9. BLEDLOW.
(O.S. 6 in. (a)xxxvii. N.W. (b)xxxvii. S.W.
(c)xli. N.E.)
Ecclesiastical
b(1). Parish Church of Holy Trinity, in
the middle of the village, is built of flint, with
dressings of limestone and a little clunch. The
roofs are covered with lead, except the gabled
roof of the tower, which is tiled. The aisles,
porch and tower have plain parapets. The Nave
is probably part of the 12th-century church on
the site, and in addition to the chancel there
appear to have been originally transepts and
a central tower: the Aisles were added c. 1200,
and during work carried on between c. 1260 and
c. 1280 they were widened, probably to the depth
of the former transepts, the Chancel, which is
wider than the nave, was re-built on a larger
scale, the West Tower added and the aisles were
lengthened. In the 14th century the South
Porch was built and windows were inserted in
various parts of the church; the roofs were
lowered, probably in the 16th century. The
whole building was restored in 1909.
The Church, Plan
Reproduced by permission of the Victoria County Histories.
The church is of especial interest on account
of the nave arcades, which are fine examples of
early 13th-century work, and the windows,
especially those of the 14th century, are noteworthy. The remains of mediæval mural
paintings, notably that of St. Christopher in
the N. aisle, are also interesting.
Architectural Description—The Chancel
(31 ft. by 16½ ft.) has a late 13th-century E.
window of three lancet lights with stilted
heads; the inner jambs and mullions have
engaged shafts with moulded bell-capitals and
moulded bases; the external label has mask
stops. In the N. wall the easternmost window
is a 13th-century lancet with a trefoiled head,
a moulded external label with mask stops, and
a two-centred segmental rear arch: the second
window, inserted c. 1345 and now partly restored, is of two lights, with tracery of unusual
pattern; the mullions and jambs are chamfered,
and have, inside, an attached roll continued in
the tracery; the moulded external label, with
head-stops, may be of a later date; the third
window, a 13th-century lancet with a trefoiled
head, was probably re-set in the 14th century
and was used as a low-side window; it has a
transom and shutter in the lower part which is
now glazed; the internal stonework and the
external label resemble those of the 14th-century window: an internal string-course, of
c. 1260, is carried, at different levels, from
the E. jamb of the easternmost window, to
the E. jamb of the third window. In the
S. wall is a 14th-century window of two
lights with tracery, resembling that in the
N. wall, but the inner edges of the jambs
are moulded and have attached shafts with
moulded bases and bell-capitals, one foliated;
the rear arch is moulded: the second window,
of the 13th century, is of two trefoiled lights
with a quatrefoil in a two-centred head, a chamfered rear arch and a moulded external label,
with carved stops: between the windows, visible
outside, is the outline, without stone dressings,
of the upper part of a round-headed doorway:
the 13th-century internal string-course, similar
to that on the N. wall, is broken for the doorway. The chancel arch, of c. 1260, is pointed,
of two square orders, the inner order resting on
moulded capitals; the jambs are plain, with
chamfered edges, stopped above and below; on
the W. face of the arch is a roll label, cut away
to admit the former rood-beam; below the
capitals are head corbels, much mutilated, and
higher up there are five corbels for the former
rood-loft and beam. There are two buttresses
at each E. angle of the chancel, and one in the
middle of each side wall, probably of c. 1260,
restored. The Nave (45 ft. by 15½ ft.) has N.
