4. ASTON CLINTON.
(O.S. 6 in. (a)xxxiv. N.W. (b)xxxiv. S.E.)
Ecclesiastical
a(1). Parish Church of St. Michael and
All Angels, on the S. side of the village, is
built of flint, with stone dressings; the chancel
and lower stage of the tower are covered with
rough-cast; the roofs of the chancel, nave, and
N. porch are tiled, the other roofs are covered
with lead. The irregular setting out of the
13th-century S. arcade possibly indicates that a
12th-century Nave of about two squares was
lengthened towards the W. c. 1270, when the
South Aisle was built; c. 1340 the North Aisle
was added and the Chancel re-built, with a
Vestry on the N. side, since destroyed; the
clearstorey may have been added about the
same time. In the first half of the 15th century the S. aisle was widened, and the South
Porch was built. The West Tower may possibly
have been added in the 14th century, but was
re-built in 1800, and has since been restored.
In 1867 the church was restored, and all the
stonework re-tooled. The North Porch, the
upper part of the S. porch, and the buttresses
are modern; the upper part of the N. wall of
the N. aisle has been recently re-built.
Architectural Description— The Chancel
(34½ ft. by 17 ft.) has an E. window of three
lights and tracery, all modern, except the
moulded internal jambs, which are of the 14th
century, re-tooled; a small circular light above
the window is modern. In the N. wall are two
windows of c. 1340, restored, each of two trefoiled ogee lights and tracery, with moulded
external jambs and label; the internal jambs
and rear arch are chamfered, and the internal
label is moulded; near the E. end of the wall,
originally opening into the vestry, is a 14th-century doorway, now blocked; the moulded jambs
and two-centred arch have been restored: under
the windows inside is a large moulded string-course, which runs the length of the wall and is
carried over the doorway and the Easter Sepulchre
(see Fittings). In the S. wall were originally three
windows similar to those in the N. wall; the
easternmost is now blocked, but is visible inside
as a recess over the sedilia; the westernmost is
hidden by the organ; below it, now blocked
but visible outside, is a low-side window with
moulded jambs, the width being half that of the
window above it: between the two eastern windows is a priest's doorway, similar to the doorway of the vestry, but re-cut and patched with
modern stone. The chancel arch, of c. 1340, is
two-centred and of two moulded orders; the
jambs have moulded angles and semi-circular
responds, with chamfered bases and moulded
capitals, which have been re-cut. The Nave
(53 ft. by 17½ ft.) has N. and S. arcades of four
bays. The N. arcade, of c. 1340, has a circular
central column and semi-circular W. respond;
the other columns are octagonal, and the E. respond semi-octagonal; the bases and capitals
are moulded; the arches are two-centred, of two
moulded orders, with moulded labels and headstops on both sides; some of the stops are
modern. Above the E. respond of the N. arcade
is the upper entrance to the former rood-loft,
with chamfered jambs and four-centred head.
The S. arcade, of c. 1270, is irregularly set
out; the columns and responds are similar to
those of the N. arcade, but have chamfered
bases; the two-centred arches are of two chamfered orders with broach stops and, on both
sides, moulded labels with mask stops over the
responds; most of the stonework has been
restored and re-cut. In the E. respond of the
S. arcade is a tall narrow arched opening, formerly containing the stairs to the rood-loft,
and entered from the S. aisle by a doorway,
which has rebated jambs and a two-centred
head; one hook for the door remains. The
clearstorey has three circular foiled windows on
each side; the inner splays and rear arches are
probably of the 14th century, the rest is
modern. The North Aisle (8 ft. wide) has a
15th-century E. window, restored, of three
cinque-foiled lights and tracery under a square
head, with a modern external label; the jambs,
mullions and rear arch are moulded. In the
N. wall are three 15th-century windows,
restored, each of two cinque-foiled ogee lights
and tracery under a square head, with modern
external labels; the mouldings are similar to
those of the E. window: the 15th-century N.
doorway, between the two western windows, has
moulded jambs and two-centred arch with
traceried spandrels in a square head. In the
W. wall is a window of c. 1340, of two trefoiled
lights with sunk spandrels under a square head,
and a modern external label; the window has
been re-set, and is out of centre. The South
Aisle (11 ft. wide) has a 15th-century E. window of three cinque-foiled ogee lights and
tracery under a square head and modern external label; the sill has been carried down to
form a reredos; the inner jamb on the S. side
leans outwards. In the S. wall are three windows, each of two cinque-foiled lights and tracery
in a square head; the external stonework and the
tracery is almost entirely modern, but the inner
splays and rear arches, all differently moulded,
are probably of the 14th century: the sill of
the easternmost window is carried down to form
a sedile; between the two western windows is
a late 14th-century doorway, with continuously
moulded jambs and two-centred arch; the
moulded external label has foliated stops. The
window in the W. wall is possibly of late 14th-century date, restored, of three trefoiled lights,
with a quatrefoil over each light under a
square head and a modern external label; the
window is out of centre with the aisle. The
South Porch is of two storeys, with a N.W.
