32. DRAYTON BEAUCHAMP.
(O.S. 6 in. (a)xxxiv. N.E. (b)xxxiv. S.E.)
Ecclesiastical
a(1). Parish Church of St. Mary, stands
S.E. of the village, and is built of flint rubble
with stone dressings; the walls of the chancel
are ashlared, those of the tower are of flint
and stone in an irregular chequer pattern. The
roofs are covered with lead. The church has
been considerably re-built and restored, and the
early history is therefore obscure. The earliest
detail, that of the font, is of mid 12th-century
date; the Chancel was probably enlarged in the
13th century, when North and South Aisles
and a West Tower appear to have been added
to the Nave. The aisles were altered or
extended in the 14th century, but late in the
15th century the whole church was re-built, the
old material being re-used. Early in the 16th
century the clearstorey was added and the
North Porch built. In the 19th century the
building was much restored.
Two brasses in the chancel are of especial
interest, as they show the development of
armour in the second half of the 14th century.
The late 15th-century glass in the E. window
is also worthy of note.
Architectural Description—The Chancel
(32½ ft. by 16½ ft.) has a late 15th-century window, much restored, of five cinque-foiled lights
under a square head, the cusps rebated at the
back to allow a simpler fitting of glass, which is
apparently the original arrangement, as the
glass is of the same date as the window (see
Fittings); the external jambs and head are
moulded. In the N. wall is a small 16th-century doorway, now blocked, with a late 15th-century window over it, of three cinque-foiled
lights under a four-centred head with rebated
cusps similar to those in the E. window; both
doorway and window are hidden by the organ;
further W. is a small single light, with a trefoiled head, of the same date as the other window, set low in the wall, but with no trace of
hinges or rebate for shutter. In the S. wall is a
window of the same date and design as the first
window in the N. wall, but with a flat head;
W. of the window are traces of a squint from
the S. aisle, now blocked. The wide two-centred chancel arch is of mid 13th-century
date, and of two chamfered orders, with a label
in the nave, considerably restored; the mask-stop on the N. side is original; the jambs have
half-octagonal pilasters with capitals of crude
design, much scraped and restored, and modern
bases. The Nave (39 ft. by 16½ ft.) has N. and
S. arcades of four bays, made up of 13th and
14th-century material re-used in the 15th century; the two-centred arches are of two chamfered orders, almost entirely of small voussoirs;
the outer order has small broach stops, except
on one side of the W. responds; the labels over
the two western arches are moulded, and traces
of a continuation of them remain over the
second columns; the labels over the eastern
arches are probably re-cut; the E. responds are
half-octagonal, with plain bell-capitals, probably of the 13th century, re-cut in the 15th century, much scraped and restored in the 19th
century; the bases are modern; in each arcade
the first column from the E. is octagonal, with a
capital similar to those of the responds, and a
13th-century moulded base, all much scraped;
the second column is circular, and has a plain
moulded bell-capital of early 14th-century date,
and a 13th-century base, with finer moulding
than the others, also much scraped; the third
column is circular, with a plain 13th-century
bell capital, and undercut abaci; the moulded
base is of late 13th or early 14th-century date.
The outer order of the W. respond of the N.
arcade does not fit the arch; the inner order has
a small circular shaft with a 14th-century
capital, similar to the capital of the second
column, and a 14th-century base. The W.
respond of the S. arcade has three shafts cut out
of a square or chamfered respond, with capitals
cut from one stone, of the same detail as the
capital of the respond on the N.; the bases of
the outer shafts are chamfered, the inner shaft
has a 14th-century base similar to that on the
N. The clearstorey has four windows on each
side, each of three uncusped lights, under a flat
head with an external label, all of the 16th century. The North Aisle (7 ft. wide) has a late
15th-century E. window of three cinque-foiled
lights under a square head. In the N. wall are
two windows, each of four lights and of similar
detail to the E. window, but apparently wholly
restored or modern; between the windows is a
doorway of late 14th-century date, with continuously moulded jambs and head. The South
Aisle (7½ ft. wide) has a late 15th-century E.
window of three cinque-foiled lights and
uncusped tracery under a square head; in the
sill are the remains of a 15th-century altar
tomb (see Monuments); N. of the window are
remains of a squint to the chancel, with a 15th-century moulded head, now blocked. In the S.
wall are two windows; the eastern is modern,
the western of the same date and design as the
E. window of the aisle, but much restored; the
15th-century S. doorway, now blocked, has
jambs and head of two chamfered orders; in the
spandrels are two shields, one with three martlets, the other of Cheyne. The West Tower
(10½ ft. by 9½ ft.) is of two stages with an
embattled parapet, diagonal buttresses and a
square stair-turret in the S.E. angle. The
obtuse two-centred tower arch is of the 13th
century, and of two chamfered orders; the
jambs have been raised and have plain 15th-century capitals; the wall has been thinned
below the arch. The late 15th-century W. doorway has a crudely moulded head of two orders,
the outer square, with label, partly restored, the
inner two-centred, with plain spandrels, cut out
of two stones; the jambs are partly modern:
the mid 15th-century W. window is of two
cinque-foiled lights, with a quatrefoil in a two-centred head; above it is a single cinque-foiled
light, in a square chamfered outer order, with a
label, all of the 15th century, much restored
externally. The four windows of the bell-chamber are each of two cinque-foiled lights in a
square outer order with a label; the N. and E.
windows are of the 15th century, much restored;
the others are modern. The North Porch has a
15th-century three-centred entrance archway,
of two moulded orders, with a moulded label,
which has volute stops. The late 15th-century
Roof of the chancel is low-pitched, of three
bays, with plain moulded timbers and curved
wall-brackets, resting on modern corbels, all
much restored. The nave has a low-pitched
roof of c. 1530, with crude tracery in the spandrels of the brackets. The S. aisle has a 15th-century roof with moulded principals and
purlins.
