Norwood

40 NORWOOD (B.d.)

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

Norwood is a parish, with Southall, 2 m. N. of Hounslow. The church and Southall Manor House are the principal monuments.

Ecclesiastical

^b(1) Parish Church of St. Mary stands on the S. side of the parish. The walls are of flint rubble with dressings of Reigate and other freestone; the roofs are tiled. The Nave is probably of the 12th century and retains parts of a N. arcade of this date. The Chancel was perhaps added or re-built in the 13th century. The church is said to have been reconstructed by Archbishop Chichele in 1439 but this seems to apply only to the roofs and certain windows. The South Porch was probably added late in the 15th century but has been much altered. The church was extensively restored in 1824 when the walls were refaced. The North Aisle, North Transept, Vestry and Tower are all modern.

Among the fittings the 16th-century tomb and the glass are noteworthy.

Architectural Description—The Chancel (30½ ft. by 16 ft.) has an E. window all modern except the opening with its two-centred head and rear-arch which are probably of the 15th century. In the N. wall is a modern arch and doorway. In the S. wall are three windows, the easternmost is modern except for the splays and rear-arch; the second is a partly restored lancet-light of the 13th century; the westernmost is probably of the 15th century and of two round-headed lights with quatre-foiled tracery in a square head; the doorway has double chamfered jambs and two-centred head. The late 15th-century chancel-arch is two-centred and moulded and springs from semi-octagonal plastered responds with moulded capitals.

The North Vestry is modern, but, re-set in the N. wall, is a 15th-century window similar to the S.W. window in the chancel.

The Nave (50¼ ft. by 17 ft.) has a N. arcade of three bays probably all modern except the late 12th-century W. arch and respond and the E. respond of the same date altered in the 15th century; this respond is square with hollow-chamfered angles; the W. arch is semi-circular and of one plain order with a chamfered label on the S. side; the W. respond is chamfered and has a moulded impost. In the S. wall are three windows, the easternmost is of early 14th-century date and of two ogee lights with tracery in a two-centred head; the middle window is a 13th-century lancet-light; the 14th-century westernmost window is of two ogee lights with tracery in a segmental head; the 15th-century S. doorway has moulded jambs and two-centred arch with a moulded label and modern head-stops; the tower-doorway is modern. The early 15th-century W. window is of three trefoiled lights with tracery in a four-centred head. At the W. end of the nave is the timber-work formerly supporting a bell-turret; the E. part is largely modern, but the two main posts, tie-beam and braces against the W. wall are old.

The South Porch is probably of the 15th century but largely re-built in modern times. It is timber-framed and the posts and braces of the outer entrance are partly old, as are the plates and king-post truss of the roof.

The Roof of the chancel is of trussed-rafter type with moulded wall-plates; it is perhaps of the 15th century. The 15th-century roof of the nave is of three bays, in addition to the structure of the former bell-turret; the trusses are of king-post type with moulded tie-beams, square king-posts with moulded capitals and bases and four-way struts; the S. wall-plate is moulded.

Fittings—Brasses: In chancel—on N. wall, (1) of Matthew Hunsley, 1618, figure of man in civil costume; on S. wall, (2) of Francis Awsiter, 1624, figure of man in civil costume. Chest (Plate 18): In nave—small, of oak, iron bound, with handles, lock-plate and two staples, lid of iron with key-hole, 16th-century. Font (Plate 11): octagonal bowl with moulded top and under side, range of quatrefoils except on W. face, stem with carved necking and ogee-headed cinque-foiled panels, moulded base, 15th-century. Funeral Helm: In chancel —on N. wall, combed helm with vizor and small cross-hilted sword, c. 1600. Gallery: now destroyed but fixed on W respond of nave, painted board recording erection of gallery by Francis Awsyter, 1612, with four painted shields-of-arms. Glass: In nave—in S.E. window, figures of the Virgin and Child, the latter holding a toy windmill, and of St. John the Baptist, both standing on a checker pavement, red and blue figured background, late 16th or early 17th-century, foreign, head of Virgin and other parts modern. In W. window, three roundels of foreign 17th-century glass, (a) Christ in Gethsemane, (b) an eagle and (c) foliated design. Monuments and Floor-slab. Monuments: In chancel— in N. wall, (1) ascribed to Edward Cheesman and Robert his son, 1556, recessed monument (Plate 141) with panelled base in three bays with quatre-foiled and sub-cusped panels each enclosing a shield, recess with panelled reveals and four-centred arch with traceried spandrels, carved cornice and brattishing, recess flanked by shafts and on cornice three shields-of-arms, (a) Cheesman with a crescent for difference, (b) and (c) Cheesman impaling Dacres, probably c. 1530–40; on S. wall—(2) to Sussanna (Awsiter), wife of Robert Kidwell, 1694, cartouche-tablet, with scrolls, foliage and cartouche-of-arms; on S. respond of chancel-arch, (3) to Christopher Merik, 1614 and Agnes his wife, 1637, neither buried here, white marble tablet. Floor-slab: In nave—to John Merik, 1663 and Isabella (Burdett), his wife, 1696, with achievement-of-arms. Plate: includes cup and cover-paten, stand-paten and flagon, all of 1708, given by Edward Allanson and with his arms.

