28. BROXBOURNE.
(O.S. 6 in. (a)xxxvi. S.E. (b)xxxvii. S.W.)
Ecclesiastical
b (1). Parish Church of St. Augustine,
stands a little below and E. of the village, about
350 yards from the London and Ware road. It
is built of flint rubble with stone dressings,
except the N. chapel and vestry, which are of
limestone ashlar. The roofs of the nave and
chancel are tiled, the others are covered with lead.
Nothing remains to show the date of the original
Chancel and Nave, as the church was completely
re-built and enlarged in the 15th century, the
North Aisle being built first, then the E. part of
the South Aisle and the W. bay of the South
Chapel; both aisle and chapel were increased to
their present dimensions a little later, and
towards the end of the century the West
Tower was built; in 1522 the North Chapel and
North Vestry were added. The South Porch
is of early 17th-century date.
The north chapel and vestry are valuable
dated examples (1522), and the Say brass is
unusually large and retains much of the original
coloured inlay.
Architectural Description—The Chancel
(35 ft. by 17 ft.) has a 15th-century E. window
of three lights with tracery. On the N. and S.
are arcades of two bays and similar detail, which
were built with the chapels; the two-centred
arches, of two moulded orders, have columns of
four engaged shafts with moulded capitals and
bases. There is no chancel arch. The North
Chapel (34 ft. by 10 ft.) has an E. window of
three lights with tracery and a four-centred
main head; in the N. wall are two similar
windows and, between them, a door opening
into the vestry; over it is a blocked window
originally opening into the upper floor of
the vestry. There is no structural division
between chapel and aisle. The Vestry,
which is built on to the N. chapel, between
the two N. windows, is of the same date
and design, and both structures have a
continuous parapet ornamented with cusped
panels and the arms of Say, Hill and
Fray. The inscription: "Pray for the
welfayr of Sir Wyllyam Say knyght wych
fodyd yis chapel in honor a ye trenete the yer
of our Lord God 1522," is carried round the
external and re-entering angles of the parapet.
The vestry is lighted on the N. and W. by small
traceried windows. The South Chapel (34 ft.
by 10 ft.) has one traceried window on the E.
and two on the S. Externally the joint between
the earlier and later work is clearly visible.
The Nave (68½ ft. by 17 ft.) is of four bays with
N. and S. arcades in continuation of the chapel
arcades, which they resemble in detail, though
they are of the same date as the aisles. The
North Aisle (10 ft. wide) has a small half-octagonal turret at the E. end of the N. wall,
with stairs leading to the rood-loft and the roof.
In the W. wall is a small loophole and in the
N. wall are four windows of two lights with
tracery. The South Aisle (10 ft. wide) has, in
the S. wall, four windows similar to those in
the N. aisle, a small modern doorway, and
an original doorway with continuously
shafted jambs; the two-centred moulded W.
West Tower is of three stages with an embattled
parapet, and a turret staircase on the S.W.
The tower arch is of two moulded orders, with
shafted jambs; the two-centred moulded W.
doorway has a square outer order, and the
window over it is of four lights with tracery;
the bell-chamber windows are of two lights.
The South Porch has a doorway with a semi-circular head and flanking pilasters supporting a segmental pediment of classic design;
over it is a shield charged with three staffs. The
Roofs of the nave and aisles are of the 15th
century, much restored; those of the chancel
and N. chapel are of early 16th-century date
and nave panelled ceilings. Over the E. end
of the nave is a painted inscription, probably of
early 16th-century date, which records the ceiling and painting of the chancel roof by John
Bryce. The floor of the vestry is also original.
Fittings—Bells: eight; 4th, 5th, and 7th
1615, 8th 1670. Brackets: for images, on each
side of the E. Window of N. chapel. Brasses:
in the chancel, of a priest, in chasuble, late
15th-century, without inscription: of a priest,
in cassock and amice, with symbols of the
Evangelists, early 16th-century: in the nave,
indent of a knight and lady, part of knight
effaced: a shield, vair bordered crusily, dated
1630: of a knight, carrying mace, said to be
John Borrell, Sergeant-at-Arms to Henry VIII.
(See also Monuments.) Chest: in upper room of
vestry, two, carved, 14th and 17th-century.
Door: to the vestry, with ironwork, original.
Font: octagonal bowl on circular shafts, bowl
ornamented with round-headed panels, Purbeck marble, late 12th-century. Glass: in
S.E. window of S. chapel, shield, 15th-century.