Fittings—Bells: three, 1st, inscribed 'come
and pray 1621.' Brasses and Indents. Brasses:
In chancel—on S. side, (1) of knight in armour,
said to be Thomas Cheyne, shield-bearer to
Edward III., 1368, wearing ridged bascinet,
with aventail of banded mail, complete arm-pieces, small elbow-cops, close fitting gipon,
studded thigh-pieces, large globose knee-cops
with tasselled fringe and splinted jambs, no
inscription, indents of two shields, the brass
broken across the middle; (2) in new slab, of
priest, said to be Henry Fazakyrley, 1531, in
Mass vestments, headless, inscription imperfect; on N. side, (3) of [William] Cheyne,
1375, figure in armour, with bascinet, mail
aventail, apparently over padding, mail hauberk under close gipon, studded thigh-pieces,
plain jambs and scaled sabatons, inscription,
with Christian name missing, indents of two
shields at top of slab and two at bottom.
Chairs: two, in chancel, of carved oak, mid 17th-century. Font (see Plate, p. xxvii.), circular
bowl, decorated with arcade of round arches on
columns with cushion-capitals, moulded base,
early or mid 12th-century. Glass: in E. window of chancel, figures of ten apostles (St. Luke
and St. Barnabas omitted), two in each light,
one above the other, in canopied niches with
small buttresses at the sides, each figure in
coloured robe, with nimbus, holding symbol,
and standing on raised step inscribed with his
name, over the head of each, a scroll inscribed
with a sentence from the Apostles' creed, Latin,
black-letter, the glass is made to fit the pointed
heads of the lights, late 15th-century, with
modern restorations, carefully carried out: in
N. window of chancel, rectangular panel,
containing fragments of figure in white
and gold robe, and pieces of background
with coloured pattern, 15th-century: in each
light of S. window of chancel, a shield with
arms,—(1) gules two hands cut off at
the wrists, with palms outwards, (2) and
(3) with the arms of Cheyne, all 14th-cen
tury, third shield much restored. Monument:
in sill of E. window of S. aisle, remains of altar
tomb, sides panelled with small quatrefoils and
larger quatrefoils having shields, 15th-century.
Niches: see Sedilia. Painting: on second arch
of S. arcade, traces of scroll pattern, in red,
13th-century. Piscina: in the chancel, with
trefoiled head, groove for shelf, remains of
basin, 15th-century. Plate: includes three
pewter plates and pewter flagon with lid, probably 17th-century. Seating: at W. end of
nave, five open seats, 16th-century: a sixth seat
incorporates old work. Sedilia: in the chancel,
cinque-foiled niche, apparently for sedile, second
trefoiled niche, possibly too narrow for same
purpose, 15th-century. Miscellanea: in the
chancel, pair of gauntlets and breastplate,
painted black, 17th-century.
Condition—Good, much restored.
Secular
a(2). Homestead Moat and Fishponds,
S.W. of Upper Farm, mark the site of the
former manor house.
a(3). Upper Farm, nearly ¼ mile N. of the
church, is a house of two storeys, built in the
first half of the 17th century, on a rectangular
plan, facing E., with a small central wing at
the back, and a central chimney; modern additions have been made at the N. end, and the
original walls re-faced with modern brick, except the upper part of the wall at the back,
which is of original timber and brick.
Condition—Good.
a(4). Woodbine Cottages, three tenements,
nearly ½ mile N. of the church, form a 17th-century building of two storeys. The walls are
timber-framed, with brick filling, which is
almost entirely original. The roofs are
thatched. The central chimney stack, with
square shafts, is partly of 17th-century brick.
Condition—Fairly good.
a(5). Manor Farm, nearly ½ mile N.N.W. of
the church, is a house of two storeys, built in
the 17th century, restored and enlarged in the
18th and 19th centuries. The plan is rectangular with a small wing at the back. The S.
front is of brick of 18th-century or later date,
and part of the upper storey is covered with
rough-cast. The gable of the wing has some
timber-framing, now covered with cement, and
the other walls are of modern brick. The
original central chimney stack has three square
shafts. One room on the ground floor has a
wide, open fireplace and a chamfered ceiling-beam.
Condition—Good.
a(6). Cottages, forming an L-shaped block,
about 100 yards N. of Manor Farm, are of two
storeys, built in the 17th century, now restored.
The N. wall and part of the back are of original
timber and brick, the S. wall is modern, the
other walls are of late 17th-century brick. The
roofs are thatched. The two chimney stacks are
apparently original.
Condition—Fairly good.
Unclassified
b(7). Grims Ditch (see also Aston Clinton,
Bradenham, Buckland, Great and Little Hampden, Lee, Great Missenden, Monks Risborough,
Princes Risborough and Wendover). The track
of the ditch enters the county, from Hertfordshire, opposite Longcroft Farm, but is only
faintly visible in a field boundary, running in
a S.W. direction towards Lane's End.
Condition—Much denuded.