Willen

222. WILLEN.

(O.S. 6 in. x. S.W.)

Ecclesiastical

(1). Parish Church of St. Mary Magdalene stands in the village; the walls are almost entirely of red and black bricks with limestone dressings. The roofs are covered with lead. The Nave and West Tower of the present church (see Plate opposite) were built by Dr. Richard Busby, Headmaster of Westminster School, c. 1680, said to be from designs by Sir Christopher Wren; the North and South Chambers flanking the tower were added probably a few years later, one of them to contain the library presented in 1695 by Dr. Busby. The Apse was built in 1862.

Architectural Description—The Apse is modern. All the detail in the rest of the church is of the 17th century. The Nave (44½ ft. by 24 ft.) has a moulded stone plinth and cornice, and rusticated quoins at the angles; the E. wall has a pediment in which is a bulls-eye window. In the N. wall are three round-headed windows, with external architraves of stone; in the S. wall are three similar windows. Over the nave is a barrel-vault, which has two longitudinal ribs divided by cross-ribs into three bays, with groining above the windows; the ribs are carved with foliage ornament or flowers, and each bay has a large central boss of foliated design; the cornice is moulded; below each cross-rib is a corbel carved as a cherub, and a cherub is carved at the apex of each cross vault, over the windows. The West Tower (8½ ft. by 6 ft.) is of three stages, the third stage being of two storeys; the lowest stage is of ashlar, the upper stages are of brick; the second stage has rusticated stone quoins, the third stage has at the angles tall shallow pilasters with Corinthian capitals; the parapet is plain, with pine-apple pinnacles at the corners. The doorway opening into the nave is round-headed, set in a large round-headed recess. The W. doorway is also round-headed, and set in a large deep recess, with hollowed sides and head; two smaller doorways open into the chambers on each side of the tower; the S. doorway is set in a recess similar to that of the W. doorway. The staircase leading to the upper stages is on the N. side in the passage leading to the N. chamber. The second stage has a circular window, of stone, in the W. wall, and in the E. wall, a former opening with a round head, which looked into the nave, and is now blocked. The third stage has, in each wall, two windows, with moulded architraves of stone; the lower windows have each a segmental head, and a mullion, which is probably modern; the upper windows, lighting the bell-chamber, have each a round head with a tympanum, and a modern mullion. The North Chamber adjoining the tower and said to have been formerly the library, is now used as a coal cellar. It is of one storey with a cornice; above the cornice, the W. wall is carried up as a curved half-gable, with a pineapple pinnacle at the outer angle. In the side wall is a small round-headed window. The South Chamber, used as the vestry, has detail similar to that of the N. chamber.

Fittings—Bells: three, all by Richard Chandler, 1683. Chair: In chancel—with shaped arms, turned legs and carved back, early 17th-century. Chest: In vestry—plain, with three locks, probably 17th-century. Communion Table and Rails: table with moulded rails and twisted legs, late 17th-century; rails with panelled posts, twisted balusters and newels with pineapple finials, late 17th-century, now enclosing quire seats at E. end of nave, and part of apse. Doors: In nave—in doorway opening into tower, of two leaves, panelled, pierced in middle and filled with ornamental ironwork, late 17th-century: in doorways of tower, probably late 17th-century. Font and Font-cover (see Plate, p. 45): small octagonal cup-shaped bowl, of white marble, sides carved with cherubs, swags of flowers and fruit and acanthus leaves, stem, consisting of octagonal baluster of black marble, square base set diagonally, late 17th-century; cover, octagonal, of oak, with moulded frieze on base, winged heads carved at angles, upper part, ogee-shaped, with urn-shaped finial, carved with swags of fruit and flowers, late 17th-century. Library: now at the vicarage—620 leather-bound volumes, 16th, 17th and 18th-century, chiefly theological works, some of them presented by Dr. Richard Busby in 1695, the rest by Mr. Hume, rector of Bradwell, at a later date; in good preservation. Organ-case (see Plate, p. 48): In nave—against N. wall, of oak, projecting upper part supported by two twisted columns; the front pierced by a semi-circular arch, flanked by shallow pilasters; spandrels carved with cherubs; the sides having half round-headed openings with cherubs carved in the spandrels, and against the wall tall Corinthian pilasters; the lower part of the front having three panels of inlaid wood; probably late 17th-century, altered for a modern organ, twisted columns modern. Panelling: Round the apse and nave— two tiers of bolection-moulded panels with moulded cornice, late 17th-century. Plate: includes cup, stand paten, salver and flagon, silver gilt, inscribed as the gift of Dr. Busby in 1682, hall-mark 1683. Pulpit: hexagonal, with re-used bolection-moulded panels, moulded cornice and lower rail, base coved to a central post, late 17th-century, probably originally higher. Seating: In nave—sixteen pews, doors with raised panels, standards with plain sides and shaped heads, seats with moulded rails and panelled backs, late 17th-century: clerk's desk in front of pulpit, with panelled front, and console brackets at sides, probably also late 17th-century. Miscellanea: In nave—over doorway opening into tower, oval panel of plaster, enclosing shield with text in Hebrew inscribed on it, 17th-century.

The Churchyard is surrounded by a brick wall containing a gateway in the E. and W. sides, each with brick posts and stone caps having ball-tops, all of late 17th-century date.

Condition—Good, but ivy growing on all the walls to about half the height of the nave.

Secular

(2). Homestead Moat, 500 yards S.E. of the church.