Cold Brayfield

124. COLD BRAYFIELD.

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

Ecclesiastical

(1). Parish Church of St. Mary, at the S.W. end of the village, is built of limestone rubble, with some shelly oolite; the dressings are of stone; the roofs are tiled. The history of the building is obscured by restorations, but the Nave is apparently of c. 1160; the Chancel was lengthened c. 1225; later in the same century the North Porch and West Tower were added and the N. doorway was apparently re-set; windows were inserted in the 15th century. The church was completely restored and re-roofed in the 19th century.

Architectural Description—The Chancel (25½ ft. by 16 ft.) has an E. window of two lights in a two-centred head; the opening is apparently of the 15th century; the tracery is modern. In the N. wall the junction of the 12th and 13th-century work is visible, and the 12th-century rubble is of slightly larger stones; in the S. wall the difference is not clearly defined. The N. wall has, at the E. end, a window similar to the E. window, but smaller; further W. is a 13th-century lancet window, chamfered and rebated externally, and with a wide internal splay; at the W. end of the wall is a low-side window of one lancet light, externally similar to the other lancet, but with a flat lintel over the internal splay. In the S. wall are three windows, all similar to those opposite to them in the N. wall, but the easternmost window is entirely modern, the second partly restored; the third has an external rebate and has been much restored. The chancel arch is modern, except the responds, which are of c. 1160, and have shafts with scalloped capitals and moulded abaci continued round the responds; the S. shaft has cheveron ornament. The Nave (31 ft. by 19 ft.) has, in the N. wall, two windows, the eastern a much restored lancet of mid 13th-century date; the western is a small 12th-century window with a round head, also much restored; externally it is covered by the porch, and below it is the N. doorway, almost entirely of 12th-century work, re-set; the slightly pointed head is of two orders, the inner order chamfered and continuous and the outer order moulded and resting on 13th-century shafts with moulded capitals. In the S. wall are two windows, the eastern of two lights in a two-centred head; the opening is of the 15th century and the tracery is modern; the western window is similar to the other but entirely modern: E. of it is a straight joint, probably representing the E. jamb of a 13th-century S. doorway, and a mutilated moulding outside was possibly the abacus. The West Tower (7½ ft. by 6½ ft.) is of two low stages, with a modern embattled parapet and small diagonal buttresses. All the detail is of mid or late 13th-century date. The small tower arch is of one slightly chamfered order, with square jambs, and plain abaci, and is of crude workmanship. The S. and W. walls have each a plain rough loop-hole. The bell-chamber has a much weathered lancet window in each wall. The North Porch (8½ ft. by 6½ ft.) has detail of late 13th-century date. The two-centred entrance archway is of two moulded orders, the outer order springs from shafts with moulded capitals and bases, the inner order is continuous; in the W. wall is a rough loop-hole.

Fittings—Bells: three; 1st by John Clarke, 1607; 2nd by Alexander Rigbe, 1688. Chest: In nave—in recess in E. wall, plain with panelled lid and front, 17th-century. Font: small, octagonal, stem roughly moulded, uncertain date. Lockers: In nave—in E. wall, two; in S. wall, one, without rebate. Monuments and Floor-slabs. Floor-slabs: In chancel—(1) to Anna Farrer, 1697; (2) to Jane Ferrar, 1678–9; (3) to Anna Farrer, 1690. In nave—in recess at E. end, (4) fragments, 17th-century, illegible; in recess in N. wall, (5) to Edward Bodington, 16—; at W. end, (6) to Ann Bodington, 1696. Piscinae: In chancel—with rough pointed head, uncertain date. In nave— modern, with old stone in W. jamb. Plate: includes cup, late 16th-century, no date-letter. Recesses: In nave—in N.E. corner, two, one in E. and one in N. wall, with segmental heads, curiously conjoined, uncertain date, probably connected with nave altar.

Condition—Good, much restored.

Crawley, North, see North Crawley.