and S. arcades of four bays, of c. 1200; the
pointed arches are of two square orders with
plain labels; the circular columns have foliated,
octagonal capitals, the foliage differing slightly
in each one, grooved and chamfered abaci, and
moulded bases on square plinths; the responds
are cut away below the capitals to form corbels,
those on the N. side being plain and those on
the S. side carved with foliage; the capital of
the N.W. respond is scalloped, the three others
are foliated. The clearstorey has, on each side,
three wide windows, of three trefoiled lights
under square heads; the inner stonework is possibly of the 13th century, the lintels and outer
stonework are modern; on the N. side of the
clearstorey, at the E. end, is the outline of a
pointed opening which was probably connected
with the former rood-loft. The North Aisle
(8½ ft. wide) has a 15th-century E. window of
clunch, of two trefoiled ogee lights in a square
head, with chamfered jambs; the lintel inside
is of wood; the mullions and head are much
worn: below the window and a niche N. of it
(see Fittings) is a recess for an altar formed
by the blocking of an earlier opening, of which
the quoins remain; in the same wall, outside,
is a narrow vertical off-set with quoin stones,
indicating the possible former existence
of an apse at the E. end of the 12th-century
transept; S. of the window is a low external
buttress with a grooved and chamfered abacus,
below the highest off-set, possibly also part of
the apse. In the N. wall are two 13th-century
windows similar to the S.W. window of the
chancel; between them is a window of c. 1330,
of two trefoiled ogee lights with a quatrefoil in
a two-centred head; the outer label, and the
inner edges of jambs and arch are moulded: the
N. doorway, of the 12th century, re-set, has a
round head with moulded abaci and square
jambs, and a segmental rear arch. The aisle
extends as far as the W. wall of the tower, and
the W. window is a trefoiled lancet with a
moulded external label, probably of late 13th
or early 14th-century date; in line with the E.
wall of the tower is a modern half arch spanning
the aisle. The South Aisle (11 ft. wide) has, in
the E. wall, above the altar, a wide recess with
stone dressings, possibly a blocked window, but
not visible outside; the lower part is probably
of the 13th century, the upper part of later date.
In the S. wall the easternmost window is of mid
14th-century date, of four trefoiled lights and
tracery in a pointed head, with a moulded label
outside; the jambs and mullions both inside
and outside, and the rear arch are also
moulded: the second window resembles the
S.W. window of the chancel and is of the same
date; the third window is of c. 1300, of two
pointed lights with a plain spandrel under a
two-centred arch with a moulded external label;
the mullions and jambs inside are moulded;
the rear arch and the inner edge of the jambs
are chamfered: the S. doorway, between the
second and third windows, is of c. 1260, and has
jambs of three square orders; in the angles of
the outer orders are detached shafts with
foliated capitals and much worn bases; the
moulding of the innermost order is continued
in the arch, which is of three moulded orders,
and has a moulded label: in line with the E.
wall of the tower is a half-arch forming a
buttress to the tower arch, probably of c. 1260;
it is of two chamfered orders, the inner order
springing from a moulded and foliated capital
with a carved head-corbel below it; W. of the
arch is a modern window. In the W. wall is a
round-headed window, possibly of the 12th
century, re-set with a chamfered pointed segmental rear arch. The West Tower (13 ft.
square) is of three stages, with an original
corbel table and plain moulded parapet; some
of the corbels are carved with grotesque heads,
others are moulded. The walls inside are now
partly of brick. The pointed arches on the E.,
N. and S. sides are all of similar 13th-century
detail, though the E. arch is considerably
higher than the others; they are of two chamfered orders, the inner order resting on halfoctagonal shafts with round moulded bases on
square plinths, and moulded bell-capitals. The
W. doorway has moulded jambs and pointed
head with a moulded label; the W. window is
of two cinque-foiled lights with a cinque-foiled
spandrel in a two-centred head. In the second
stage the N., S. and W. walls have each a
lancet light, and on the S. wall is a clock. The
bell-chamber has four windows, each of two
plain pointed lights with a quatrefoil in a two-centred head, and a moulded label. On the E.
face of the tower is visible the weather-course
of the former steep-pitched roof of the nave,
with a pointed doorway, now blocked, at its apex.
The South Porch has a 14th-century outer arch
way of two moulded orders; the inner order has
moulded capitals and square bases; the W. base
has been renewed; the head is pointed and has
a moulded label. Over the arch, outside, is a
broken head-corbel supporting a sundial of later
date than the doorway. The Roof of the
chancel is low-pitched; the eaves are higher
than those of the original roof, but the apex is
lower; only the plain westernmost tie-beam is
old. The low-pitched roof of the nave is much
lower than the original roof, and has chamfered
tie-beams, purlins and rafters, probably of late
16th or early 17th-century date. The aisles
have 15th-century roofs with moulded principals and traceried braces; the bosses at the
intersection of the main timbers are carved with
roses or geometrical patterns; in the N. aisle
the easternmost purlin is plain, and the braces
are much decayed; the corbels over the N.
arcade are of wood, the others, in both aisles,
are of plain stone, except one near the W. end
of the N. wall, which is apparently part of a
head; the roof of the S. aisle is more complete
than the other. In the tower the floor of the
ringing-chamber is of old timbers.
