4 BRENTFORD, NEW (C.d.)
(O.S. 6 in. XX, N.E.)
New Brentford is a parish forming part of the
borough of Chiswick and Brentford. Boston House
is the principal monument.
Ecclesiastical
(1) Parish Church of St. Lawrence, formerly
a chapel of Hanwell, stands on the S. side of High Street.
The walls of the tower are of Kentish rag-stone with
dressings of Reigate stone. The West Tower was built
in the 15th century, but the rest of the church was
re-built in 1764.
Architectural Description—The West Tower (12 ft.
square) is of three stages with a modern embattled
parapet. The two-centred tower-arch is of two
moulded orders, the outer continuous and the inner
springing from attached shafts with moulded capitals;
the base of the arch is covered, the floor-level being
about 4 ft. above the original level. The W. doorway is
modern; the W. window, partly restored and the lower
part destroyed by the doorway, is of three cinque-foiled
lights in a segmental-pointed head with a label. The
second stage has a blocked opening in the E. wall;
the N. and W. walls have each a square-headed light;
in the S. wall is a blocked window, probably similar
to the others. The bell-chamber has a blocked window
in the E. wall. The other three walls have each a
restored window, now without mullions.
Fittings—Bells: six; 3rd by William Culverden,
c. 1510 and inscribed "Sancta Anna ora pro nobis."
Brass: In nave—on W. wall, of Henry Redman, chief
mason of the king's works, 1528 and Joan his wife,
figure of man in civil costume (head missing), wife and
two daughters, indent of Trinity above. Font (Plate 11):
octagonal bowl with moulded upper and lower edge,
sides quatre-foiled and two enclosing a rose and
foliage-boss, octagonal stem with pointed panel in
each face and moulded base, c. 1500. Monuments and
Floor-slab. Monuments: In chancel—on E. wall,
(1) to Rachel (Paule), wife of Christopher Clitherow,
1714, and to her husband, 1727, curved white marble
tablet with Corinthian side-columns, cornice, broken
pediment and shield-of-arms; (2) to James Clitherow,
1682, and Elizabeth (Barker) his wife, 1688, black and
white marble tablet with side-pilasters, entablature,
broken pediment, achievement and shield-of-arms.
In nave—on N. wall, (3) to Alice, wife of James Hawley,
1678, marble and slate tablet with enriched frame and
achievement-of-arms; (4) to James, son of James
Hawley, 1667–8, similar tablet to (3); (5) of John
Middleton, 1624, alabaster and marble wall-monument
with kneeling figures of man and wife, arched recesses
at back, Corinthian side-columns, entablature, curved
pediment, cartouche and two shields-of-arms; on W.
wall, (6) to Curtis (Hawley), wife of Thomas Cullum,
1700–1, white marble oval tablet with scrolls and
cartouche-of-arms; (7) to Henry Hawley, J.P., 1706,
and Alice, his widow, 1714–5, draped and scrolled
white marble tablet, with cartouche-of-arms; (8) to
Henry, 1695 and two Annes, children of Henry
Hawley, octagonal black marble tablet. In S. aisle—
on S. wall, (9) white marble cartouche-of-arms from
former monument, late 17th-century. Floor-slab: In
tower—to Mary (Goldsmith), widow of Sir Edward
Spenser, 1658–9, with two shields-of-arms. Plate:
includes cup of 1689, with lozenge-of-arms, large cover-paten of the same date and arms, and flagon of 1709.
Miscellanea: In nave—on W. wall, octofoiled and sub-cusped panel enclosing a shield of Berkeley quartering
Brotherton, Arundel and Warenne, 15th-century,
preserved from old church in 1764.
Condition—Good.
