9. BULPHAN. (C.d.)
(O.S. 6 in. (a)lxxv. S.E. (b)lxxvi. N.W.)
Bulphan is a parish 5½ m. S.S.E. of Brentwood.
The church is the principal monument.
Ecclesiastical
b(1). Parish Church of St. Mary stands
towards the centre of the parish. The walls are
of limestone and flint-rubble, modern brick and
timber-framing. The Chancel, Nave, Belfry and
South Porch are apparently of late 15th-century
date but the church was very considerably repaired
and partly re-built in the 19th century when the
Vestry was added and the external walls were
refaced so that little of the earlier building remains.
Amongst the fittings the screen, which is said
to have been brought from Barking, is of interest.
The Church, Plan
Architectural Description—The Chancel (25 ft.
by 17¼ ft.) has in the E. wall a modern window.
The N. wall is modern but incorporates a partly
restored square-headed window of c. 1500 and
of two trefoiled lights with a moulded label. In
the S. wall, in the refacing of which some old
material has been re-used, is a similar window.
There is no chancel-arch.
The Nave (32 ft. by 20¼ ft.) has been largely
re-built. Re-set in the N. wall are two square-headed windows of c. 1500 each of two cinque-foiled lights with a moulded label; externally
only the head and labels are old. In the S. wall
is a doorway of c. 1500 with hollow-chamfered
jambs, four-centred head and moulded label;
the W. jamb has been partly restored.
The Belfry (about 24 ft. square) at the W. end
of the nave is enclosed within modern timber-framed and plastered walls standing on a brick
plinth. It is a heavy timber structure supporting
the bell-turret and is of late 15th-century date
and divided by oak posts into four bays with side
aisles; the curved cross-braces from N. to S.
form wide two-centred arches and support the
square framework of the modern turret. The
N. and S. sides are divided horizontally by crossbeams with diagonal framing above; supporting
the cross-beams to the two middle bays are curved
braces forming arches into the aisles.
The South Porch (Plate, p. xxxix) is of c. 1500 and
of timber-framing on a modern plinth. The entrance
archway has moulded jambs and four-centred head
with spandrels carved on both sides with symbols
of the Evangelists. On either side the framing is
moulded in the form of vertical panels; above is
a moulded bressummer and a panelled gable with
cusped barge-boards terminating at the apex in
an ogee. The sides have each five lights with
four-centred heads, traceried spandrels carved with
foliage, and grotesques and moulded mullions.
The roof is in one bay with a moulded tie-beam
at either end supporting a king-post with moulded
and curved braces carrying a moulded ridge-piece. Under the N. tie-beam are curved braces
forming a four-centred arch with a Tudor rose and
conventional foliage carved in the spandrels. The
gable at the S. end is panelled and the rafters
and wall-plates are moulded.
Fittings—Bell: one, uninscribed. Brass Indents:
Outside W. doorway—(1) with traces of inscription-plate, probably 16th-century. At entrance to
S. porch—(2) of civilian with inscription-plate,
late 15th-century. Font: In churchyard, by
lych-gate, circular stem with moulded edge. Plate:
includes cup of 1650 and a pewter alms-dish, with
shield-of-arms, 17th-century. Royal Arms: At W.
end of nave—of Queen Anne, in wooden frame.
Screen (Plates, pp. 4-5, 20): Between chancel
and nave—of four bays, two on each side of the
entrance, upper panels open with two-centred heads,
each sub-divided into two trefoiled and sub-cusped
lights with open traceried heads; middle rail
moulded and embattled; close lower panels,
moulded and having circular and triangular
piercings with traces of colour in imitation of
tracery on W. face; entrance with cusped and
sub-cusped head and on S. side part of a carved
eagle; main spandrels below cornice traceried
on E. side and plain on W. side for fixing of former
loft, 15th-century, slightly repaired and not in situ,
cornice modern. Miscellanea: Brick panel on
outside of S. wall of nave with date and initials
in relief HWS 1686. Part of hollow-chamfered stone
window-jamb by lych-gate, probably 15th-century.
Condition— Good, much altered.
Secular
Homestead Moats.
a(2). At Spring Farm, ¾ m. S.S. W. of the church.
b(3). N. of Noke Hall, nearly 1 m. E.N.E. of
the church.
b(4). Garlesters, house, 700 yards W. of (3),
is of two storeys with attics, timber-framed and
plastered; the roofs are tilled. It was built
probably in the 16th century. Inside the building
some of the timber-framing is exposed.
Condition—Good.
b(5) Appleton's Farm, house (Plate, p. xxxv),
100 yards W. of (4), is of two storeys, timber-framed
and plastered; the roofs are tiled. It was built in
the 15th century with a central Hall and crosswings at the E. and W. ends. In the 17th century
the Hall was divided into two storeys and late in
the same century the E. wing was extended N.
The upper storey projects at the S. end of both
cross-wings, on curved brackets. There is a blocked
window to the staircase with bar-mullions, set
diagonally. The 17th-century W. chimney-stack
has four grouped shafts, set diagonally. Inside
the building the ceiling-beams are exposed. The
Hall has an original king-post roof with moulded
wall-plates. The king-post roof of the E. wing
is also original.
Condition—Good.