Fittings—Bells: five, four by Richard
Keene, 1683. Brackets: on S. side of chancel,
part of square shaft and pinnacle, of limestone,
with moulded and embattled capital, at the
bottom a gabled and trefoiled head of niche
with foliated finial, on each side of the shaft
half a similar niche, probably part of setting
of tomb, late 14th-century: on N. side of chancel, similar bracket, of clunch, of later date
probably. Brass: In chancel—in recess in
N. wall, of Willm~ Hern~, vicar of the parish,
1525, figure of priest in Mass vestments, with
inscription. Communion Table and Rails:
table, at E. end of S. aisle, 17th-century: rails,
at W. end of N. aisle, remains, 17th-century.
Doors: in N. doorway, plain, oak, with strap-hinges: in S. doorway, plain, oak, with ornamental strap-hinges inside, with foliated ends,
probably of c. 1260. Font (see Plate, p. xxvii.):
of the 'Aylesbury' type, round bowl, fluted
sides, with band of interlacing and foliated
ornament at the top, moulded rim, cable
moulding under bowl, plain round stem, and
square scalloped base, carved with foliage,
late 12th-century. Glass: in tracery of S.E.
window of chancel, fragments with conventional design, and shield with arms (imperfect): in quatrefoil of middle window, S. wall,
white glass with black pattern, green and
yellow centre, 14th-century: in tracery of
middle window, N. wall, small fragments, with
patterns: in S.E. window of S. aisle, three
shields with arms, of Henry, Earl of Lancaster,
King Edward III. (the fourth quarter of
modern glass) and azure, a bend argent with
three pierced molets thereon (one missing)
cotised or, between six scutcheons each charged
with a lion or, for William de Bohun, Earl of
Northampton. Lectern: in S. aisle, of oak,
eagle with head looking backward, said to be
of pre-Reformation date, modern stem and
base. Niche: N. of E. window of N. aisle,
canopied, with gabled and crocketed head,
partly destroyed, remains of former pinnacles
at the sides, front of sill carved with flowers,
15th-century: on N. side of chancel, low, trefoiled, with jambs and head of square section,
date uncertain, probably copy of piscina on
S. side. Paintings: over S. arcade of nave,
masonry pattern, 13th-century: over second
column and partly over third column of S.
arcade, foliage, probably 13th-century: over
third column of N. arcade, similar design:
on N. wall of N. aisle, E. of N. doorway, large
figure of St. Christopher, carrying the Child;
over the N. doorway, continuation of design, with
small figure, probably the hermit, in tower, a
gabled and embattled house, back-ground of
diaper of flowers, all in red paint and much defaced: over S. doorway, traces of design, including a kneeling figure: at E. end of S. aisle,
fragment of diaper of flowers: on N. and S.
jambs of chancel arch, over first and second
arches of both arcades in nave, texts, small
Roman lettering, 17th-century, some partly obliterated: on E. wall of nave, the Creed; at E. end
of S. aisle, the Commandments, also probably
17th-century. Piscinæ: in the chancel, with
trefoiled chamfered head, jambs carried down
to the floor, stone shelf, ledges for higher shelf
at springing level of arch, 13th-century: at E.
end of S. aisle, with pointed head, square basin,
13th-century: in ledge of N.E. window in
N. aisle, two basins with drains: on ledge,
second N. window, N. aisle, separate slab with
basin. Plate: includes cup of 1569: stand
paten, date letter missing, not later than 1677:
large flagon of 1672: large paten of 1689.