Secular
Boston House - New Brentford
(2) Boston House and outbuilding ¾ m. N.N.W. of
the church. The House (Plate 43) is of three storeys
with cellars and attics; the walls are of brick with stone
dressings and the roofs are tile and slate-covered. The
property came into the possession of Mary, wife of Sir
William Reade, in 1621, and the dates 1622 and 1623 on
rainwater heads and ceiling indicate that it was re-built at
that time. In 1670 the house passed to the Clitherow
family and in 1671 various works were undertaken.
These probably included the N. wing and outbuildings
on the E. side. There is a modern addition in the
angle between the main block and the N. wing.
The house is a good example of its period and the
ceilings and staircase are noteworthy.
The Elevations of the main block have a stone entablature at the second-floor level and are finished
with three gables on the long sides and two at the ends.
The windows have stone architraves, those on the
ground floor surmounted by straight or curved pediments and those on the first floor each with three key-blocks; above each pair of second-floor windows on
the E. and S. is a continuous cornice, but each second-floor window on the W. front has a separate cornice.
The gables on the E. and S. sides have each a round-headed niche. The central stone porch on the E.
front has a round outer archway with a curved keystone
and carved spandrels and springs from panelled
pilasters; flanking it are similar pilasters supporting an
entablature continued along the sides of the porch,
which are pierced by openings with flanking pilasters;
at the outer angles of the porch between the pilasters
are attached shafts with strap-ornament; the porch
is finished with a pierced parapet. There are three
rainwater heads with the date 1622 and the initials M.R.
(for Mary Reade) and a fourth on the W. side with the
date 1670. The original chimney-stacks have diagonal
shafts.
Inside the main block the Entrance Hall has an
original plaster ceiling with an elaborate geometrical
design with moulded ribs; the panels enclose conventional designs of foliage and flowers, fleurs-de-lys,
masks and cherub-heads. At the W. end there is an
original wooden screen of three bays divided and
flanked by diminishing Ionic pilasters with carved
pedestals and enrichments and supporting a continuous
entablature with an elliptical arch over the middle bay;
the side bays have plain openings and a panelled dado.
The Ground Floor rooms have been modernised, but the
N.W. room retains some original moulded panelling
and a cupboard with cocks-head hinges. The original
staircase has moulded strings and rails, square newels
surmounted by lions holding shields, and balusters in
the form of diminishing pilasters with arched heads
between them. On the First Floor the large S.E. room
has an elaborate plaster ceiling (Plates 40, 45) with a geometrical design, the panels being formed by broad enriched bands; the minor panels have strapwork ornament
and the major panels scrolled cartouches in addition
enclosing allegorical and other figures including Cupid,
Time, Pelican, the four Elements, Peace and War, the
Senses, Faith, Hope and Charity, Plenty, various birds
and beasts and the date and initials 1623 M.R. The
fireplace (Plate 44) is flanked by enriched diminishing
pilasters with Ionic caps supporting a gadrooned shelf;
the overmantel is flanked by enriched terminal pilasters
supporting an enriched cornice with three heads;
between the pilasters is a plaster panel with scrolled
ornament, hippocamps, figures and dogs and a central
oval panel with a representation of the sacrifice of
Isaac; below it is the motto "Loyal yet free"; some
of this ornament is closely similar to that on the fire-place of the S.E. Bedroom on the 2nd floor at Charlton
House. The doorways of this room have enriched
architraves and panelled doors with strapwork orna
ment; there is similar panelling in the window-recesses. The S.W. Room has an original plaster
ceiling of similar general character to that last described,
but the panels all have strapwork ornament except the
central one, which has a cartouche with a figure of Hope.
The walls are lined with late 17th-century panelling;
the fireplace has a bolection-moulded surround and a
large panel above with a frame carved with flowers
and cherub-heads; it formerly contained a picture and
the opening now shows part of an original strapwork-frieze of plaster. The staircase landing has three doorways surmounted by repainted shields with a strapwork surround. On the second floor two rooms have
late 17th-century surrounds to the fireplaces one of
which has a moulded overmantel and cornice. The
balustrade at the top of the staircase to the attics has
turned balusters. The late 17th-century N. wing has
been largely refaced; on the W. side are some original
windows with solid frames.
