Mentmore

166. MENTMORE.

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

Ecclesiastical

(1). Parish Church of St. Mary, on high ground E. of the village, has walls almost entirely covered with cement. The roofs of the nave and aisles are covered with lead, the other roofs are tiled. The Nave is probably of the 12th century, but no detail of that date remains; the North Aisle and a S. aisle were added c. 1220, but the N. aisle was almost entirely re-built in the second half of the 14th century, and the South Aisle was re-built and widened early in the 15th century; c. 1490 the West Tower and the clearstorey were added and the nave arcades were re-built, some of the old material being re-used. In 1858 the Chancel was re-built, the tower restored, and the North-East Vestry and South Porch were added.

Four 13th-century capitals, now used as bases (see Plate, p. 39) in the nave arcades, and the 15th-century carved angels, of wood, in the roof of the nave and aisles are noteworthy.

Architectural Description—The Chancel (34 ft. by 17 ft.) is modern. The Nave (30 ft. by 19½ ft.) has N. and S. arcades of three bays; the pillars and responds have clustered shafts which were probably re-cut c. 1490 from 13th-century circular columns; the bases of the responds are possibly of the 13th century, but have been restored with cement; the bases of the pillars are inverted 13th-century capitals, with stiff-leaf foliage; the heavy octagonal capitals, of c. 1490, are moulded and embattled; the two-centred moulded arches have labels with plain stops. The clearstorey has three N. and three S. windows, also of c. 1490, each of three cinque-foiled lights, under a depressed straight-sided head; they are all externally covered with cement. The North Aisle (9 ft. wide) has, in the N. wall, two 14th-century windows, each of two cinque-foiled lights and tracery in a two-centred head; externally they are partly restored with cement: between them is a third window, a modern copy of the others. The South Aisle (9½ ft. wide) has, in the E. wall, an early 15th-century window of three lights; the cinque-foiled middle light is continued to the apex of the two-centred head; the other lights are trefoiled, with tracery over them; the external stonework, including the label, has been restored with cement. In the S. wall is an early 15th-century window of two cinque-foiled lights with tracery under a square head; W. of the window is a modern doorway. In the W. wall is a modern window. The West Tower (13½ ft. by 11 ft.) is of two stages, with a S.E. stair-turret and an embattled parapet. Almost all the detail is of late 15th-century date, but the external stonework has been restored with cement. The two-centred moulded tower arch has shafted jambs with moulded capitals. The W. doorway has hollow-chamfered jambs and four-centred head; the W. window is of three cinque-foiled lights under a four-centred head with an external label. In the S. wall, opening into the stair-turret, is a doorway with chamfered jambs and four-centred head. The bell-chamber has, in each wall, a window of two trefoiled lights with tracery; the heads are two-centred; that of the window in the E. wall is of earlier 15th-century date than the others, with grooves for glass, and was taken from another part of the church. The Roof of the nave is modern, but at the feet of the intermediate rafters are carved wooden angels of late 15th-century date; the carved grotesque heads supporting the main beams are possibly old, and one of the central bosses is also of the 15th century. The roofs of the aisles are modern, but have, at the feet of the rafters, carved angels holding shields, similar to those in the nave and all of late 15th-century date.

Fittings—Bells: five, all by Anthony Chandler, 1st to 4th 1668, 5th 1669; bell-frame carved with initials and date 'I C 1668'. Brass (see Monuments and Floor-slabs). Chest: In vestry—plain, possibly 17th-century. Communion Table: In vestry —with turned legs, carved top rail, plain foot rail, early 17th-century, top modern. Door: In tower —opening into stair-turret, of plain rough battens, with remains of strap-hinges, probably late 15th-century. Font: In tower—circular, with rough mouldings, probably 12th-century, covered with cement, not in use, found at a farm in the neighbourhood. Glass: In N. aisle—in head of one light and in spandrel of N.E. window, fragments, probably 15th-century. In S. aisle—in S.E. window, fragments. Monuments and Floor-slabs. Floor-slabs: Now in churchyard—S. of tower, all in fragments, (1) to John Theede, incised inscription obliterated, in same slab, inscription on brass plate to John Theede of Leburne in the parish of Mentmore, 1641; (2) to Thomas Theede, 1675; (3) to Mary, wife of Edward Wigg, daughter of Thomas Theede, 1665; (4) to Mary, wife of John Theed, 1678. Piscina: In S. aisle—in S. wall, with trefoiled head and circular basin, 15th-century, outer order modern. Plate: includes cup and cover paten, dated 1570.

