Redbourn

103. REDBOURN.

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

Pre-historic

(1). The Auberys, or Aubreys, is situated on a flat spur N. of the valley between Hemel Hempstead and Redbourn, 1 mile S.W. of the latter, about 320 ft. above O.D. It is a welldeveloped example of a plateau fort.

Detailed Description—The Defences consist of a double rampart and ditch except on the N.W., where both are single, and on the E., where the outer line has been destroyed. The area defended is 17⅓ acres, and including the defences, 22¾ acres. The height of the inner rampart varies from 10 ft. to 14 ft. above the ditch, and the outer rampart is 7 ft. to 10 ft. above it, while the counter-scarp on the W. is 7 ft. high. The remaining scarp on the E. is 6 ft. high. The distance between the crests of the double ramparts is from 50 ft. to 60 ft. A modern house and farm occupy a gap in the S. side.

Entrances: There is a well-marked entrance in the W. side at the S. end of the single rampart and a narrower one at the N. end.

Dimensions—Greatest length, N.N.E. to S.S.W., 1,320 ft. Internal length, 885 ft. Greatest width, W.N.W. to E.S.E., 1,130 ft. Internal width, 820 ft.

Condition—Good.

Ecclesiastical

(2). Parish Church of St. Mary, stands at Church End, nearly ¾ of a mile S.W. of the main road from St. Albans. The walls of the chancel are faced with a chequer pattern of flint and stone, except the N. wall, which is of plain flint. The rest of the building is plastered, flint masonry showing where the plaster has scaled off. Between 1094 and 1119 Herbert Losinga, Bishop of Norwich, consecrated a church here, which then consisted of a small chancel, the present Nave and West Tower; a North Aisle was added c. 1140, and the arcade still remains, though the walls were re-built in the 15th century. The Chancel was re-built on a larger scale c. 1340; the South Aisle was probably added c. 1350–60, and was extended eastwards to form a South Chapel c. 1448–55: the South Porch was probably built about the same time. The clearstorey of the nave was added c. 1478 and the N. aisle re-built in 1497.

The church has much interesting detail; the parapet of the S. aisle and chapel, with its brick corbel table, is especially noticeable.

Architectural Description—The Chancel (35 ft. by 18½ ft.) has an E. window with net tracery; the internal jambs, rear arch and label are of the 14th century, the rest is modern: in the N. wall one window, of c. 1350, has a trefoiled light and richly moulded external jambs, while another has two uncusped lights under a square head, and is of the 16th century; in the S. wall is a 15th-century window of two cinque-foiled lights with tracery, and a four-centred arch of the same date, of two chamfered orders with semi-octagonal responds and moulded capitals, opens into the S. chapel. The 14th-century chancel arch is of three moulded orders, and has a label on each side and moulded responds and capitals; the responds have no bases and part of their shafts have been cut away to make room for the quire seats. The South Chapel (19½ ft. by 13½ ft.) has a 15th-century E. window of three cinque-foiled lights with tracery, and in the S. wall a window of somewhat later date has three cinque-foiled lights and a four-centred head. There is also a small S. doorway of late 15th-century date, with chamfered jambs and a four-centred head. The embattled parapet above the roof has an ornamented brick corbel table with small trefoiled arches, of late 15th or early 16th-century date. The Nave (42½ ft. by 25 ft.) is of three bays: the N. arcade, of c. 1140, has circular columns with enriched scalloped capitals restored with cement; the arches are semi-circular and of two orders, the inner being plain and the outer moulded, with a billet-moulded label on the nave side: the S. arcade has octagonal columns and moulded capitals, apparently of the 14th century, but probably re-cut at a later date; the two-centred arches have two chamfered orders and plain labels; the bases of the columns in both arcades have been much cut away. At the E. end of the S. arcade is a small doorway, which originally opened into the rood-loft stairs, but is now carried through the wall to the pulpit. The clearstorey has, on each side, three windows of two cinque-foiled lights under a square head. The North Aisle (44½ ft. by 10 ft.) has a 15th-century E. window of three cinque-foiled lights under a square head, with a heavy external label, much damaged. The N. doorway is blocked, but the arch and jambs, of two chamfered orders partly restored in cement, are visible outside. Two windows in the N. wall and one in the W. wall have each two cinque-foiled lights, square heads and much decayed external labels. The South Aisle (46 ft. by 11 ft.) has a three-light window near the E. end of the S. wall similar to the S. window of the chapel, but with much modern stonework; near the W. end is a smaller window of two trefoiled lights under a square head, probably of the 14th century. The S. doorway is of the 14th century and has wave-moulded jambs and arch with a scrollmoulded label; the jambs have been restored. The parapet above the roof is similar to that of the S. chapel described above. The West Tower (18½ ft. by 16½ ft.) is of three stages with a plain parapet: the W. angles have 12th-century clasping buttresses, and a buttress of later date has been added at the S.W. angle. The semi-circular 12th-century tower arch has been under-built with a narrow 15th-century arch, which has three chamfered orders and semi-octagonal responds with moulded capitals and bases; the original arch now shows only on the W. face of the wall. In the N. and S. walls and above the W. doorway is a plain round-headed light, of which the external stonework is completely covered with cement. In the S. wall is a blocked internal doorway originally leading to the stair turret. The W. doorway has wave and double-ogee moulded jambs and arch, and was inserted in the 15th century, but the jambs, part of the arch and the label are of modern stonework. The W. window of the bell-chamber has remains of two 15th-century lights, but those in the N., S. and E. walls are plain, plastered openings. The South Porch has a moulded entrance archway with moulded jambs and capitals, much weather-worn; on each side of the entrance is a small cinque-foiled niche now coated with cement.

