Wavendon

216. WAVENDON.

(O.S. 6 in. ^(a)xv. N.E. ^(b)xv. S.E.)

Pre-historic

^b (1). Danesborough (Contour Fort), is situated in Wavendon Wood on the E. border of the county, on sandy soil and on a spur of the 500 ft. contour line; the ground falls away sharply, except on the S.W. side, where it is nearly level. The work covers about 8½ acres. The main defence consists of a ditch 55 ft. wide and, at one point, 18 ft. deep from the summit of the rampart. On the S.W. side the ditch has a slight rampart and counter-scarp bank, and on the S.E. a higher rampart with the ground dropping abruptly from the counter-scarp. In the present incomplete state of the work the positions of the original entrances are doubtful, but a hollow trackway leads up to the N. end of the camp and passes out again on the S.W. The site is thickly planted.

Condition—Fairly good, except N. extremity, which is much denuded, and partly obliterated.

Ecclesiastical

^a (2). Parish Church of St. Mary the Virgin, at the E. end of the village, is built of stone rubble, squared, except in the walls of the tower, which are plain with ashlar dressings. The roofs are covered with lead, except that of the chancel which is tiled: The church existing on the site in the 13th century probably consisted of a chancel and Nave; in the second half of the century the nave was lengthened two bays towards the W. and the North Aisle added; at the end of the same century the Chancel was re-built and the South Aisle added. The West Tower was built in the 15th century. The church was completely restored in 1848–9, when the walls of the chancel and aisles were re-faced or re-built. The North Vestry and South Porch and the windows of the clearstorey are modern.

Architectural Description—The Chancel (28½ ft. by 15½ ft.) is apparently modern, except the chancel arch, which is of late 13th-century date, two-centred and of two chamfered orders, with moulded capitals and bases. The Nave (53 ft. by 16 ft.) has 13th-century N. and S. arcades of four bays. The N. arcade has two-centred arches of two chamfered orders with moulded labels; the pillars are quatrefoil on plan, and the responds half-quatrefoil, all with moulded capitals and bases; the S. arcade is similar to the N. arcade, except the E. respond which is semi-octagonal; the capitals and bases of the E. respond and the easternmost pillar also have slightly different mouldings, and the two western arches are of wider span than the others. The clearstorey has four modern windows on each side. The North and South Aisles have modern detail. The West Tower (13 ft. by 12½ ft.) is of four stages with an embattled parapet, a moulded plinth, and diagonal W. buttresses; at the junction of the nave and tower are plain buttresses, and in the S.W. angle is a staircase. The 15th-century tower arch is two-centred and of three orders, with moulded capitals and bases. The W. doorway and window are modern. In the S.W. angle is a small doorway opening into the staircase. In the third stage are three small trefoiled loops. In each wall of the bell-chamber is a 15th-century window of two lights under a two-centred head with a sunk spandrel; all the lights are cusped except those of the E. window. The Roof of the nave is modern, but is supported by 15th-century corbels of stone, carved as angels holding scrolls and shields.

Fittings—Bells: five, 1st by Newcombe, 1616. Brass: In vestry—on W. wall, to Richard Saunders, 1639, two plates, one oblong with inscription, the other lozenge shaped with arms, mantled helm and crest. Chest: of oak, large, plain, with iron-bound corners and three locks, middle lock having curved scutcheon, 15th or 16th-century. Glass: In N. aisle—in tracery of N.W. window, fragment with foliated design in pale yellow, early 15th-century, much weathered. In S. aisle—in tracery of S.W. window, head of saint and foliated fragments, early 15th-century. Pulpit: of wood, five sides of hexagon, with enriched base and cornice of classical design, cherubs' heads on angles, pendants of fruit and flowers in high relief, panels elaborately inlaid and with enriched bolection mouldings, one panel inlaid with Sacred monogram, late 17th-century, said to be by Grinling Gibbons and brought from the Church of St. Dunstan's in the West, London. Miscellanea: In S. aisle—at W. end, small table of oak, legs in form of Doric columns, apron and top forming entablature, top inlaid, late 17th-century.

