44. ESSENDON.
(O.S. 6 in. (a)xxxvi. N.W. (b)xxxvi. S.W.)
Ecclesiastical
a (1). Parish Church of St. Mary, in the
middle of the village, was entirely re-built in
1883, except the West Tower, which is of the
15th century, much restored.
Architectural Description—The Tower is of
two stages with embattled parapet; two moulded
stones in the external jambs of the W. doorway,
and many of the clunch stones in the quoins are
of the 15th century. The arch opening into the
nave is also original, but has been repaired.
Fittings—Bells: six; 2nd and 4th, 1685;
6th, 1681. Brasses and Indents: on S. wall of
S. aisle, three shields each charged (colours
missing) quarterly; 1. France quartering England, all within a border, quarterly charged
1 and 4 with leopards, 2 and 3 with fleurs-de-lis
(for Henry, Marquis of Exeter, executed 1538):
2. Courtney; three roundels: 3. Say; Party
palewise, three cheverons: 4. Redvers; a lion;
beneath the shields a modern inscription records
that they were taken from a gravestone in
1778, and that the arms are probably those
of Henry Courtney, eldest son of Henry,
Marquis of Exeter, by his second wife: of
William Tooke, 1588, his wife Ales, daughter
of Robert Barlee, of Bibbesworth, and twelve
children, kneeling figures, inscription and
three shields (colours missing); 1st, Tooke, party
cheveronwise three griffins' heads erased
(counterchanged); Crest, a griffin's head erased
party cheveronwise holding in its beak a sword;
2nd, Tooke impaling Barlee; 3rd, Barlee quartering Bibbesworth: in slab in floor, shield
with arms of Tooke quartering; 2, Noone
or Nove (?), a cross engrailed, with a crescent
thereon; 3, Purchase or Thwaites (?), a lion,
over all a fesse with three roundels thereon;
above is the crest of Tooke, and indents of
shield and two inscriptions. Monuments and
Floor Slabs: in S. aisle, several floor slabs,
17th-century: on S. wall, to William Prestley,
1664, of marble, flanked by twisted pilasters:
on W. wall of nave, slab, to Eleanor Whithcot,
1684. Plate: includes cup and cover paten,
1569, large paten, 1692.
Condition—Good.
Secular
Homestead Moat
b (2). N.E. of Coldharbour Farm.
a (3). Essendon Mill, about ½ mile N. of the
church, is a house of two storeys and attics,
built probably in the 17th century, but much
altered at a later date. The walls were originally timber-framed, but most of them are now
encased in brick; the roofs are tiled. The plan
is of an irregular L shape, and there is one
original chimney stack. Some very large oak
timbers in the floors and partitions inside the
house are evidently original, and the central
newel staircase on the W. side is probably a
modern restoration or copy of the old one.
Condition—Good.