Monuments and Floor Slabs: on S. side of the
chancel, altar tomb of Sir John Say and his
wife, 1473, with moulded panelled plinth, and
moulded slab with large brasses of the knight
in elaborate plate armour with close-fitting,
short-sleeved surcoat charged with his arms;
and the lady, wearing butterfly head-dress,
sideless gown and long mantle charged with
her arms elaborately engraved, and retaining
much of the original colour; two shields remain
with the arms of Say, one with helm and mantling; the head of the knight is missing and the
brass marginal inscription is imperfect. On N.
side of chancel, altar tomb of Sir William Say,
early 16th-century, the plinth decorated with
cusped panels containing shields with indents of
ten small figures; at the angles are octagonal
columns carrying a crested canopy; the soffit is
carved to represent fan vaulting; under the
canopy at the E. end is a slab with indents of
the knight and lady, etc.: in S. chapel, large
monument to Sir Henry Cock, keeper of the
wardrobe to Elizabeth and James I., 1609, and
his wife, with recumbent effigies, in alabaster,
much mutilated, under a curved pediment;
on base, figures in relief of two daughters
and their children: in chancel, mural, to
William Gamble, alias Bowyer, 1558, with
inscription and arms: in N. chapel, mural,
to Sir R. Skeffington, 1646: to John Baylie,
1609, his wife and children, with arms: in
various parts of the church, 17th-century floor
slabs, of which many are to members of the
Rawdon and Monson families. Niche, for
tomb, in S. chapel, late 15th-century.
Piscina: in S. chapel, of same date as
W. bay, partly destroyed when niche for
tomb was built. Plate: includes cup and cover
paten, 1606, and paten, 1633. Stoups: in S.
porch, of rough workmanship: in S. aisle, E. of
S. door, recess for stoup.
Condition—Good, much repaired; the window
tracery is nearly all of modern stone.
Secular
b (2). The Cedars, in the High Street, is an
18th-century house, but contains an early 17th-century open well staircase, re-set, of three
storeys, with three flights to each storey. The
newels are large, square and quite plain, with
square moulded urns and spikes as finials and
pendants. The handrail, very heavy and not
moulded, is carried on turned balusters of
moderate size; the soffit, string, etc., are plain.
Condition—Good.
a (3). Broxbornebury, about a mile W.N.W.
of the church, is a red brick and stone house of
two storeys and an attic; the roofs are covered
with tiles, slate and lead. It was built originally at the end of the 16th century, and is of
the courtyard type, the main entrance being on
the E. A square block, with a simple classical
cornice, was added on the W. late in the 17th
century, and additions and alterations were
made at various later dates. In the 19th century the house was almost entirely re-built, but
fragments of old brickwork remain in the walls
facing the courtyard. A chimney stack on the
N., with V-shaped pilasters of brick, is original,
but the top has been re-built; parts of the
chimney stacks on the W. may also be old. All
the windows are of the 18th century or modern.
The interior has been almost completely altered,
but the kitchen and offices in the N. wing are
probably in their original position. In a room
on the first floor of the W. wing is a late 16th-century fireplace of clunch, which has a four-centred opening of three moulded orders, the
outer order being square; the stops on each side
are splayed and the bases moulded.
Condition—Good; re-built.
a (4). Baas Manor House, about a mile W. of
the church, is a brick and plastered timber,
rectangular building of early 17th-century date,
with gabled ends; the roof is tiled. The house
is now divided into two tenements, many of
the partitions being probably modern; the
exterior is also almost completely modern; one
original doorway with a chamfered four-centred
head, and one window, with moulded wood
mullions and frame, remain, both somewhat
mutilated.
Condition—In poor repair; much defaced and
altered.
a (5). The Gables, on the E. side of the
main road S. of the village, a two-storeyed
timber house, of T-shaped plan, built c. 1600, is
now covered with plaster, and has a modern
gabled front. The two brick chimney stacks
are original, but repaired at the top; the central
stack has engaged square shafts, set diagonally,
the other is a rectangular block. Some of the
rooms have old, exposed ceiling beams, and in
one room is a wide, open fireplace.
Condition—Good.
b (6). The Bull Inn, on the W. side of
the main road in the middle of the village, is
a 17th-century building of timber and plaster.
The plan is L-shaped, and there are two original
brick chimneys, repaired at the top. The central
chimney has engaged square shafts, the other
is a large square block. In one of the rooms
is an old chamfered beam with stops.
Condition—Good. The interior has been
much altered and repaired.