Condition—Good.

Secular

^a(2) Southall Manor House (Plate 170), ¾ m. N.W. of the church, is of two storeys with attics; the walls are timber-framed and the roofs are tiled. It belonged to the family of Awsiter in the latter part of the 16th century and R. Awsiter built the existing house in 1587; it consists of a central hall with cross-wings at the N. and S. ends. Shortly afterwards a second wing was added to the N. and this was extended to the W. in the 18th century. The E. side has been much altered and remodelled in modern times. It now belongs to the Southall Urban District Council.

The house is an important example of timber-framed work and the hall has some carved details of interest.

The W. front of the original building has exposed and close-set timber-framing, partly restored. The end of the N. cross-wing is gabled and the first floor projects on a moulded bressummer with console-brackets carved with grotesque faces; the ground and first floors have each a projecting bay-window of five transomed lights with a central bracket below and a flat pediment above; the returns have each a single light and flanking the bays are narrow windows of four or three lights; the tympanum of the upper bay-window has the date 1587; both windows have been restored, the upper one being largely modern; the studs below the window have enrichments of balusterform; the head of the gable has herring-bone framing and a central post carved with various devices. The hall-block has a two storeyed bay-window and porch; the bay is semi-octagonal and has three-light transomed windows on the face and single-light windows on the returns; the gable oversails the angles of the bay and has a moulded bressummer and barge-boards. The porch has an outer entrance with a moulded frame and square head enriched with rosettes; the upper floor has a partly restored four-light window and the gable has moulded barge-boards; S. of the porch is a four-light window with a modern heightening. The end of the S. cross-wing has a much restored semi-octagonal bay-window, similar to that in the hall block and with narrow flanking-windows; the gable projects on modern brackets. The middle part of the N. front is of c. 1600 and has two gabled bays with exposed framing, largely modern restoration; in the W. bay is an original door of nail-studded and moulded battens. At the back of the house are two old chimney-stacks, with diagonal shafts and the gable of the projecting N.E. wing has some old framing.

Interior—The Hall has an altered fireplace (Plate 169) flanked by original enriched pilasters of wood; the overmantel is of five bays divided and flanked by coupled columns standing on an enriched shelf and supporting an entablature; the middle panel has a shield-of-arms of Awsiter and strapwork with the initials R.A.; the flanking bays have or had arcaded enrichment and the outer bays have vine and snake-ornament; the room is lined with late 16th or early 17th-century panelling. The next room on the N. has exposed ceiling-beams and the passage to the E. has a fireplace with moulded jambs and three-centred arch. The N.E. room of the added wing has a large open fireplace with moulded jambs and head; the recess is lined with late 16th or early 17th-century panelling. On the first floor, a room in the main block is lined with late 16th or early 17th-century panelling and the overmantel incorporates two panels with architectural enrichment.

Condition—Good.

^a(3) Cottage, 530 yards W.N.W. of the church, is of two storeys; the walls are timber-framed and the roof is thatched, it was built probably early in the 17th century and has some exposed ceiling-beams.

Condition—Good.