Linslade

156. LINSLADE.

(O.S. 6 in. xx. S.E.)

Ecclesiastical

(1). Old Parish Church of St. Mary, in old Linslade, about 1 mile N. of the new village, is built of yellow limestone rubble with some red ironstone. The roofs are tiled. The Nave was built early in the 12th century, but new doorways and windows were inserted in the 14th and 15th centuries. About the middle of the 15th century the West Tower was added, and early in the 16th century the Chancel was re-built, and possibly lengthened. At the end of the 19th century the church was restored, the nave re-roofed, many windows were altered, and the South Porch was added.

The 13th-century font (see Plate, p. 45) is of interest; the recess in the chancel, also partly of the 13th century, is remarkable on account of its position in the W. wall, near the low-side window in the S. wall.

Architectural Description—The Chancel (23¾ ft. by 12 ft.) has an E. window of three cinque-foiled lights under a square head, much restored externally, but the moulded internal splay and four-centred rear arch are of early 16th-century date. The N. wall has, at the E. end, a window of two lights, of similar detail to that of the E. window, but the external stonework is completely modern. In the S. wall is a window of two lights, similar to the N. window, but the internal sill is carried down to form a sedile; the W. end of the wall is slightly off-set, and has a priest's doorway and a low-side window, both externally modern, but with rear arches of early 16th-century date; the modern tracery of the window is rebated for shutters, and has set in it an old bolt hasp and hooks for hinges. The chancel arch is semi-circular, of one square order with plain voussoirs and fairly wide joints, and is of early 12th-century date; the opening between the jambs has been narrowed, possibly in the 16th century. The Nave (45 ft. by 24 ft.) has, in the N. wall, two windows, the eastern being modern; the western window is of two cinque-foiled lights with modern tracery in a two-centred head; the internal splay and chamfered rear arch are probably of the 14th century: between the windows is the mid 14th-century N. doorway, now blocked; the two-centred head is of two moulded orders; the outer order is continuous, the inner order of the jambs is chamfered; above the remains of the external label are re-set some fragments of an early 13th-century label with nail-head ornament. In the S. wall are two windows; the eastern window is of three cinque-foiled lights, modern externally, but with 15th-century rear arch and internal jambs; the western window is similar to the other, but of two lights: between them is the 15th-century S. doorway with continuously moulded jambs and two-centred head, and an external label. The West Tower is of three stages with an embattled parapet, diagonal buttresses at the W. angles, and a N.E. stair-turret. The tower arch, of mid 15th-century date, is of two chamfered orders; the inner order rests on semi-octagonal pilasters with moulded capitals and bases. The W. window, also of mid 15th-century date, is of three cinque-foiled lights with tracery under a flat drop arch, all externally restored. The bell-chamber is lighted by modern copies of 15th-century windows. The South Porch is modern. The high-pitched Roof of the chancel is of early 16th-century date, with a cambered tie-beam, moulded and embattled wall-plates, and moulded purlins and principal; it has no ridge-piece.

Fittings—Bells: one, modern; bell-stock inscribed 'Richard March 1700'. Bracket: In chancel— N. of E. window, moulded, early 16th-century. Brasses: In chancel—on N. wall (1) to Agnes Atoun, mother of John Atoun, Prior of Chicksands, black-letter inscription in Latin, late 15th-century. In nave—on W. wall, (2) figures of civilian and three wives, with twelve children, no inscription, early 16th-century. Font: circular bowl, band at top carved with four grotesque beasts having richly foliated tails, small bunches of foliage between them, short octagonal stem and moulded octagonal base on circular plinth, c. 1210, bowl cracked and mended. Piscina: In chancel—in S. wall, with four-centred chamfered head, early 16th-century. Plate: now at new parish church— includes cup of 1568, cover modern. Recess: In chancel—in W. wall, S. of chancel arch, with stone arms to form seat, 13th-century, chamfered rounded head, 16th-century, wood seat modern. In nave—in E. wall, N. of chancel arch, shallow, with moulded three-centred head having sunk spandrels, probably 16th-century and for nave altar. Screen: Between chancel and nave—remains of rood-screen, open upper panels with cinque-foiled ogee heads and tracery, close lower panels, double, with trefoiled ogee heads, structural timbers moulded, those on each side of doorway having small off-set buttresses with pinnacles, early 15th-century, much restored, middle panels and cornice entirely modern. Stoup: In porch— with moulded four-centred head, projecting basin cut away, early 16th-century.

Condition—Good.