Recesses: in S. wall of S. aisle at E. end, two,
for tombs, each of two moulded orders with
pointed segmental arches, 14th-century: in S.
wall, E. of S. door, small, square, roughly
made, date uncertain. Stoup: in N.E. corner
of S. porch, plain, round bowl, probably 16th-century or of earlier date. Miscellanea: over
N.E. window of chancel, inside, three head-corbels; on each side of and above S.E. window
of chancel, outside, a head-stop, or corbel, probably 14th-century: at W. end of N. aisle,
fragments of carved and moulded stones, various
dates, mostly 12th-century, dug up or removed
from different parts of the church: built into
E. and N. walls of N. aisle, various worked
stones, including pieces of window tracery and
a head-corbel: in churchyard, on S. side of
church, base of cross, octagonal, appears to have
had gabled trefoiled sides, 15th-century, much
weathered: near entrance, slab on modern
brick base, original lettering illegible, modern
copy of inscription to Margaret Babham,
founder of the Bledlow Mannet Charity, 1672.
Condition—Good.
Secular
Main Road, S. side
b(2). House, now two cottages, formerly the
Mill House, nearly opposite the church, is of
two storeys, built probably late in the 16th century, and timber-framed, with brick filling,
some of it in herringbone pattern. The roof is
tiled. The plan is rectangular, facing N., with
low modern additions at the back and at the E.
end; there are original half-hipped gables at
each end of the house. The central chimney
stack is also original.
Condition—Fairly good.
b(3). House, now two cottages, 90 yards S.W.
of the church, is of two storeys, the upper storey
partly in the roof, built late in the 16th century, and timber-framed, with brick filling of
herringbone pattern in the upper storey; the
lower storey has been re-faced with modern
brick. The roof is tiled. The plan was originally rectangular, facing N., but small modern
additions have been made on the S. and at the
E. end. The N. front has a gable at the W.
end; the two dormer windows, with moulded
mullions, are probably original, and project on
moulded wood brackets. The two square chimney stacks over the W. half of the building are
of 16th-century thin bricks, the W. stack probably of later date than the other. There are
original chamfered beams in the ceilings, and a
staircase or ladder in the W. half of the house
has solid oak steps; on the first floor are the
hooks of the hinges and staple for the trap door
that formerly closed the staircase. The open
fireplace in the kitchen has chimney-corner
seats and recess for tinder box, etc., and the
original round oven projects from the N. wall.
Condition—Not very good.
c(4). The Red Lion Inn, at the W. end of the
village, is of two storeys, the upper storey
partly in the roof, built of brick early in the
17th century; a brick at the N.E. angle bears
the letters and date E D 1654; the front has
been re-faced with modern brick. The roof is
tiled. The plan was originally rectangular, but
modern additions have been made on the S. and
W. The chimney stack at the W. end of the
old part of the house is original, and there is a
large open fireplace with chimney-corner seats.
On the ground floor all the ceilings have stop-chamfered beams.
Condition—Good.
N. side
b(5). The Manor Farm, 190 yards W. of the
church, is of two storeys, encased in modern
brick, except the top of the E. gable, which
shows early 17th-century brick and timber. The
roof is tiled. The building is rectangular, facing
S.; at the back are 18th-century and modern
additions. The central chimney stack is of
thin bricks. In one room on the ground floor
is a wide fireplace and there are chamfered
beams in the ceiling. An original door, of
moulded battens, has been moved into the 18th-century part of the house.
Condition—Good.
b(6). House, now the Forge, 100 yards W. of
the church, is of two storeys, built of brick and
timber in the 16th century and re-fronted with
modern brick. The roofs are tiled. The original plan is L-shaped, the longer wing facing
S.; on the N. is a low modern addition filling
the space between the wings. At the back is an
original gable and a smaller gable, probably of
later date. The central chimney stack is of thin
bricks, restored at the top. The entrance lobby
and the forge on the E. were probably originally
one room; in the ceiling is a chamfered beam;
the room W. of the lobby has a moulded ceiling-beam. The original fireplaces have been partly
filled in. In the E. wall of the shorter wing is
a door, probably formerly external, with nine
small panels, moulded muntins, old strap-hinges, and oak stock lock.
Condition—Good.
b(7). House, 70 yards W. of the church, is
said to have been formerly an inn and consists
of the remaining part of a late 16th-century
building, with modern additions on the N. and
W. The original part now forms one tenement and is of two storeys, timber-framed, with
brick filling of herringbone pattern in the
upper storey; the lower storey is of brick, partly
modern; the roof is tiled. The E. end is gabled,
and the original chimney stack is of thin bricks,
with over-sailing courses at the top. In the
ceilings are stop-chamfered beams, and a wide,
open fireplace retains original chimney-corner
seats.
