14. STOKE NEWINGTON.
(O.S. 6 in. London Sheet G).
The borough of Stoke Newington consists of
the parish of the same name with part of the parish
of Hornsey.
Ecclesiastical
(1). Old Parish Church of St. Mary stands
on the N. side of Church Street. The walls are
covered internally and externally with cement; the
dressings are of limestone and the roofs are tiled;
the W. tower is of brick. The date of the Nave
is uncertain but in the 16th century, probably
c. 1563, the West Tower appears to have been
built within the W. end of the earlier nave, the
S. arcade was built and the outer wall of the
South Aisle added at the same time, leaving
standing part of the earlier South Porch. It was
apparently intended to remove this porch, but for
some reason or other this was not done and crosswalls were erected instead connecting it with the
outer wall of the aisle and thus forming an outer
porch. The Vestry is of the same date. In 1716
the wide North Aisle was added and in 1723 the
Chancel was extended to the E. The church was
restored in 1806, and the clearstorey is modern.
Old Parish Church of St. Mary, Plan
Architectural Description—the Nave (48 ft. by
17 ft.) has a modern N. arcade. The S. arcade is
of mid 16th-century date and of three bays with
moulded four-centred arches, the responds are
semi-octagonal with moulded capitals, and the
piers are formed of two responds set back to back
with the top member of the capitals continuous.
E. of the arcade is a doorway with chamfered
jambs and two-centred head, probably modern.
The clearstorey is modern.
The Vestry has in the E. wall a 16th-century
window of two pointed lights with a spandrel
under a segmental-pointed head with a moulded
label. In the S. wall is a similar window with a
square head.
The South Aisle (24 ft. wide) has the W. bay
cut off by a cross-wall to form a double porch.
In the S. wall are two much restored 16th-century
windows each of two cinquefoiled lights in a
segmental-pointed head with a moulded label;
further E. is a doorway with hollow-chamfered
jambs, two-centred arch and a moulded label;
above it is a panel with the initials W.P. and
a shield-of-arms.
The West Tower (9 ft. square) is of brick and of
three stages, with an embattled parapet and a
modern timber spire. The tower-arch is concealed
by the organ but has semi-octagonal responds.
The W. window is modern; above and to the S.
of it is a small modern window contrived in the S.
side of the large 16th-century W. window of
which the rear-arch remains. The second stage
has in the N.W. wall a window of one four-centred
light. In the S. wall are traces of a round brick
window. The bell-chamber has in each wall a
window of two pointed lights in a four-centred
head with a moulded label.
The South Porch is divided into two by a cross-wall and both are included under the aisle roof. The
16th-century outer doorway has moulded jambs
and a two-centred arch in a square head with a
moulded label and traceried spandrels; above it
is an 18th-century inscription "1563 Ab alto".
The inner doorway is of similar form but has
blank shields in the spandrels. The room to the
W. of the porch has in the S. wall a window similar
to the S. window of the vestry. In the N. wall is
a blocked four-centred arch of brick.
The Roof of the nave has been reconstructed,
but incorporates the 16th-century tie-beams with
curved braces and traceried spandrels.
Fittings—Brass Indent: In nave—of figures
of man and woman, scrolls, inscription-plate and
of two small figures of saints at top. Glass: In
E. window—five large panels of figure-subjects,
two smaller panels, three shields-of-arms and
tabernacle-work, presented to the church early in
the last century; large panels, (a and b) of interior of
church with figures of high priest and kneeling
man and of woman and man at back, early 16th-century; (c) the Virgin and Child with the Holy
Dove above, late 17th-century; (d and e) interior
with two male figures, also woman and boy,
possibly the Presentation in the Temple, 15th-century; smaller panels of Christ in Gethsemane,
with sleeping disciples and a scene with a bed and
figure of woman, etc., possibly birth of the Virgin,
17th-century; a crowned shield of the Tudor
royal arms with a garter and shields of the city of
London and the Drapers' Company, 16th-century;
in the tracery various architectural fragments. In
vestry—two oval panels with figures of SS. Peter
and Paul, 17th-century. Monuments and Floorslabs: Monuments: In nave—against S. wall,
(1) of Elizabeth, wife successively of John Dudley
and Thomas Sutton, 1602, on the frieze is the date
of a death, 1580, probably that of John Dudley,
wall-monument of various marbles consisting of
high panelled base with reeded capping, upper
monument of two bays divided and flanked by
Corinthian columns and having kneeling figures of
man in armour and woman with one daughter
behind, entablature with broken pediment and
cartouche with achievement-of-arms. In N. aisle
—on E. wall, (2) to John Taverner, rector, 1638,
black and white marble tablet with side pilasters,
cornice and cartouche-of-arms, decoration of open
and closed books, etc. Floor-slabs: In chancel—
(1) to Judith, wife of John Taylor, 1713, James,
their son, 171[3], and John Taylor, 1729, with
shield-of-arms. In nave—(2) to John Leigh, 1652,
with shield-of-arms; (3) slab with defaced inscription and shield-of-arms. In N. aisle—(4) to James
Porter, 1693, Ann, his wife, 1693, and George,
their son, 1678, with shield-of-arms. Pavement:
In chancel—of black and white marble squares
set diagonally, possibly late 17th-century. Plate:
includes cup of 1634, given in 1634; cup of 1656,
bought in 1657; flagon of 1638, given in 1639;
plate of 1710, given in 1711; two stand-patens
of 1634 and 1657 respectively, and two brass
alms-dishes dated 1713. Recesses: In S. aisle—
one in S. and three in W. wall, with four-centred
heads.
