Stoke Goldington

199. STOKE GOLDINGTON.

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

Ecclesiastical

(1). Parish Church of St. Peter, standing on a small hill nearly ½ mile from the middle of the village, is built of stone rubble; some of the dressings of the tower are of dark-brown stone; the other dressings are of limestone. The roofs are covered with lead, except those of the chancel, chapel and porch which are tiled. The Nave was built early in the 12th century; the South Aisle was added c. 1240, and a N. aisle c. 1250. The Chancel was re-built and the South Chapel added c. 1330; the South Porch was built possibly at the same time. The North Aisle was re-built late in the 14th or early in the 15th century, and the West Tower was added in the second quarter of the 15th century. In the 16th century the N. aisle was shortened at the W. end. The clearstorey was added apparently in the 16th or 17th century. The church was restored in the 19th century, when the upper part of the N. wall of the chancel, and the whole of the S. wall of the chapel were re-built.

Architectural Description—The Chancel (29½ ft. by 13 ft.) has an E. window of three cinque-foiled lights with tracery in a two-centred head; the jambs, with attached internal shafts having moulded capitals and bases, the hollow-chamfered rear arch and the external label are of the 14th century, but the tracery is of the 15th century. In the N. wall are two 14th-century windows, each of three cinque-foiled lights under a square head with sunk spandrels and a moulded external label. In the S. wall, opening into the S. chapel, is an arcade of two bays, with two-centred arches of two chamfered orders, a circular column and semi-circular responds, entirely re-built, partly with old stones which have been re-tooled. The early 12th-century chancel arch is semi-circular and of one square order, the voussoirs showing on the W. side only; most of the stones have remains of a carved diaper pattern; the square jambs are covered with plaster, and have chamfered abaci enriched with a carved pattern similar to that of the arch. The South Chapel (29½ ft. by 11 ft.) has, in the E. wall, a 14th-century window of two cinque-foiled lights with a quatrefoil in a two-centred head, which has a moulded external label. In the S. wall is a small 14th-century window of two pointed uncusped lights under a two-centred head with a pierced spandrel; the external label has mask-stops: further W. is a doorway with chamfered jambs and two-centred head, all modern except a few re-used and re-cut jamb-stones. Between the chapel and the S. aisle is a large cambered and chamfered beam supporting the wall between the two roofs. The Nave (38 ft. by 18½ ft.) has a plain parapet on the N. wall and E. gable. The N. and S. arcades are each of three bays. The N. arcade, of c. 1250, has two-centred arches of two chamfered orders with a label in the nave, which has a mask-stop over the E. respond, and a head-stop over the eastern column: the circular columns have moulded capitals and bases; one of the bases has been much cut away: the responds are of two chamfered orders with moulded abaci; the W. respond is partly covered by the W. wall of the N. aisle, and the inner order has a capital, apparently modern. The S. arcade, of c. 1240, has two-centred arches of two chamfered orders with a plain label on each side, that in the nave having a mask-stop over the eastern column; the westernmost arch is distorted and has been partly restored; the columns are circular and the responds semi-circular, and all have moulded capitals, restored and partly re-cut, that of the W. respond being almost entirely modern; the base of the eastern column is moulded, that of the second column is chamfered, and the responds have remains of chamfered bases. The clearstorey has, in the S. wall, immediately below the eaves, three plain rectangular windows of late 16th or early 17th-century date. The North Aisle (7 ft. wide) has, in the E. wall, a 15th-century window of two cinque-foiled ogee lights under a square head with foiled spandrels and a moulded external label which has head-stops; the mullion is partly broken away. In the N. wall is a late 14th-century window of two trefoiled lights and tracery in a two-centred head with a moulded external label; the window is rebated inside for a wooden frame: further W. is the 13th-century N. doorway with chamfered jambs and two-centred head; the lower stones of the external label are old and have nail-head ornament, but the rest of the label is apparently modern. In the W. wall is a 16th-century window of two pointed lights under a square head with a moulded external label. The South Aisle (8 ft. wide) has, in the S. wall, two windows; the eastern is of the 16th century, and of two uncusped lights under a square head with sunk spandrels and a moulded external label; the window is rebated inside for a wooden frame; the second window is modern: between them is the 13th-century S. doorway, with chamfered jambs and two-centred head, and a chamfered label with head-stops. The West Tower (11 ft. square) is of two stages, with an embattled parapet, diagonal W. buttresses, a moulded plinth, and a staircase in the S.W. angle. All the detail is of the 15th century. The tower arch is two-centred and of three chamfered orders with semi-octagonal responds, which have moulded capitals and bases. The W. doorway has deeply moulded jambs and two-centred head with a moulded external label; the W. window is of two cinque-foiled lights with a quatrefoil in a two-centred head, which has a moulded external label. In the S.W. corner, opening into the staircase, is a small doorway with chamfered jambs and two-centred head; high up in the N. and S. walls of the ground stage are small lancet windows, both with external roll labels. The bell-chamber has, in each wall, a window of two lights similar to the W. window of the ground stage. The South Porch (12 ft. by 8 ft.) has an outer entrance with splayed jambs and two-centred arch, much restored, but the label is of early 14th-century date. The Roof of the nave has a plastered ceiling with four encased tie-beams of the 17th century, the second and third having moulded wall-pieces, plain struts and wooden corbels, and the westernmost tie-beam struts only. The N. aisle has a flat lean-to roof with two moulded cambered tie-beams and part of a purlin with similar moulding, all of the 17th century; the rest of the roof is modern. The roof of the S. aisle is similar to that of the N. aisle, but the timbers are roughly chamfered.