Fittings—Brasses and Indents: on N. wall of chancel, panelled stone slab, with brass of knight and lady, said to be Sir Richard Rede, 1560, and his wife, with six children and shield of arms: on wall at N.W. corner of S. chapel, inscription to Richard Peacock, 1512, and Elizabeth his wife, with figures of man, four daughters and small headless peacock; wife and sons missing; rest of the slab which contained these brasses is in the floor at E. end of S. aisle: near S. door, on wall, of eight girls, c. 1470. Cupboard: in the tower, an angle cupboard, 17th-century. Piscinae: at E. end of the S. aisle, 14th-century, basin modern, plastered: in N. wall of chancel, trefoiled recess, possibly part of another, 14th-century. Plate: includes cup and paten cover of 1577. Rood Screen: of c. 1478, with elaborate tracery and pierced vaulting over it; the loft is destroyed. Sedilia: two, in S. wall of chancel, with foiled heads and shafted jambs, probably of c. 1340; foliated capitals of Purbeck marble, late 12th-century, re-used; one of the bases missing. Miscellanea: on S.E. buttress of the nave, marks of a sundial.

Condition—Bad; structural repairs are urgently needed, particularly to the tower, which has a crack in the N. wall. The stone buttresses, quoins and windows are much, decayed, and the external plaster is scaling off almost everywhere.

Secular

(3). Redbournbury, on the E. side of the main road from St. Albans, about 1¼ miles S.E. of the church, is a two-storeyed house, built probably early in the 16th century, but much altered in the 19th century; the walls are covered externally with cement, and all the windows are modern. The original plan has been destroyed by the modern alterations, but the former extent of the hall can be traced, although part of it has been made into a dining room, and a floor inserted to form rooms above it. Interior—Four original doorways remain, with plain splayed stone jambs and four-centred heads; one is in the W. wall of the hall, two are in the original E. wall of the hall, and the fourth is in the kitchen wing. On the first floor vertical posts with curved brackets support the principals of the roof over the hall, which is probably original, and is constructed of large oak timbers.

Condition—Fairly good.

(4). The Bull Hotel, stands on the E. side of the High Street. Part of the back of the building is of 17th-century brick and timber, but the front is of more modern brick. There is some 17th-century oak panelling in the room on the ground floor known as the old tap room.

Condition—Good.