The square building, N.E. of the N. wing, was
probably a pigeon-house. It is of brick with a pyramidal roof and was built c. 1671. It is of three storeys
and has small square-headed windows with solid
frames.
Condition—Good.
Monuments (3–18)
The following monuments, unless otherwise described, are of late 17th or early 18th-century date and
of two storeys with attics; the walls are of brick and
the roofs are tile or slate-covered. Some of the
buildings have exposed ceiling-beams.
Condition—Good or fairly good, unless noted.
(3) House (Plate 32), No. 1 on the E. side of Upper
Butts 350 yards N. of the church, has an original modillioned eaves-cornice and a brick band between the
storeys. Inside the building the hall has some
bolection-moulded panelling and the staircase has
turned balusters, close strings and panelled dadoes.
(4) House, now Beaufort House and Chatham House
on the N.W. side of the Butts 50 yards S.E. of (3), has
an original modillioned eaves-cornice. Inside the
building is some original panelling and the staircase in
Beaufort House has turned balusters and close strings.
(5) House, No. 19, 20 yards S.W. of (4), has an
original modillioned eaves-cornice and retains some
original panelling and the upper flights of the original
staircase with turned balusters and close strings.
(6) House, now Linden House and Cobden House,
adjoining (5) on the S.W., has been partly refronted
but retains part of its original eaves-cornice.
(7) Range of houses Nos. 16 and 18 and stable on the
S.E. side of the Butts 40 yards S.E. of (4), has been
much altered and refaced and only the stable retains its
eaves-cornice. The W. chimney-stack has two diagonal shafts. The staircase of No. 16 has turned
balusters and close strings.
(8) House, two tenements, Nos. 20 and 22,
immediately S.W. of (7), has a band between the
storeys and a modillioned eaves-cornice. The S. side
retains its original doors and door-frames. Inside the
building there are some original moulded surrounds
to the fireplaces and both staircases have turned
balusters and moulded rails.
(9) House, two tenements, 70 yards S.W. of (8),
retains its original modillioned eaves-cornice and some
plain original panelling.
(10) House, with shop, No. 222 on the N. side of
High Street, 10 yards W. of Half Acre retains its
modillioned eaves-cornice.
(11) House, with shop, No. 218, 15 yards W. of
(10), has been much altered.
Condition—Poor.
(12) House, with shop, No. 211, 40 yards W. of (11).
Condition—Poor.
(13) House, now two tenements and shops, Nos.
182–3, 25 yards N.E. of the church, retains its original
modillioned eaves-cornice.
Condition—Poor.
(14) Range of houses and shops, Nos. 153–6 on the S.
side of High Street, 100 yards W. of the church.
Condition—Poor.
(15) Range of houses and shops, Nos. 142–6, 40
yards E. of (14), has been much altered.
Condition—Poor.
(16) House with shop, No. 119, 120 yards E.N.E. of
the church, is of three storeys and has been refronted.
Condition—Poor.
(17) House with shop, No. 118 adjoining (16) on
the E. is a 17th-century building of three storeys
largely reconstructed early in the 18th century.
Condition—Poor.
(18) House with shop, No. 114, 20 yards E. of (17),
is of three storeys, largely re-built early in the 18th
century.
Condition—Poor.
Unclassified
(19) Old England, site on the Thames bank, bordering on Isleworth parish, has yielded finds dating from
the Bronze Age downwards. A small excavation, made
in 1928, revealed remains of a Romano-British hut of
rectangular form and underlying it numerous sherds
of Hallstatt pottery. The quantity of this pottery,
together with numerous finds made in dredging the
adjacent river-bed, have been held to indicate a
Hallstart settlement of some size. (R. E. M. Wheeler
in Antiquity, iii, p. 20.)