127. DRAYTON PARSLOW.
(O.S. 6 in. (a)xix. S.E. (b)xx. S.W.)
Ecclesiastical
a(1). Parish Church of the Holy Trinity,
stands at the S.W. end of the village. It is
built of stone; the tower and porch are of ashlar,
the other walls of rubble. The roof of the nave is
covered with slate; those of the chancel and
porch are tiled. A few stones built into the
walls of the nave are the only evidence of 12th-century work. The Chancel was re-built late
in the 14th century, the Nave early in the 15th
century, and the West Tower was added late
in the same century. The South Porch was built
early in the 16th century. The whole church
was restored in the 19th century.
The remains of early 15th-century glass in the
nave, and the late 15th-century font (see Plate,
p. 45) are of especial interest.
Architectural Description — The Chancel
(21 ft. by 15½ ft.) has a 15th-century E. window
of three cinque-foiled lights and tracery in a two-centred head, much restored. In the N. wall
is a window of two trefoiled ogee lights and tracery
of the 14th century, but considerably restored. In
the S. wall are two windows; the eastern window
is modern and the western similar to that in the
N. wall: between them is a doorway, modern
except the internal jambs. The late 14th-century
chancel arch is two-centred, of two chamfered
orders, the inner order springing from moulded
corbels with carved heads and plain shields;
the plain jambs are possibly of 12th-century
material, re-used. The Nave (36½ ft. by 22 ft.)
has two windows in the N. wall and two in the S.
wall, of early 15th-century date, considerably
restored, each of two cinque-foiled lights and
tracery in a two-centred head, with moulded jambs
and an external label; between the N. windows
is a doorway with moulded jambs, two-centred
head and external label, of 15th-century origin, but
almost completely restored; the S. doorway is of
early 15th-century date, and has moulded jambs
and two-centred head. The West Tower (7½ ft.
square) is of two stages with a plain parapet,
which has a carved gargoyle in the middle of the
N. side; the angles of the tower and of the W.
diagonal buttresses are chamfered. The late
15th-century tower arch is of three chamfered
orders, the inner orders dying into the walls. The
W. window is of two trefoiled lights and tracery
in a two-centred head; it is of the 15th century,
but restored. The bell-chamber has, in each wall,
a window of two trefoiled lights under a square
head, with a moulded external label, all restored.
The South Porch has an outer entrance with
chamfered jambs and two-centred arch of the
16th century, with a modern external label.
The N. and S. walls, inside, have each a stone
seat. The Roof of the nave rests on old moulded
stone corbels. The roof of the porch is of the
16th century, and has plain rafters and curved
wind-braces.
Fittings—Bells: three and sanctus, 3rd, by
Bartholomew Atton, 1591, sanctus by Anthony
Chandler, 1669, bell-frame with initials and
date 'w 1641 k'. Brass and Indents: In nave—
at W. end, to Benet Blakenolle and Agnes his
wife, who both died 30th September, 1535, inscription and two groups of children, three sons
and eleven daughters, indents of a man and
woman and small scrolls over their heads. Door:
In nave—in S. doorway, of battens on massive
framing, with strap-hinges, 16th-century. Font:
hexagonal bowl with an embattled rim, at each
angle of lower part a carved shield, three with
arms, a cheveron between three rams' (?) heads
razed, two with arms, three bends, in the quarter
a lion passant, the sixth shield, three bends
sinister, in the quarter a lion passant reversed;
hexagonal stem, panel on each side with projecting cinque-foiled ogee canopy, having crockets,
finial and ribbed vaulting, small angle buttresses
with crocketed finials between the canopies,
moulded base, late 15th-century. Glass: In
chancel—in quatrefoil of N. window, fragments,
probably 15th-century. In nave—in tracery of
N.E. window, shield with arms, argent a lion
reversed with a forked tail gules (?), possibly
set inside out, two fragments of black-letter
inscription, etc.; in tracery of S.E. window,
shield with arms, ermine a fesse azure with a
crosslet or between two lozenges or thereon,
an angel descending with a golden crown, fragments of drapery of a figure, pinnacles, etc., all
early 15th-century. Lockers: In chancel—in S.
wall, modern or much restored, wood door with
early 17th-century carved panel. In nave—
in S. wall, small, square, rebated for shutter.
Plate: includes cup and cover paten of 1569.
Reredos: In nave—in E. wall, S. of chancel arch,
small rectangular recess with chamfered jambs and
head, projecting sill. Miscellanea: In chancel
—table, used as credence, with fluted rails and
turned legs, early 17th-century. Nave and porch
—built into walls, outside, fragments of worked
stones, 12th-century. In churchyard—part of shaft
of churchyard cross, octagonal with angle rolls,
fragments of stepped base, possibly 13th-century.
Condition—Good.
Secular
a(2). Fortified Mount, about ⅓ mile W.S.W.
of the church. Only half the mount and the
encircling ditch remain; the mount is about
120 ft. in diameter and 4 ft. high. The ditch is
wet.
Condition—Partly obliterated.
Monuments (3–10)
These buildings are each of two storeys, the
upper storey partly in the roof. They are of the
17th century; all, except (4), show timber-framing,
generally with brick filling, and many of them have
been considerably restored with modern brick; all,
except (7), have thatched roofs. Many of the
windows have old iron casements.
Main street, S. side
a(3). House, about 120 yards E. of the church.
The E. half of the N. front is on a stone plinth,
and the timber-framing has diagonal braces in
the upper storey. The central chimney stack
has grouped square shafts built of 17th-century
brick.
Condition—Good, restored.
a(4). Cottage, N.E. of (3). The walls are partly
covered with plaster, probably on timber-framing.
The chimney is of old thin bricks.
Condition—Fairly good.
b(5–6). Cottages, two adjoining, about 500 yards
N.E. of the church. The western cottage has a
chimney of 17th-century brick.
Condition—Fairly good.
b(7). Cottage, about 130 yards E. of (6). A
wing at the back is of later date than the 17th-century building. The roofs are tiled. An outhouse, formerly a cottage, in the yard at the back,
is of the 17th century, and built of brick and
timber.
Condition—Of cottage, fairly good; of outhouse, dilapidated.
N. side
b(8). Cottage, about 100 yards E.N.E. of (7).
The walls retain a little plaster filling.
Condition—Fairly good.
a(9). Cottage, about 460 yards N.E. of the
church.
Condition—Fairly good.
a(10). Cottage, W. of (9). The timber-framing
at the W. end has some plaster filling; the other
walls are re-faced with modern brick.
Condition—Fairly good, much altered.