Hayes

27 HAYES (B.c.)

(O.S. 6 in. XV, S.W.)

Hayes is a parish and village 3 m. S.E. of Uxbridge. The church is the principal monument.

Ecclesiastical

(1) Parish Church of St. Mary (Plates 137, 142) stands near the middle of the parish. The walls are of flint and stone-rubble with dressings of Reigate and other freestone; the roofs are covered with tiles and lead. The Chancel was built late in the 13th century and to the same date belongs the N. arcade of the Nave. The North Aisle was re-built and extended to the E. probably in the 15th century, and the West Tower seems to have been built at the same period. The South Aisle and arcade were built early in the 16th century and the South Porch added. The church has been restored in modern times and the porch reconstructed.

The church is of some architectural interest and among the fittings the brasses and monuments are noteworthy.

Architectural Description—The Chancel (31 ft. by 17 ft.) has a partly restored 15th-century E. window of five trefoiled ogee lights with vertical tracery in a four-centred head with a modern label. In the N. wall are two 13th-century lancet-windows with chamfered labels and moulded rear-arches springing from corbels carved with monsters, head and foliage. The chancel overlaps the N. arcade which is described under the nave. In the S. wall are three windows, the easternmost of the 14th century, restored on the outside; it is of two cinque-foiled ogee lights with tracery in a segmental head; the two western windows are similar to those in the N. wall and the corbels are carved with knotted foliage, a monster and a head with foliage sprouting from the mouth; the westernmost window is blocked. There is no chancel-arch and the roof is continued some distance into the nave.

The Nave (53½ ft. by 19 ft.) has a N. arcade of five bays with two-centred arches of two chamfered orders; the octagonal columns and semi-octagonal E. respond have moulded capitals and bases; the W. arch is continued down the W. respond; the two western columns are of late 13th-century date, but the others appear to be a later copy; the arches are of small voussoirs, except the inner order of the second bay; the E. part of the arcade was perhaps reconstructed in the 15th century; the extension of the chancel-roof on this side is carried on three depressed wall-arches on corbels, carved with male figures and probably of the same date; this projection is rendered necessary by the deflected axis of the chancel. The early 16th-century S. arcade is of four bays with four-centred and moulded arches, octagonal columns and semi-octagonal responds, all with moulded capitals and bases; above the arcade are two modern dormer-windows.

The North Aisle (16½ ft. wide) has a partly restored 15th-century E. window of three cinque-foiled lights with vertical tracery in a two-centred head with a label. In the N. wall are three 15th-century windows, partly restored externally and each of two cinque-foiled lights in a square head, with moulded reveals and label; the much restored 15th-century doorway has moulded jambs and two-centred arch. In the W. wall is a partly restored window of c. 1400 and of two cinque-foiled lights with a quatrefoil in a two-centred head; below it is a modern doorway.

The South Aisle (14½ ft. wide) is of early 16th-century date and has a partly restored E. window of three cinque-foiled lights in a segmental-pointed head with a label. In the S. wall are three partly restored windows of two or three pointed lights in a segmental-pointed head with a modern label; the S. doorway has moulded jambs and two-centred arch in a square head with traceried spandrels enclosing rosettes; the label has defaced head-stops; E. of the easternmost window is a completely restored doorway with chamfered jambs and four-centred head. The three-light W. window is similar to those in the S. wall.

The West Tower (about 12 ft. square) is of the 15th century and of three stages (Plate 2), finished with a modern embattled parapet. The two-centred tower-arch is of one moulded and one hollow-chamfered order, the former continuous and the latter springing from attached shafts with moulded capitals and bases. The much restored W. doorway has moulded jambs and two-centred arch in a square head with traceried spandrels enclosing blank shields and a label; the much restored W. window is of three cinque-foiled lights with vertical tracery in a two-centred head with a label. The second stage has a pointed doorway in the E. wall and a window in the W. wall of one pointed light in a square head. The bell-chamber has, in each wall, a pointed window rendered in cement and fitted with a wooden frame of two lights.

The South Porch (Plate 7) is an early 16th-century timber-structure on dwarf walls. The outer archway has moulded posts and four-centred arch in a square head and is flanked by four-centred openings; the gable has open framing of curved struts and a king-post. The sides have each six open lights with four-centred heads. The roof is of two bays with wind-braced purlins, a tie-beam at the N. end and a collar-beam in the middle, the barge-boards are curvilinear with pierced tracery.

The Roof of the chancel is of the 15th century and of elliptical waggon form with flat rafters and moulded wall-plates. The early 16th-century roof of the nave is of trussed-rafter type with a boarded and panelled soffit, nine and a half bays in length and nine in width; the cornice is moulded and the panels are formed by moulded ribs with carved bosses at the intersections; these have the emblems of the Passion, Tudor badges, etc.; some of the panels have been re-set in the modern dormer-windows. The 15th-century roof of the N. aisle is flat-pitched and of five bays, with hollow-chamfered tie-beams and curved braces; it rests on stone corbels carved with heads, half-angels and foliage. The early 16th-century roof of the S. aisle is flat-pitched and of four main and eight subsidiary bays; the main timbers are moulded and the tie-beams have curved braces. The roofs of the ground and first stages of the tower have framed bell-ways; the roof of the bell-chamber has heavy cross and diagonal beams.