stair-turret, and has a 15th-century outer
entrance, with chamfered jambs and two-centred arch, restored. In each side wall is a
small trefoiled ogee light, also of the 15th century. In the W. wall is a small doorway with
chamfered jambs and shouldered head, much
restored; it opens into the stair-turret, which
has on the lower part of the inner wall a handrail carved in clunch. On the S. wall is incised '1686. ak cs tb', etc. The upper storey,
both of the porch and turret, has been re-built. The West Tower (13 ft. by 12 ft.) is
modern, except the splayed jambs of the tower
arch, and possibly the bases of the walls, which
are thicker than the superstructure. The Roofs
are modern. A former flat pitched roof of the
nave, probably of the 15th century, was
destroyed at the restoration.
Fittings—Chair: in chancel, with turned
legs, shaped elbows, carved panelled back, 17th-century. Chest: at W. end of N. aisle, with
panelled front, plain lid, three locks, possibly
late 17th-century. Communion Table: in
chancel, with turned legs, fluted and pierced
rail at the top, 17th-century. Easter Sepulchre: in N. wall of chancel (2 ft. 2 in. wide,
10 in. deep), with trefoiled ogee head,
crocketed label and carved finial, pilasters at
the sides with corbels carved as heads of knights
in mail coifs, late 14th-century, much restored;
the tops of knights' coifs, pilasters above them
with carved angel finials, modern. Font:
modern: at E. end of S. aisle, bowl of original
font, top worn or broken away, but ornament
indicates shallow arcading, below it series of
circular flowers of sunk shell pattern, 12th-century, much defaced, used as a flower-pot in a
garden, and restored to the church in the 19th
century. Glass: in N.W. window of chancel,
two circular pieces, red, surrounded by pattern
of leaves on white ground, 14th-century.
Locker: in N. wall of chancel, outside, behind
Easter Sepulchre, square, shallow recess, rebated, now glazed, belonging to former vestry.
Piscinæ: in chancel, with cinque-foiled ogee
head, crocketed and finialled, pilasters with
gabled and crocketed pinnacles, shelf at back,
mid 14th-century, much scraped and partly
restored: in S. aisle, with trefoiled two-centred
head, shelf, 14th-century. Plate: includes cup
of Elizabethan pattern with modern bowl, stem
possibly original. Sedilia: in chancel, three,
in line with piscina (see Plate, p. xxiv.), of
clunch, with sub-cusped cinque-foiled ogee
heads, crocketed and finialled, intermediate
pilasters with gabled and crocketed pinnacles,
recesses with ribbed vaults, the two eastern
having carved bosses, the third plain, mid 14th-century, much restored. Miscellanea: in W.
tower, stool with turned legs and carved rails,
17th-century.
Condition—Good, much restored.
b(2). Church of St. Leonard, stands about
3¾ miles S.E. by S. of the parish church; the
walls are covered with cement, the roofs are
tiled. The Chancel and Nave were built probably in the 15th century, but all details are
covered with cement, and the date is uncertain;
the 14th-century piscina and sedile appear to be
of re-used material, possibly from an earlier
building on the site. The W. end of the nave,
which supports the Bell Cot, is a later addition;
the church was restored late in the 17th century; the South Porch and the small North
Porch are modern.
Architectural Description — The Chancel
and Nave (61½ ft. by 15½ ft.) have no structural
division; the E. window is of three cinque-foiled
pointed lights under a four-centred head, all
covered with cement. In the N. wall, at the
E. end, an outline in the internal plaster possibly indicates a blocked window; about the
middle of the wall is a window of two cinque-foiled lights with quatrefoil spandrels under
a four-centred head, and an external label with
carved angel stops, all cemented; towards the
W. end of the wall is a single light with a
three-centred arch in a square head, also treated
with cement; the N. doorway, near the E. end,
is modern. In the S. wall are two windows,
each of two lights, similar to the first window
in the N. wall; the S. doorway, near the W.
end, is of a single moulded order, with a plain
label, which has carved angel stops. In the W.
wall is a window similar to the E. window,
covered with cement, and painted; four posts
in the wall support the bell-cot and are possibly
old, but the arches and traceried spandrels between the posts are modern. The Bell-cot is
square, the walls are thin, possibly timber-framed, now covered with cement, and surmounted by a tall pyramidal roof, which has
a weathercock at the pinnacle. Roofs: the
three bays over the W. end, or nave, are probably of the 16th century, and have tie-beams,
with chamfered curved braces forming arches,
moulded wall-plates and chamfered purlins; the
wall-posts rest on angel corbels, apparently of
plaster; the E. bay is wider than the other two.
