112. BOW BRICKHILL.
(O.S. 6 in. (a)xv. N.E. (b)xv. S.E.)
Ecclesiastical
b(1). Parish Church of All Saints, at the
E. end of the village, is built of brown sandstone rubble, in large blocks, partly covered
with plaster. The roofs are tiled. Before the
15th century the church probably consisted of
an aisleless Nave and a chancel, but no detail
remains to show when they were built. The
North and South Aisles and the West Tower were
added in the 15th century, when the arcades
were inserted, and the nave was probably lengthened; the Chancel was probably re-built at the
same time. The nave was re-roofed in 1630.
The E. wall of the chancel was re-built in brick,
and the church otherwise restored in 1756–7.
In the 19th century the South Porch was added
and the whole building restored.
Architectural Description— The Chancel
(25½ ft. by 11 ft.) has modern windows in the
E. and S. walls. The 15th-century chancel
arch has been much restored and is of two
orders; the chamfered outer order is continuous,
the hollow-chamfered inner order dies into the
jambs. The Nave (34½ ft. by 15 ft.) has 15th-century N. and S. arcades of three bays, the
westernmost bay in each arcade being wider
than the others; the two-centred arches are of two
hollow-chamfered orders; the pillars are octagonal, with crudely moulded capitals; possibly
the N. arcade has been re-built; it has no visible
bases and the responds are formed by square
blocks of the original walling, the arches springing
from flat offsets; the W. respond is partly encased
in lath and plaster, for no apparent reason: the S.
arcade has moulded bases and the responds are
flat, with moulded corbel-capitals carrying the
inner orders of the arches. The North Aisle
(9½ ft. wide) has a 15th-century E. window, considerably scraped and restored, of two trefoiled
lights in a two-centred head with a moulded
external label, much worn. In the N. wall are
three modern windows. The window in the W.
wall is also modern. The South Aisle (9 ft. wide)
has a 15th-century E. window of three trefoiled
lights under a four-centred head. In the S. wall
are three 15th-century windows, each of two
cinque-foiled lights under a square head, with an
external label which has plain stops; W. of the
windows is the modern S. doorway. In the W.
wall is a window similar to those in the S. wall.
The West Tower (12 ft. square) is of two stages
with diagonal buttresses, a stair-turret in the
S.E. angle, and an embattled parapet. All the
detail is of the 15th century. The two-centred
tower arch is of three continuously chamfered
orders, the innermost order having moulded
capitals. The W. window is of three uncusped
lights in a three-centred head, somewhat defaced.
The windows of the bell-chamber are each of two
uncusped lights in a two-centred head with a
deep external reveal. The Roof of the nave
is low-pitched, and of plain rough, cambered
timbers, with king-post trusses; one tie-beam
is dated 1630.
Fittings—Bells: four; 1st by James Keene, 1634;
2nd by Anthony Chandler, 1670; 3rd inscribed
'∀BCD QRS DEℲC EℲ W', 16th-century; 4th by
Henry Bagley, 1649; frame inscribed '1628.1.1',
not in good condition. Font: octagonal bowl,
with cusped circular and quatrefoil panels, in
one panel a shield with arms, two tau-crosses or
mallets, bowl supported by figures of angels
with outstretched wings, stem octagonal, base
moulded, 15th-century, much scraped. Monument: In chancel—on N. wall, to William Watson,
rector of the parish, 1608, marble tablet set in
chamfered reveal. Niche: In nave—S. of chancel
arch, with roughly chamfered pointed head,
broken sill. Piscina: In S. aisle—with roughly
chamfered two-centred head, round basin, 15th-century. Plate: includes cup of 1626, with
inscription recording the donation by Bridget,
daughter of Richard 'Purret,' widow of—Hartawe,
1627; paten of 1626, inscribed 1627. Pulpit:
hexagonal, two panels with cinque-foiled, crocketed
heads, and labels with finials, shallow tracery
planted on behind and above panels, 15th-century,
considerably restored and thickly painted.
Condition—Good; much restored.
Secular
a(2). Homestead Moat, on the E. bank of the
River Ouzel, about 500 yards W. of Caldecotte.
The N. corner of the moat is filled in.
Monuments (3–5)
These houses are all of two storeys, built in
the 17th century and timber-framed, with filling
of modern brick, and otherwise much restored.
Two of the roofs are covered with tiles, the third
with slate.
Main road, S. side
b(3). House, about 3/8 mile W.N.W. of the church.
b(4). House, now the Congregational Chapel,
with a dwelling on the E. side, about ½ mile W.N.W.
of the church. It has been almost completely
re-built with modern brick. The central chimney
stack has grouped square shafts of 17th-century
brick.
b(5). House, adjoining the chapel, now three
tenements.
Condition—Of all the houses, fairly good.
N. side
b(6). Poplar Farm, opposite to (5), is of two
storeys and an attic, built of timber and brick
probably in the 17th century, but subsequently
much altered and enlarged, and partly covered
with plaster. The roofs are covered with tiles
and with slate. The front is of 18th-century
brick. At the E. end is a large projecting chimney
stack of thin bricks, with stone quoins at the
bottom; the two detached diagonal shafts are
covered with plaster. Interior:—The original constructional timbers and ceiling-beams are visible.
Condition—Good.
b(7). The Wheatsheaf Inn, about 500 ft. W.
of (6), is a house of two storeys, built probably
late in the 16th century, subsequently enlarged
and considerably restored. The walls are timber-framed, with filling of thin bricks, and covered
with plaster. On the S. front the lower storey
is of modern brick. The roof is thatched. At
the E. end of the building the upper storey projects; at the W. end, enclosed by a modern
addition, is a large projecting chimney stack,
and the central chimney stack has a base of
thin bricks. Interior:—The original timber construction and the large trusses of the roof are
visible. There is one wide, open fireplace, partly
blocked.
Condition—Fairly good.
a(8). Farmhouse, at Caldecotte, about 1¼
miles N.W. of the church, is of two storeys, built
probably early in the 17th century, but considerably altered. The walls are timber-framed,
with filling of plaster and brick; the roof is
thatched, and at each end is a half-hipped gable.
The plan is of the central chimney type with
extra rooms. Some of the windows retain solid
wood frames and metal casements.
Condition—Fairly good.