Fittings—Bells: five; 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th by Robert Atton, 1625; frame dated 1625. Brackets: In N. aisle—one on each side of E. window, plain, chamfered, 15th-century. Brasses and Indents: see Monument (3). Chest: In vestry (E. end of S. chapel)—with carved front, secular, 17th-century, made up with modern work. Communion Table: under modern table, with moulded apron and rail, turned legs, late 17th-century. Font: plain, circular bowl, 12th or 13th-century, much scraped. Glass: In N. aisle —in tracery of E. window, sacred monogram in gold on white, 15th-century, broken. Monuments and Floor-slabs. Monument: Porch—against E. wall, outside, coffin lid of stone, with hollow-chamfered edge, foliated carbuncle or cross carved on the head, 13th-century, much worn. Floor-slabs: In chancel—in N.W. corner, (1) to Ann, widow of Robert Howard, 169(?); (2) E. of (1), to John Hillersdon, Archdeacon of Buckingham and rector of the parish, 1684. In S. aisle—(3) to 'Alianora . . . .', slab with marginal inscription in Lombardic capitals, partly illegible, indents of two shields, early 14th-century. In vestry—(4) with two sunk lozenges containing defaced devices in relief, possibly skulls, late 17th-century, much worn. Panelling: In nave—in N.W. corner, fragment used as dado, early 17th-century. Piscinae: In chancel—in S. wall, with trefoiled head, circular basin, 15th-century. In vestry—in S. wall, with trefoiled head, circular 'vortex' basin, 14th-century. Plate: includes standing paten inscribed as the gift of John Hillersdon, Archdeacon of Buckingham, 1673.

Condition—Good; ivy on some of the walls, but at present doing no harm.

Secular

(2). Homestead Moat, W. of Stoke Park Wood.

(3). Church Farm, house and moat, about 80 yards N. of the church. The House is of two storeys and an attic, built of stone. The plan is roughly L-shaped, the longer wing projecting towards the W., the shorter wing towards the S. and very slightly towards the N. The S. wing and part of the W. wing were built probably c. 1625, but were possibly partly re-built in the 18th or 19th century, when the rest of the W. wing was added. The S. end of the S. wing is of c. 1625, of coursed and squared rubble, with a gable which has a coping and carved kneelers; on the ground floor is a window of four lights with moulded jambs, head, transom, mullions and master mullion and the remains of a label, all of stone; on the first floor is a similar window of four lights, but without label, transom and master mullion; the window in the gable is of three lights, and is also of stone. The E. and W. walls of the S. wing are of less regular rubble than that of the S. wall, and against the E. wall is a large projecting chimney stack having two square shafts with a linked cap, much re-built; the lower part of the stack has a tiled offset. The N. end of the S. wing is of plain rubble, and has a gable with a tiled verge. The W. wing is entirely of stone rubble; near the E. end is a chimney stack; the base is probably original; on the W. side of the stack the roof is slightly lower than on the E. side, which possibly marks the junction of the old and new work, though there is no clear evidence of it in the walling. Interior:—The kitchen, in the S. wing, has, in the ceiling, a heavy chamfered joist, running E. and W., with small chamfered beams running N. and S.

The Moat was originally circular, but only fragments of it remain E. and W. of the house.

Condition—Of house, good; much altered.

(4). House, on the E. side of the main street, about 700 yards S.E. of the church, is of two storeys and an attic, built of stone possibly late in the 17th century, and partly restored with modern brick at the back. The roof is tiled. The gables at the N. and S. ends have original stone copings with small gablets at the feet, and fluted kneelers. Interior:—Some of the ceilings have chamfered beams, and the attic stairs have turned balusters of the 17th century.

Condition—Good.

(5–9). Ram Alley, a group of five small cottages. ³/8 mile S.E. of the church, lies off the main road, and is reached only by footpaths. The cottages are each of two storeys, the upper storey partly in the roof. They are of stone rubble, built probably in the 17th century. The roofs are thatched. All the buildings are of rectangular plan, with chimney stacks at the ends, and two of them have each a small attached outhouse of one storey, one built of stone, the other of weather-boarding.

Condition—Of all, poor.