Condition—Structurally sound, windows damaged by restoration with cement.

Secular

(2). Manor Farm, about 500 yards E.N.E. of the church, is a house of two storeys, the lower storey of brick, the upper storey of timber and brick; the roofs are tiled. It was built in the first half of the 17th century, but has been restored and altered. The plan is approximately T-shaped, the central wing projecting towards the N.; at the E. end of the transverse wing is a small modern addition. The central chimney stack and another stack at the N. end are original, but have been restored; two other chimneys have some old bricks in them.

Interior:—The parlour, in the N. wing, has a wide fireplace, partly blocked, three large encased beams in the ceiling, and a cupboard door of early 17th-century panelling. The kitchen, in the transverse wing, has a large open fireplace, partly blocked. In the upper storey the original oak boards remain under the modern floors. The staircase has a balustrade at the top with turned newel and balusters of the 17th century, and a handrail made up of pieces of carved oak of an earlier date in the same century.

Condition—Poor; in need of general repair; all the timber-framing is in bad condition.

Ledburn

(3). Ledburn Manor House, about 1³/8 miles N. of the church, is of two storeys and an attic; the walls are almost entirely of brick, with some timber-framing. The roofs are tiled. The remains of the original house, built probably in the 15th century, consist of a small rectangular block, probably formerly part of the hall, now the kitchen; on the W. side is a slightly larger block, added late in the 17th century, and containing the present entrance hall, the staircase, and some of the domestic offices; in the 18th century a large rectangular block was built on the N., extending towards the E., and containing the principal rooms.

The house is interesting on account of the mediæval remains.

The original block is timber-framed, with brick filling of a later date; the gabled S. wall is partly hidden by a square chimney stack of early 17th-century date. The late 17th-century wing has plain gables and contemporary windows with flat frames and mullions.

Interior:—In the 18th-century block the dining room has, re-set, an early 17th-century fireplace with moulded jambs and four-centred head, of stone; the overmantel is supported by square moulded baluster pilasters, and is divided into three bays by columns on pedestals; the bay on each side is panelled, and the middle bay arched; the frieze and cornice are ornamented with arabesques. In the original block, the open roof of the kitchen has plain rough trusses of simple construction.

Condition—Very good.

(4). Farmhouse, 250 yards S.W. of (3), is of two storeys and an attic; the walls are of timber and brick; the roofs are tiled. It was built probably in the middle of the 16th century, on an L-shaped plan, with the main block facing S., and a N.E. wing; in the angle between them is a small staircase wing; in the 17th century a block was added, extending the length of the house on the E. side; two modern additions have been made at the back. On the S. front the W. half of the upper storey projects; in the E. half the original block is gabled. The W. wall of the main block and the N. wall of the original wing are also gabled, and the E. wall of the 17th-century addition has two gables. The walls of the staircase wing have modern brick filling and the old timber-framing is possibly re-used. The main block has a central chimney stack built of thin bricks, and between the main block and the N.E. wing is another old stack, re-built at the top.

Interior:—Two rooms in the main block have original timbers in the walls and stop-chamfered beams in the ceilings: the fireplaces are partly filled in. The room in the N.E. wing has a large open fireplace, with a heavy oak lintel, partly blocked; the open timber ceiling has a heavy chamfered beam in the middle. Two of the rooms in the 17th-century addition have chamfered beams in the ceilings. In the upper storey are a few old beams and the floors have original oak boards.

Condition—Fairly good; the attic staircase and floor are unsafe.