Condition—Good; much restored.

Secular

^a (3). The Cedars, on the S. side of the road, 150 yards E. of the church, is a house of two storeys; the old walls are now covered with plaster; the roofs are tiled. It was built on a rectangular plan, probably in the 17th century; a N.E. wing was added in the 18th century, making the plan L-shaped, but modern additions on the N. and W. have made it again rectangular. The large central chimney stack is of thin bricks.

Interior:—Some of the rooms have old ceiling-beams, and there is a large open fireplace. Two old leaded windows in the staircase passage now open into the 18th-century addition.

Condition—Good; much restored.

Monuments (4–11)

These cottages are almost all of two storeys; all were built probably in the 17th century and were originally timber-framed, but most of them have been much restored and altered. Many of the roofs are thatched.

^a (4–5). Cottages, two, each now two tenements, about 100 yards S.W. of the church. The timber-framing has been tarred and, in the eastern cottage, partly renewed; the original plaster filling has been much replaced by brick. The western cottage has a corner-post incised with the initials and date ' T S 1649'; the date is probably that of both buildings. The central chimney stack in each cottage is of thin bricks.

Condition—Fairly good.

Lane running S. from Main road, E. side

^a (6). Cottage, now two tenements, 150 yards S.W. of the church. The walls are covered with rough-cast.

Condition—Bad.

^a (7). Cottage, now two tenements, S. of (6). The walls have been entirely re-faced with red and black bricks of late 17th-century date. The roof is tiled.

Condition—Fairly good.

^a (8). Cottage, S. of (7). The walls have some herring-bone brick filling which is not original, and are partly covered with rough-cast. The roof is of corrugated iron.

Condition—Poor.

^a (9). Cottage, on the N. side of the road, 400 yards W.S.W. of the church. The S. front and E. end are covered with rough-cast; the W. end has brick filling; at the back is a modern addition. The roofs are tiled.

Condition—Good.

Cross End

^a (10). Cottage, now two tenements, N.E. of (9). The brick filling in the walls is probably not original.

Condition—Fairly good.

^a (11). Cottage, 150 yards N. of (9). The walls have been almost entirely re-faced with brick; a little of it is of the 17th century, and the rest of the 18th and 19th centuries.

Condition—Fairly good.

^a (12). The Manor House, 700 yards E. of the church, is of two storeys and an attic, built c. 1600. The walls are probably of timber and brick, but are entirely covered with rough-cast; the roofs are tiled. It was built c. 1600, apparently on an E-shaped plan, the wings extending towards the S., the main block containing one room on each side of a large chimney stack; the small projecting wing in the middle possibly contained a staircase; the present staircase, in the angle of the E. wing, is an addition; the house has been much altered at various dates, and modern extensions towards the S. considerably obscure the original arrangement. At each end of the N. front the upper storey projects and is gabled; at the back the three wings are gabled; all the gables are plain with tiled verges. In the E. wing is an original chimney stack with square shafts set diagonally; the central chimney stack in the main block has square projections on the four sides of a large square shaft.

Interior:—The hall, on the E. side of the central chimney stack, has, in the ceiling, a large moulded beam with carved stops; some panelling and the doors are possibly of c. 1700. A room in the E. wing has some bolection-moulded panelling, and a fireplace with bolection-moulding, all possibly of c. 1700. On the first floor in the E. wing is an original fireplace, with moulded jambs and four-centred head of stone.

Condition—Good, much altered.

^a (13). Cottage, now several tenements, at Woburn Sands, on the W. side of The Leys, about 1¼ miles S.E. of the church, is a long rectangular range of two storeys. It was built probably in the 17th century, but the ends of the range have been re-built with modern brick, and the other walls covered with rough-cast. The roof is thatched.

Condition—Fairly good.

Unclassified

^a (14). Bowl barrow, in the grounds of Wavendon House, 200 yards S.E. of the building. The mound is 60 ft. in diameter and about 7 ft. high, and is surrounded by a ditch crossed by a causeway on the S.

Condition—Good.