Hatfield

30 HATFIELD (E.c.)

(O.S. 6 in. XIII, S.E.)

Hatfield is a parish 6 m. E. of Leominster. The church with 11th-century detail and Hatfield Court Farm, a large brick house of unusual type, are the principal monuments.

Ecclesiastical

(1). Parish Church of St. Leonard stands near the middle of the parish. The walls are of local sandstone rubble with dressings of the same material and tufa; the roofs are tile-covered. The E. part of the N. wall of the Nave dates from late in the 11th century. The Chancel was re-built at some uncertain date, perhaps in the 13th century. Probably in the 14th century the nave was extended towards the W. and the West Porch added; the timber supports of the bell-turret are probably of mediæval date. In 1723 the E. part of the S. wall of the nave was re-built. The church was restored in 1878 and again in 1903, and the E. wall and the bell-turret are modern.

The early N. doorway is of interest.

Architectural Description—The Chancel (19 ft. by 12½ ft.) has a modern E. wall with an E. window of late 13th-century character, but all modern externally. In the N. wall is a window largely or entirely modern. In the S. wall is a 14th-century window of two trefoiled lights in a square head. The two-centred chancel-arch is probably of the 13th century and is of one plain continuous order with rough dressings of tufa.

The Nave (46 ft. by 18 ft. average) has, in the N. wall, three windows, all modern except parts of the splays of the two eastern; the late 11th-century N. doorway (Plate 44) now blocked, has plain jambs and a heavy lintel in three stones joggled together; above it is a plain round arch enclosing a tympanum of square stones set diagonally; the eastern part of the wall (Plate 85) has some herring-bone masonry both internally and externally. The S. wall as far as and including the blocked S. doorway is of 18th-century date and has a stone inscribed M.R. I.B. C.W. 1723; in the W. part of the wall are two modern windows. The W. part of the nave has been partitioned off to form a vestry, lobby and staircase to the gallery above; four chamfered posts carry the modern bell-turret. The W. doorway is of 18th-century or modern date.

The West Porch is of timber and probably of 14th-century date with a modern roof. The outer entrance has two curved braces forming a pointed arch.

Fittings—Bells: two, uninscribed, 13th-century. Font: tub-shaped bowl without ornament, probably late 11th-century. Monuments (restored 1933): In chancel—on N. wall, (1) to Sara (Colles), wife of Thomas Geers, 1672–3, oval tablet (Plate 68) with bay-leaf frame, flanked by twisted Corinthian columns with entablature, broken pediment and achievement-of-arms; (2) to Timothy Colles, 1669, tablet (Plate 68) flanked by twisted Corinthian columns with entablature, broken pediment, putti and cartouche-of-arms; on S. wall, (3) to John Colles, 1641, and Frances (Lucy) his wife, 1638, tablet (Plate 68) with Ionic side-columns, entablature, broken pediment, putti and shield-of-arms. Panelling: In chancel—dado of 17th-century panelling. Plate: includes cup of 1571, cover-paten with the date 1614 and stand-paten of 1685.

Condition—Good.

Secular

(2). Hatfield Court Farm, house (Plate 34), 100 yards N.W. of the church, is of three storeys; the walls are of brick. It was built probably late in the 16th century on a modified E-shaped plan with the three small wings projecting towards the S. and a wing at the back. A modern house has been built on the N. side incorporating part of the old building which is now roofless and derelict. Some panelling and a piece of lead with the date 1595, from this house, are now preserved at Hatfield Court.

The building is an interesting example of a brick type unusual in the county.

The S. front has three projecting and gabled bays the full height of the house; the ground floor of the easternmost forms a porch, the outer entrance having a four-centred head. The square-headed windows have lost most of their dressings and the crow-stepped gables are partly ruined. In the main wall are four-light windows, some of them blocked. The E. front has modern windows, except one in the attics which has an original moulded oak frame; the main block has a crow-stepped gable. The N. wall is partly covered by modern work; the E. chimney-stack has grouped diagonal shafts and the W. stack has four square shafts with V-shaped pilaster-strips; towards the E. end is a blocked window with an original moulded mullion and the projecting wing has original windows with square moulded heads; the doorway has a square head and a moulded rear-arch. The W. front has an original five-light transomed window in both the lower floors and a three-light window in the crow-stepped gable. The external walls, except on the N., have lozenge-diapering in black bricks. Inside, the building is largely ruined but retains some ceiling-beams and remains of plaster panelling on the E. wall. The fireplaces are of stone, with four-centred heads.

Condition—Ruined.

Monuments (3–7)

The following monuments, unless otherwise described, are of the 17th century and of two storeys, timber-framed and with tile or slate-covered roofs. Most of the buildings have exposed ceiling-beams.

Condition—Good or fairly good.

(3). Durhampton Farm, house, 800 yards N.N.E. of the church, was built probably in the 16th century on a T-shaped plan with the cross-wing at the E. end. There is a 17th-century addition on the N. side and modern additions on the N. and W. The chimney-stack has two square shafts with diagonal pilaster-strips. The external timber-framing, in squares, is exposed.

(4). House, on the S. side of the road, 230 yards E. of the church, is of L-shaped plan with the wings extending towards the S. and E. The N.W. angle of the house is of the 16th century, but the rest was re-built in the 17th century. Some of the timber-framing is exposed, and inside the house the staircase has a 17th-century newel, with a moulded terminal.

(5). Cottage, on the N. side of the road, about ½ m. E. of the church, has some exposed timber-framing.

(6). Cottage, 30 yards N.E. of (5), has exposed timber-framing.

(7). Lower Nicholson, house, ¾ m. S.S.W. of the church, has exposed timber-framing in square panels.