Bedfont, East, and Hatton

3 BEDFONT, EAST, AND HATTON (B.d.)

(O.S. 6 in. ^(a)XIX, S.E. ^(b)XX, N.W.)

East Bedfont is a parish and village 3 m. W.S.W. of Hounslow. The church is the principal monument.

Ecclesiastical

^a(1) Parish Church of St. Mary stands near the middle of the parish. The walls are generally of iron-stone conglomerate with dressings of Reigate stone; the modern transept is of brick; the roofs are tiled. The Chancel and Nave were built about the middle of the 12th century. The chancel was extended E. in the 15th century. Early in the 16th century the rood-stair projection was added. At some uncertain period a W. bell-turret was added and the nave perhaps extended to the W. The North Transept was added in 1829 and towards the end of the 19th century the bell-turret was taken down, the nave extended to the W. and the South Tower and Porch added.

The church has 12th-century features of some interest and among the fittings the wall-paintings are noteworthy.

Architectural Description—The Chancel (25 ft. by 12¼ ft.) has a partly restored 15th-century E. window of three trefoiled lights in a segmental-pointed head with a moulded label. In the N. wall is a 12th-century window of one round-headed light. In the S. wall are three windows, the easternmost of the 15th century and of one trefoiled light in a square head; the other two windows are of the 14th century and of two and one pointed lights respectively; the western window is partly restored; the doorway is modern. The N. and S. walls both retain some stones of the conglomerate quoins of the 12th-century chancel. The 12th-century chancel-arch (Plate 42) is semi-circular and of one order with cheveron ornament and a defaced label; the responds also have cheveron-ornament and grooved and chamfered imposts.

The Nave (54 ft. by 16¼ ft.) has, to the N. of the chancel-arch and in the adjoining N. wall, a double recess of c. 1300, with modern two-centred heads springing in the angle from a modern shaft; further W. in the N. wall is a modern arcade of two bays and two modern windows, the western incorporating old work. In the S. wall are two windows, the eastern of the 15th century partly restored and of three cinque-foiled lights in a segmental-pointed head with a moulded label; the second window is a single round-headed light of the 12th century; at the E. end of the wall is an early 16th-century projection of brick with a tabled top, to enclose the rood-loft staircase; in it is a window of one segmental-headed light; the 12th-century S. doorway (Plate 42) has jambs and semi-circular arch of two orders both with cheveron-ornament, the jambs have an ornamental engrailed design on the face and the arch has a trefoiled design with conventional leaves.

The Roof of the chancel is of the 15th century and of two bays with three king-post trusses; the king-posts have moulded capitals and bases and four and three-way struts; the rafters are trussed. The roof of the nave is of similar date and character with four old trusses and two-way struts; the two W. bays are modern.

Fittings—Bells: six, 1st and 4th by Richard Phelps, 1713. Brass: In chancel—on N. wall, of Mathew Page, 1631–2, and Isabell his mother, 1629–30, with kneeling figures of man in civil costume and woman. Chest: In N. chapel—of hutch-type, 17th-century or earlier, with later hinges. Glass: In chancel—in N. window, quarries with flower design, 15th-century. Monuments: In chancel—on N. wall, (1) stone cartouche-of-arms, probably part of a monument to John Hawes, 17th-century; in S.W. corner, (2) to William Weldish, 1640, painted wooden panel with achievement-of-arms. In churchyard—E. of chancel, (3) to Francis Page, 1678, flat slab with achievement-of-arms. Paintings: In nave—in recesses N. of chancel-arch (Plate 41), in E. recess a Crucifixion with figures of St. Mary and St. John; in N. recess, square panel with four lobes enclosing a throned figure of Christ with hands raised showing the five wounds; in side-lobes angels holding a cross and lance respectively; below the panel, the resurrection of the dead with two angels with trumpets, and a ribbon-pattern below, both paintings in red line on a dark red background, c. 1300. Miscellanea: In churchyard—S. of porch, two yew-trees cut in the form of peacocks with part of the date 1704 on the W. tree and remains of the former initials I.H., I.G. and R.T. on the E. tree, said to be for John Goodwin, vicar, and the two churchwardens. In nave—wood-carving in high relief of the Crucifixion, probably 16th-century, Flemish.

Condition—Good.

Secular

Monuments (2–6)

The following monuments, unless otherwise described, are of the 17th century and of two storeys, the walls are timber-framed and the roofs are tiled. Some of the buildings have exposed ceiling-beams.

Condition—Good or fairly good.

^a(2) Pates Manor Farm, house and barn about 80 yards N.N.E. of the church. The House was built probably in the 16th century and consisted of the W. block with a cross-wing at the S. end. There are various additions on the E. side. The upper storey projects at the W. end of the cross-wing on a moulded bressummer. Re-set in the porches are two panels with the arms of Christ's Hospital, the former owners. The Barn, W. of the house, is weather-boarded.

^a(3) Range of tenements (Plate 26) on the W. side of the Green, 60 yards S.W. of the church, was built probably early in the 18th century.

^a(4) Bennet's Farm, house 300 yards S.W. of the church, is of two storeys with cellars and attics; the walls are of brick. It was built probably early in the 18th century and has bands between the storeys. The original staircase (Plate 37) has turned balusters and moulded newels.

^a(5) Fawns, house 270 yards S. of the church, has been much altered but the roof retains some curved wind-braces.

^b(6) Green Man Inn, nearly 1½ m. N.E. of the church, has been largely re-built in brick.