Condition—Good, much altered.
(2). The Meeting House stands on the N.
side of Newington Green. The walls are of brick
and the roof is covered with slates. The chapel
was built in 1708 as a Presbyterian Meeting House.
It then formed a simple square with an eaves-cornice and small pediment on the S. front. In
1860 the apse was added on the N. side and the
building much altered.
The outer walls are now mostly covered with
plaster, and the doorways and windows show no
evidence of antiquity.
Condition—Good, much altered.
Secular
(3). Church Row, now Nos. 166–180, Church
Street, range of eight houses on the N. side of the
street, E. of the old church. The houses are of two
storeys with cellars and attics; the walls are of
brick and the roofs are tiled. The range was
begun at the E. end in 1706 and added to at
intervals. No. 178 was rebuilt late in the 18th
century, and Nos. 176 and 180 have been refaced,
but otherwise the range is much as it was
constructed.
The S. front has bands between the storeys and
plain parapets, possibly not original. No. 166
has a shell-hood over the doorway supported on
carved consoles. The back elevation is similar
to the front except that the houses at the E.
end retain their modillioned eaves-cornices. On
No. 168 is a roughly cut design with the date 1706
and the initial S.; on No. 170 is a panel with
the date 1709 and three feathers.
Interior—The plan of the houses is generally
uniform, with a central passage and staircase at
the back. The staircases are mostly original
and have turned balusters and straight string;
that in No. 170 is, however, of later date. Many
of the rooms have original panelling, cornices,
doors and fireplaces.
Condition—Good.
(4). Halstead House and adjoining houses
(Nos. 199, 201, and 203) on the S. side of Church
Street, 60 yards S.E. of (1), are of three storeys
with basements; the walls are of brick and the
roofs are covered with slate and tiles. The
building forms a central block with side wings and
dates from early in the 18th century. The main
block has been altered externally; the side wings
have bands between the storeys, and a wooden
eaves-cornice. Inside the building the staircases
are original and have twisted balusters and straight
moulded strings. Much of the panelling and many
of the doors, cornices, etc., are original.
Condition—Good.
(5). Houses, Nos. 52–55, Newington Green,
Islington, on W. side of green, nearly ¾ m.
S. of (1). The houses are of three storeys with
attics and basements; the walls are of brick
and the roofs are tiled. They were built c. 1658
but altered during the 18th and 19th centuries
and the ground-floors have been converted
into modern shops. Each house is gabled and
divided above the ground-floor into two bays
by brick Doric pilasters supporting a moulded
brick entablature at the attic-floor level continued along the front; the window in the
gable to No. 55 is flanked by narrow brick
pilasters and this is the only house which retains
its cornice. The gables have been restored, and
on No. 54 the wall above the pilasters has been
raised to form an additional storey to which a
second attic has been added. The first-floor
windows are set in recesses and have square
heads surmounted by a plain brick band with
semi-circular arches above, plain key-blocks and
square recessed panels in the tympana; the
second-floor windows are square-headed, and in a
panel in the frieze over the central pilaster is the
date 1658; below this pilaster on the ground-floor is a round-headed arch giving access to a
passage continued through to the back. The back
elevations are gabled and have projecting brick
bands at the floor-levels, and the windows have
segmental heads; in the gable of No. 55 is a casement window with a moulded frame, but the other
windows have sashes and are probably later
renewals; the chimneys are grouped in large plain
stacks. Inside the buildings a few of the rooms
are panelled and one room has an early 18th-century fireplace with panelled pilasters on each
side supporting a frieze and dentilled cornice.
The staircases in Nos. 53 and 55 are original and
have moulded strings and handrail, turned balusters
and square newels with ball finials and turned
pendants; the staircase in No. 54 is of early
18th-century date and has moulded string and
handrail, turned balusters and square newels.
Condition—Fairly good.