Fittings—Bells: one, inaccessible. Piscina:
in the chancel, with cinque-foiled two-centred
head, label, having head stop on the E. side and
carried over the sedile on the W. side, octofoil
basin, partly cut away in front, probably 14th-century, the head modern. Sedile: next to piscina, with cinque-foiled two-centred head and
label, also probably 14th-century, the head and
W. jamb modern; the label continues towards
the W. apparently for a second sedile.
Condition—Good.
Secular
Homestead Moats
a(3). N.E. of Normill Terrace, about 1 mile
W.N.W. of the parish church, encloses a large
rectangular site; the wide ditch is now dry and
much denuded.
a(4). At the back of the Rose and Crown
Inn, 1/8 mile N.W. of the parish church, small,
partly natural.
b(5). Dundridge Farm, house and moat,
½ mile S.E. of St. Leonard's Church. The
House is of two storeys, built in the 17th century, but almost entirely re-faced with brick
in the 18th or early in the 19th century. The
roofs are tiled. The plan is L-shaped, with the
internal angle facing E.; there is a small wing
on the N.W., and at the S. angle is a projecting staircase, which is partly of 17th-century
brick and timber. The chimney over the S.W.
wing is of original brick. Most of the rooms
have old chamfered beams in the ceilings, and
one room has a wall covered with 17th-century panelling, richly moulded, now partly
hidden by papered canvas. The S. staircase has
two 17th-century panelled doors, one having
small original ornamental hinges; the stairs,
also original, have a central newel. Two other
original doors are of plain battens with strap-hinges. A barn, adjoining the S.E. end of the
house, has some 17th-century brick in one wall;
the other walls are weather-boarded.
Of the Moat only fragments remain.
Condition—Of house, good, but unoccupied
and neglected at time of visit.
a(6). Rookery Park, 200 yards W. of the
parish church, is a large modern house with a
17th-century wing of two storeys, built of brick
and timber, at right angles to the modern building; the roof is tiled. In the wing are chamfered ceiling-beams and a large open fireplace.
Condition—Good.
a(7). House, at the gate of Rookery Park,
¼ mile W. of the parish church, is of two
storeys, built in the 17th century, restored and
enlarged in the 19th century. The walls are
of brick and timber; the roof is thatched. The
plan is of the central chimney type. One room
has a large open fireplace, and a chamfered
beam runs through the ceilings of the ground
floor the whole length of the house.
Condition—Good.
a(8–9). Cottages, two, on the S. side of the
Akeman Street, about ½ mile N.W. of the parish
church, are each of two storeys, the upper
storey partly in the roof. They were built of
brick and timber probably late in the 17th century, but have been partly re-faced with modern
brick. The roofs are thatched.
Condition—Fairly good.
Brook Street, W. side
a(10). Cottage, half-way down the street, is
a 17th-century building of one storey and an
attic. The walls are of brick and timber; the
roof is thatched.
Condition—Ruinous.
E. side
a(11). Cottage, almost opposite (10), is of two
storeys, the upper storey partly in the roof,
built in the 17th century; the walls are timber-framed with filling of brick, wattle and daub,
and partly re-faced with modern brick; the roof
is thatched.
Condition—Fairly good.
a(12). The Oak Inn, is a two-storeyed brick
and timber building of the 17th century; the
roof is thatched. A chimney stack is built of
old thin bricks. One room has a large open fireplace, and in the ceiling is a stop-chamfered
beam.
Condition—Good.
Greenend Street, N.E. side
a(13). Cottage, now two dwellings, opposite
the Oak Inn, is of one storey and an attic, built
in the 17th century, of brick and timber,
restored with modern brick. The roof is
thatched. In one room is a large open fireplace,
partly blocked.
Condition—Fairly good.
a(14). House, of two storeys, was built of
brick and timber late in the 17th century, but
the walls have been almost entirely re-faced
with modern brick or covered with rough-cast.
The roof is tiled.
Condition—Good, much restored and altered.
S.W. side
a(15). Cottage, S.W. of (14), is of two storeys,
the upper storey partly in the roof. It was
built in the 17th century, but the walls are entirely covered with modern rough-cast. The
roof is thatched. The chimney stack is of old
thin bricks.
Condition—Fairly good.
a(16). Cottage, S. of (15), is of two storeys,
built of brick and timber late in the 17th century, now almost entirely re-faced with brick;
the roof is tiled. At the back are two blocked
windows.
Condition—Good.
Unclassified
b(17). Grim's Ditch (see also Bradenham,
Buckland, Drayton Beauchamp, Great and
Little Hampden, Great Missenden, Lee, Monks
Risborough, Princes Risborough, and Wendover), slight track, in field boundary between
Lane's End and Layland's Farm, about 3 miles
S. of the village.
Condition—Much denuded.