The Lych Gate (Plate 7), on the S.E. of the churchyard, is a timber-framed structure probably of early 16th-century date; the main supports have each an upright, cross beam and plate, with cross braces; the main longitudinal beam has curved brackets and there is a central cross-beam with a king-post and struts; the roof is ridged longitudinally and gabled at the ends.

Fittings—Brackets: In S. aisle—at E. end two moulded stone brackets with remains of colour and traces of inscription, early 16th-century. Brasses: In chancel—(1) of Robert Levee (or Lenee), rector, c. 1370, half-effigy of priest in mass-vestments; (2) to Robert Burgeys, rector, 1421, inscription only; (3) to Henry Clerke, 1609, with indent of figure. In nave— (4) to Anne, daughter of Alan Hendre, 1605, inscription only. In S. aisle—(5) to Veare (Palmer), wife of Thomas Jenyns, 1644, inscription only. See also Monuments (3 and 6). Communion-Table: In vestry—with square enriched legs, flat engrailed arches with running ornament between the legs and moulded top with the date and initials 1605 I.W. Door: In S. doorway—of two folds with square framing and battens and strap-hinges, probably 16th-century. Font (Plate 9): round bowl with sprigs of conventional acanthus-foliage, round stem and eight restored shafts on round base, late 12th or early 13th-century. Locker: In chancel—in E. wall, recess with shouldered head, probably 13th-century. Monuments and Floor-slabs. Monuments: In chancel— against N. wall, (1) of Sir Edward Fenner, judge of the King's Bench, 1611–12, altar-tomb, effigy and canopy of various marbles (Plate 57), altar-tomb with gadrooned slab; reclining effigy of man in judge's robes, canopy on enriched piers with free-standing Corinthian columns, round arch with coffered soffit and strapwork-cresting with achievement-of-arms, above columns two allegorical female figures, at back of recess, inscription-tablet and scroll-ornament; on S. wall, (2) ascribed to Edward Fenner, 1615, marble tablet (Plate 60) with bust of man in armour with baton and helmet, in round-headed niche flanked by panelled pilasters supporting a cornice and achievement-of-arms. In N. aisle—against N. wall (3) of Walter Grene, 14[56], stone altar-tomb (Plate 14) with three traceried panels in front and one at each end, all enclosing shields-of-arms of Grene and Grene impaling Warner; moulded marble slab with brass figure of man in plate-armour, head on helm, feet on griffon, two shields-of-arms as on side of tomb and two shields loose, inscription on edge of slab; on N. wall, (4) to John Fisher, 1679, and Mary (Child), his wife, 1698, marble tablet with cornice, pediment, back-piece and cartouche-of-arms; (5) to Richard Brigginshaw, 1661, Anne his wife, 1672, and Richard, their son, 1675, black and white marble tablet with scrolls, drapery and shield-of-arms. In S. aisle— against S. wall, (6) of Thomas Higate, 1576 and Elizabeth, his wife, brick altar-tomb and marble slab with brass figures of man in armour, wife, five sons and four daughters, achievement and shield-of-arms. Floor-slabs: In chancel—(1) to Sarah, wife of Roger Jenyns, 1703, with lozenge-of-arms; (2) to Richard Lugg, 1697–8, with achievement-of-arms. Paintings: In nave —on W. columns of N. arcade, red and white chequer-pattern, 13th or 14th-century. In N. aisle—on E. wall, black foliage brocade-ornament, probably 16th-century; on N. wall, large partly restored painting (Plate 143) of St. Christopher with the child Christ, hermit in background, mermaid, fish and eel in water, 15th-century. Piscinæ: In chancel—recess (Plate 27) with moulded jambs and trefoiled head, with foliage-sprig, octofoiled drain, late 13th-century. In S. aisle—in S. wall, much restored recess with pointed head. Plate: includes cup and paten of 1623. Screen: Under tower-arch— modern but incorporating two traceried panels with carved spandrels and cusp-points; other traceried heads, etc.; 15th-century. Seating: In S. aisle—two benches with shaped ends, 16th or 17th-century. Sedilia: In chancel—of three bays (Plate 21) with moulded outer jambs and two-centred heads with labels, detached shafts between bays with moulded capitals and bases, late 13th-century. Staircase: Between gallery and clock-chamber, of solid oak balks, 17th-century. Sundials: On splays of S. doorway, stones with scratch-dials, re-set.

Condition—Good.

Secular

(2) Homestead Moat at site of Old Manor House, 750 yards W. of the church has been almost entirely filled in.

(3) Manor House, 170 yards E. of the church, is of two storeys; the walls are of brick with some timber-framing and the roofs are tiled. The N.E. part of the house was built early in the 16th century; late in the same or early in the following century a wing was added to the S.E. These buildings were largely refaced in brick late in the 17th or early in the 18th century and there are considerable modern additions on the W. and S. of the original block. Some timber-framing is exposed at the S. end of the early 17th-century added wing. Inside the building, the modern part incorporates some old features including some early 18th-century panelling. The old part of the house has some exposed ceiling-beams and a little early 17th-century panelling; the W. part of the original block retains its original roof of three bays with queen-post trusses and curved wind-braces forming four-centred arches. Two bed-rooms retain early 18th-century panelled dadoes.

Condition—Good.