Ryme Intrinseca

78 RYME INTRINSECA (D.b.)

(O.S. 6 in. ^(a)XI, S.W. ^(b)XI, S.E.)

Ryme Intrinseca is a parish and village 5 m. S.W. of Sherborne. The church is the principal monument.

Ecclesiastical

^a(1) Parish Church of St. Hypolite stands in the village. The walls are of local rubble with freestone dressings and the roofs are covered with tiles and stone slates. The Chancel and Nave date probably from the 13th century. Early in the 17th century the E. wall was rebuilt and the chancel perhaps shortened; the E. part of the N. and the W. part of the S. wall of the nave were rebuilt; the West Tower was added shortly after and the North Porch about the middle of the century. The church was restored in the 19th century.

Architectural Description—The Chancel (16 ft. by 15½ ft.) has a 17th-century E. window of three four-centred and graduated lights with a moulded label stepped up over the middle light. The side walls have each a 13th-century lancet-window. There is no chancel-arch.

The Nave (32 ft. by 16 ft.) has, in the N. wall, two lower windows, the eastern of the 17th century and similar to the E. window of the chancel and the western is similar but of two lights; high up, at the E. end of the wall, is a 17th-century window of one trefoiled light lighting the pulpit; the E. part of the wall was rebuilt, thinner than the rest, early in the 17th century; the early 15th-century N. doorway has moulded jambs and two-centred head. In the S. wall are three windows, the easternmost of the 13th century and of two lancet-lights; the middle window is modern and replaces a doorway of which the lower parts of the jambs can be seen externally; the westernmost window is similar to the corresponding window in the N. wall.

The West Tower (about 8 ft. square) is of early 17th-century date and of three stages with an embattled parapet and pinnacles at the angles; the N.E. stair-turret is also embattled and has a pyramidal roof. The tower-arch is two-centred and of one continuous chamfered order; it has been cut back for a doorway, now blocked, to a former gallery. The W. doorway has chamfered jambs and four-centred head; the W. window is similar to the western windows of the nave. In the S. wall is a modern window. The second stage has, in the E. wall, a window of two round-headed lights. The bell-chamber has, in each wall, a window of two four-centred lights in a square head with a label; the lights have stone fillings with pierced quatrefoils enclosing paterae.

The North Porch has a mid 17th-century outer archway with moulded jambs and round head.

Fittings—Bells: three; 2nd, probably by William Purdue of Closworth, 1576, figures reversed; 3rd by T. Roskelly, 1753. Chairs: In chancel—two, one with turned front legs, shaped arms, carved and panelled back and scrolled cresting; second, with turned front legs, shaped arms and carved back with enriched arched panel; early to mid 17th-century. Chest: In second stage of tower—small and plain with strap-hinges and one hasp-strap, late 17th-century. Door: In turret-staircase of tower—of battens with strap-hinges, 17th-century. Font: octagonal bowl with concave underside and necking, octagonal stem and concave base, late 15th-century. Cover of oak, pyramidal and with repainted inscription "The gift of Ann Purde who died Jan. 1st 1637". Monuments and Floor-slab. Monuments: In chancel—on N. wall, (1) to John Elford, rector, 1664, moulded and enriched panel; on S. wall, (2) to Brinley Skinner, 1764, marble wall-monument with achievement-of-arms in a cartouche; (3) to Robert Pallock, 1757, John, his son, 1789, and Robert Pallock, 1844, white marble walltablet with crest. In nave—on N. wall, (4) to Katherine, wife of James Langdon, 1815, white and coloured marble wall-monument. In churchyard—N.W. of porch, (5) to George Williams, 1686, and Dorothy, his wife, 1697, and others later, table-tomb. Floor-slab: In tower—to [George Day], 1635–6. Plate: includes a cup of 1571 with band of engraved ornament on bowl. Royal Arms: In nave—on N. wall, painted on canvas in frame with segmental head. Above the shield are the initials G.R., the painter's name and the date: John Williams, Yeovil, 1793. Seating: In chancel—two coffin-stools with turned legs and carved top-rails, 17th-century. Table: In tower—with turned front legs, enriched square back legs, enriched top rails, 17th-century, repaired. Miscellanea: In churchyard—S. of tower, bases of two gable-crosses, 16th-century. Weather-vane (Plate 54): dated 1799.

Secular

^b(2) Manor Farm, house 170 yards E.N.E. of the church, is of two storeys. The walls are of local rubble with Ham Hill stone dressings and the roofs are slate-covered. The W. cross-wing represents the original house built early in the 17th century; late in the 19th century it was partly rebuilt and almost completely remodelled and at the same time extensive additions were made on the E. The W. front has a modern projecting gabled bay in the middle; the flanking wall to the N. has been rebuilt; the three and four-light stonemullioned windows are much restored or modern. The S. front retains an original window in the gable. Some of the casements have the original wrought-iron stays and turning catches with shaped plates. Inside are exposed stop-chamfered ceiling-beams, and reset in the E. wing are two original stone fireplaces with four-centred openings, moulded heads and jambs and shaped stops.

Monuments (3–9)

The following monuments, unless otherwise described, are of the 17th century and of two storeys; the walls are of rubble and the roofs are thatched or covered with modern materials. Some of the buildings have exposed ceiling-beams and original fireplaces.

^a(3) House, on the S. side of the road 150 yards E. of the church, retains some original stone-mullioned windows with labels; a doorway to the cellars has moulded jambs and four-centred arch in a square head with swords (perhaps for Paulet) in the spandrels.

^a(4) House, 75 yards N.W. of the church, retains some original stone-mullioned windows, with labels; the doorway in the N. front has moulded jambs and segmental head with a label. Inside the building, the W. room on the ground floor has a fireplace with moulded jambs and oak lintel; the fireplace in the E. room has an oak lintel carried across the room on three posts; a doorway in a partition has a four-centred head. On the first floor is a fireplace with moulded jambs and four-centred head.

^a(5) Range of three tenements, on N. side of the road, 100 yards N.W. of the church, is of three builds. At the W. end is a building with a central chimney. In the middle, the Post House, with walls built of brick in Flemish bond, has a panel containing the initials and date HGE 1772; there is a moulded cornice over the doorway and the windows have segmental heads; the angles of the house are rusticated and the gabled E. and W. ends are finished with flat stone copings. At the E. end is an early 18th-century building with walls of rubble and brick and windows with flush frames.

^a(6) Cottage, on the S. side of the road, 130 yards W. of the church, was built probably early in the 18th century.

^a(7) House, immediately W. of (6), has two four-light stone windows with mullions and a nail-studded door. In the garden-wall is a reset stone with the initials and date I. and A.B. 1697.

^a(8) Range of three tenements, on the N. side of the road, 180 yards W. of the church, was built probably early in the 18th century.

^a(9) Caswell Farm, house 960 yards S. of the church, has been rebuilt but incorporates three 17th-century stone-mullioned windows with labels.