NORTH AISLE |
| ENTRANCE |
View of North entrance. This and the North Porch were renovated in 1852.. |
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| THE
FONT |
The 14th century font has identical cusped arches on
the eight faces of its bowl. It is of the ‘Decorated Period’ (1280-1380) and predates the present church |
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| THE TOMB |
Believed to have been in memory of Sir John de Philibert,
Lord of the Manor (from 1334 to 1351). Typical of the Decorated Period it is older than than the church and the aisle in
which it stands. It is thought to have been moved from elsewhere, or perhaps from an earlier Chelsworth church. It has
been cut into sections and on
re-erection it was possibly found unsafe for the pilasters to stand
unsupported, as was clearly intended. Much of the carving was sunk into the
wall for support. The tomb space was then formed in the thickness of the
wall, and the wall itself set back to form the unusual projection seen
outside. The medieval ledger stone was inserted into the floor circa 1900. More detail on Sir John can be found here. |
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| PISCINA |
The tracery of this piscina breaks the splay of the adjacent
window, and it may have been built into the wall at the same time as the
tomb. |
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| PISCINA IMAGE BRACKET |
The presence of the piscina in the
south side of the aisle, with the image bracket above it, shows that the
aisle was formerly used as a chapel |
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| THE 'DOOM' |
This painting of the Last Judgement was discovered over the chancel arch during re-decoration in 1849. Experts rank it high among surviving church
murals of the 15th century. It was crudely 'restored' following discovery.
Part of another mural, found on the right of the western arch, has
completely disappeared, but a contemporary drawing of it hangs in the
church. |
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| ORGAN |
The two-manual organ, by Auguste Gern of Notting Hill, was
installed in 1876, replacing a 'psalmodic barrel-organ' which stood in a
gallery half-way up the western arch. The organ was restored in 1993. |
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| PULPIT |
Like the rest of the chancel furnishings, the pulpit dates
from 1866, and takes the place of an earlier 'three -decker'. |
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| PISCINA |
This is in the traditional position, on the south side of
the altar. |
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SOUTH AISLE |
| ROOD-LOFT STAIRS |
The entrance to these was re-opened in the present century.
Their height shows that the rood-screen (of which no trace remains), must
have been exceptionally lofty. |
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| TILES/CHEST |
The encaustic tiles at the foot of the stairs, like the
nearby chest, are attributed to the 14th Century. |
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| PISCINA |
Discovered during re-decoration in 1953, it shows that this
aisle was also once used as a chapel. |
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| HATCHMENTS |
The hatchments are those of the Pocklington family:
Robert Pocklington (died 1767) and his wife Sarah (died 1808)
Sir Robert Pocklington and his wife Catherine Frances
Samuel Pocklington and his wife Pleasance. |
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| WINDOWS |
The two heraldic windows, east and west, illustrate the
coats of arms of successive Lords of the Manor. The main East Window was replaced in 1866 as the fabric of the earlier window was so poor. |
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VESTRY |
| DOORWAY |
The South Porch, enclosed and converted into a vestry in
1843, has a fine perpendicular doorway, flanked by figures of monks. |
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| GLASS |
The source of the jumble of glass is unknown. It was
discovered on the island west of the church. The small scale of the
figures suggests that it is domestic glass. |
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| BOSS |
Notice the curious curved heads on the roof-boss. |
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EXTERNAL FEATURES |
| TOMB |
The projection near the North Porch has already been
explained. The row of ball-flower ornaments date it as of the 14th
Century. |
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| CHAPEL |
Corbel-stones on the north wall of the chancel probably once
supported the roof of an external chapel. Part of the tracery of an
opening leading to it may be seen just east of the 'Priest's door' (blocked up in 1866). |
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