Westbury

218. WESTBURY.

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

Ecclesiastical

(1). Parish Church of St. Augustine, stands at the S. end of the village, and is built of stone rubble, with stone dressings. The roofs are covered with tiles and with slate. The Nave was built in the 12th century, and was originally about 4 ft. longer inside than it is now. Early in the 13th century a small West Tower was added, and was built partly in the nave; in the same century the Chancel was re-built, and widened towards the N. The South Aisle was added c. 1300, and the North Aisle c. 1320, but it has been considerably altered and restored, probably in the 16th century. The whole building was restored in 1863, and the S. wall of the S. aisle has been almost entirely re-built. The Vestry and Organ Chamber, the clearstorey of the nave, the North Porch and the saddle-back roof of the tower are modern.

Architectural Description—The Chancel (30 ft. by 17 ft.) has a modern E. window. In the N. wall are two windows; the eastern is a 13th-century lancet, with a modern rear arch; the western is of the 14th century and of one trefoiled ogee light, with an external label; below the transom is a low-side light now blocked; the rear arch is modern. In the S. wall, near the E. end, is a 13th-century lancet window with an external label and a modern rear arch; further W. a modern doorway and arch open into the vestry and organ-chamber. The two-centred chancel arch is of two chamfered orders; the chamfered responds have attached semi-octagonal shafts with moulded capitals and modern bases and are apparently of the 13th century; above the springing the arch has been re-built and widened towards the N., possibly in the 16th century, some of the original stones being re-used. The Nave (40 ft. by 20½ ft.) has N. and S. arcades of three bays, with two-centred arches of two chamfered orders, octagonal pillars, and semi-octagonal responds; the N. arcade was built c. 1320; the variously moulded bases and capitals of that date have been re-cut, possibly in the 16th century and the arches of both arcades were possibly re-built at the same time. The S. arcade was built c. 1300, and the moulded capitals of the responds have nail-head ornament. The clearstorey has three modern windows on each side. The North Aisle (6 ft. wide) has one window in the E. wall, two in the N. wall and one in the W. wall, all modern, but a little old material has been re-used in the jambs of the E. and W. windows. The N. doorway is also modern. The South Aisle (7 ft. wide) has an arch in the E. wall, opening into the vestry, three windows in the S. wall and one in the W. wall, all modern. The West Tower (8½ ft. square) is of three stages, with a modern saddle-back roof, gabled on the E. and W. sides. The early 13th-century tower arch is two-centred and of one chamfered order, on the E. side is a label with serrated ornament; the jambs have small octagonal columns partly embedded in the wall and were probably brought from elsewhere; the capitals and bases are moulded. The W. window is modern. The second stage has a narrow loop light in the N. wall and another in the S. wall; in the W. wall is a square sunk panel without dressings. The third stage has modern windows.

Fittings—Bells: three and sanctus; 3rd, possibly by Watts and Newcombe, c. 1600; sanctus, with five coins set round it near the bottom, probably 14th-century. Glass: In vestry—in S. window, fragment of plain border, mediæval; other fragments, 17th-century. Monuments: In churchyard —on N. side, tombstones, (1) to Ann Medcuff, 1673; (2) to Sara Chatwyn, 1672; (3) to John Pitman, 1685; (4) to William Tanner, 1688; (5) to John Showlar, 1699; (6) to Mary Medcraft, 1700; a few others, apparently of late 17th-century date, but weatherworn and illegible. Niche: In nave—S. of chancel arch, small, with plain chamfered head and jambs, originally continued lower in the wall, probably reredos of nave altar. Piscinae: In chancel—with ogee cinque-foiled head, possibly 15th-century, basin modern. In nave—in E. respond of N. arcade, small, with chamfered ogee head, 14th or 15th-century, basin destroyed. Plate: includes cup and cover paten of 1592. Tiles: In chancel—on S. side, partly covered by quire-stalls, several, mediæval, much defaced. Miscellanea: S. aisle—built into E. wall, outside, small carved head, 15th-century; built into S. wall, worked stones, including pieces of shafts, roll label, etc., small sundial scratched on one stone, of various dates, 12th-15th-century.

Condition—Good.

Secular

(2). The Vicarage, 40 yards N.E. of the church, is a house of two storeys and an attic, built of stone rubble, probably c. 1661, with modern additions of one and two storeys, built of brick. The roofs are tiled. The plan is L-shaped, the wings extending towards the S. and W., with the modern additions in the angle between the wings. The S. wing contains the principal rooms, now three, originally probably two, divided by a large chimney stack between the two southern rooms: the W. wing contains the kitchen and offices; the W. end is lower and narrower than the rest, and has at the N.W. corner an old brew-house and bake-house, etc., set at an angle with the wing and projecting towards the N. The wings are gabled at each end. Two original windows remain at the E. end of the N. wall, and have moulded wooden frames and mullions. A stone carved with the date 1661 is re-set in a wall of one of the modern additions, and is said to have been removed from the W. wall of the S. wing. A doorway in the W. wing has an old nail-studded door with heavy wrought iron furniture.

Interior:—On the ground floor the wide fireplaces have been partly blocked. In the S. wing the first floor is supported on heavy chamfered beams. In the attic the roof is open to the collar-beams, which are cambered and roughly chamfered, with roughly chamfered braces.

Condition—Good.

Monuments (3–8)

These buildings are generally of two storeys, and of rectangular plan; all of them are of stone rubble, erected probably in the second half of the 17th century; the roofs are thatched.

(3). Cottage, now two tenements, about 150 yards N.E. of the church, is of two storeys and an attic, facing E.; at the N. end is an outhouse of one storey. The windows have solid frames with iron casements, of which a few are possibly old. The central chimney stack has a square shaft built of 17th-century brick, with flat pilasters.

Condition—Good.

(4). Cottage, now two tenements, N. of (3), is of two storeys and an attic, facing N. The windows are similar to those of (3), except one window which has roughly chamfered jambs, head and mullions, and is possibly original. The two chimneys are of stone, with caps formed of thin flakes of stone.

Condition—Good.

(5). Cottages, a range forming two tenements, on the N. side of a by-road, about 200 yards N.E. of the church. The upper storey is partly in the roof. On the S. front is a little timber-framing with modern brick filling; below the timber-framing is a doorway with a stop-chamfered head; some of the windows have original frames with iron casements. The E. chimney stack is of original stone, the central stack of 18th-century brick.

Condition—Fairly good.

Main street, W. side

(6). Cottage, two tenements, about 250 yards N. of the church. The upper storey is partly in the roof. At the S. end is an original chimney stack of stone; a stack at the N. end has been re-built with brick.

Condition—Fairly good.

E. side

(7). Cottage, three tenements, with a barn at the S. end, about 280 yards N.E. of the church. The upper storey is partly in the roof. Two of the chimney stacks are of old thin bricks; the middle stack is of stone.

Condition—Fairly good.

(8). The Post Office, 40 yards N. of (7). The plan is irregularly L-shaped, the wings extending towards the S. and W., with a barn on the N. side of the W. wing. The wings are gabled at each end. A chimney stack in each wing is of old thin bricks, and that in the W. wing has a pilaster.

Condition—Good, much altered.