably of mid 17th-century date, much restored. The roof is tiled. The building is gabled at both ends; the E. end and the N. front are original, the W. end is faced with modern brick and flint, and has an original projecting chimney stack, partly restored.

Condition—Fairly good.

(3). House, now two cottages, S.E. of (2), is of two storeys, built early in the 17th century, and timber-framed, with brick filling of a later date in the same century. The roofs are tiled. The plan is L-shaped the wings extending towards the N. and W. The N. and W. ends are gabled, and the W. end has a projecting chimney stack of early 17th-century brick; a similar chimney stack on the E. side is of later 17th-century brick.

Condition—Fairly good.

(4). Cottage, adjoining the E. side of (3), is of two storeys, built probably in the 17th century, but re-faced with modern brick and flint. The roofs are tiled. The chimney stack is modern above the roof.

Condition—Fairly good.

(5). Cottage, facing a small house, S. of (4), is of two storeys, built late in the 17th century, of brick, with a plain brick cornice and dentils. The roof is tiled. In front are two hipped gables. The central chimney stack is of thin bricks.

Condition—Fairly good.

(6). Cottage, at the opposite corner of the lane, facing the Green, is of two storeys, built probably late in the 17th century, but re-faced and much altered. The walls are of timber and brick, with a few original timbers visible in the half-hipped gable at the E. end of the N. front. the roof is tiled. The central chimney stack is modern above the roof.

Condition—Fairly good.

(7). Cottage, on the W. side of a second small lane, E. of (6), is of two storeys, built probably early in the 17th century, of brick and timber, much restored. The roof is tiled. Both ends are gabled, and the projecting chimney stack at the S. end is original.

Condition—Fairly good.

(8). The Bull and Butcher Inn, at the E. end of the Green, is of two storeys, built late in the 17th century, of brick and timber, now covered with plaster. The roof is tiled. The central chimney stack is original, with panelled sides and moulded base.

Condition—Fairly good.