Condition—Fairly good.
West Lane, E. side
b(8). House, formerly a farmhouse, now two
cottages, 300 yards N.W. of the church, is of
two storeys, built probably early in the 17th
century. The S. front is modern; the upper
storey on the other three sides retains the
original timber-framing, with brick filling of
a later date; the lower storey is of modern
brick. The roof is tiled. The building is
rectangular, with a half-hipped gable at the
W. end, and low modern additions at the back
and at the E. end. The central chimney stack
is original, the stack at the E. end was probably added later in the 17th century. The
wide fireplaces have been partly filled in, and
the ceilings have original stop-chamfered
beams.
Condition—Fairly good.
W. side
b(9). Farmhouse, 400 yards N.W. of the
church, is of two storeys, built probably early
in the 17th century, but encased in modern
brick and some flint. The roof is tiled. The
plan is L-shaped, the wings extending towards
the S. and W., with a square projection between
them; the W. end is gabled. The chimney
stack is of early 17th-century brick.
Condition—Good.
b(10). House, at the corner of the Lower
Icknield Way, was built early in the 17th century, and is of two storeys, the lower storey of
modern brick, the upper of original brick and
timber. The roof is tiled. The plan is rectangular, facing N., with a central chimney
stack of thin bricks. Both ends of the house
are gabled; one window on the first floor has
an old oak frame with moulded mullions. The
wide fireplace in the middle of the house has
chimney-corners enclosed in modern cupboards.
The beams in the ceilings are stop-chamfered.
Condition—Poor.
Pitch Green
a(11). House, 970 yards N. of the church,
on the W. side of the road to the railway
station, is in two blocks; the southern is of two
storeys, of brick and timber, covered with
plaster, built early in the 17th century, and the
northern is of two storeys and an attic, of red
brick with black headers, added late in the 17th
or early in the 18th century. The roof is tiled.
The older block faces E. and has a central
chimney stack. Inside the house the fireplaces
have been partly filled in; the ceiling-beams
have chamfered edges, and there is one original
battened door.
Condition—Good.
b(12). The Mill House, 870 yards N. of the
church, on the S. side of the Lower Icknield
Way and W. of the cross-roads, is of two storeys
an an attic. It consists of two parallel
blocks; the eastern, built late in the 16th century, is timber-framed, with filling of thin
bricks, set in herringbone pattern, except at
the S. end, where the filling is almost entirely
modern; both ends are gabled: the western
block, built of brick, was added late in the 17th
century. The roof is tiled, and the central
chimney stack is of old thin bricks. Inside
the house are chamfered ceiling-beams, and a
wide fireplace, partly filled in. The heavy
ceiling-beams in the 17th-century part of the
house are of oak. Old circular mill-stones
have been laid down as pavement before the S.
door.
Condition—Fairly good.
a(13). House, now two cottages, about
¾ mile N. of the church, on the N. side of the
Lower Icknield Way, E. of the cross-roads, is
of two storeys, built probably in the 16th century; the upper storey is timber-framed, with
brick filling, partly herringbone; the lower
storey is of modern brick. The roof is tiled.
The plan is rectangular with low modern additions at the back and E. end, and there is a
central chimney stack; the W. end is gabled.
One large fireplace retains chimney-corner
seats. The ceiling-beams are original, with
chamfered edges.
Condition—Fairly good.
c(14). Pankridge Farm, in 'the City', Bledlow Ridge, 3½ miles S.E. of the church, is of
two storeys, built of flint with brick dressings
late in the 17th century, and restored in the
19th century. The roof is tiled. The brick
jambs of the doors and windows on the ground
floor, and a few on the upper floor, are original.
The central chimney stack, of 17th-century
brick, has square shafts restored at the top.
The wide fireplaces have been blocked.
Condition—Good.
Bledlow Cross
Unclassified
b(15). Bledlow Cross, is cut in the chalk on
the side of a hill, about 1 mile S.S.W. of the
village: it is of the Greek form and measures
about 75 ft. transversely, with arms about
15 ft. in breadth.
The Cross is of especial interest as one of the
two examples of turf-cuttings in the county.
Condition—Fairly good.