5 BALLINGHAM (E.c.)
(O.S. 6 in. (a)XLVI, N.W., (b)XLVI, N.E.)
Ballingham is a small parish on the right bank of the
Wye, 6½ m. S.E. of Hereford. The church is the
principal monument.
Ecclesiastical
b(1). Parish Church of St. Dubricius, stands
near the middle of the parish. The walls are of local
rubble with ashlar dressings; the roofs are covered
with slates. The Nave appears to have been built in
the 13th century. Late in the 14th century the Chancel
was perhaps re-built, the West Tower added, and the
W. wall of the nave re-built. The South Porch was
added early in the 15th century. The church was
restored in 1884–5, when the N. and S. walls of the
nave were partly re-built.
The Church, Plan
Architectural Description—The Chancel (19¼ ft. by
17 ft.) has an E. window of late 14th-century origin,
completely restored except the external reveals and sill;
it is of three trefoiled ogee lights with tracery in a
two-centred head. In the N. wall is a partly restored
late 14th-century window of two cinque-foiled ogee lights
with quatre-foiled tracery in a square head. In the S.
wall is a similar window, and further W. is a blocked
late 14th-century doorway with chamfered jambs and
segmental-pointed head. There is no chancel-arch,
the space between the two roofs being filled with
wooden panelling, covered externally with slates.
The Nave (36¼ ft. by 20¼ ft.) has in the N. wall three
windows; the two easternmost are almost entirely
modern and each of two trefoiled lights; the westernmost window is a small lancet-light of early 13th-century date. In the S. wall are two windows, the
eastern uniform with the corresponding window in the
N. wall; the western window is of mid 14th-century
date and of three trefoiled ogee lights in a square head;
the 15th-century S. doorway has moulded jambs and
two-centred arch.
The West Tower (about 8 ft. square) is of late 14th-century date and of three stages, with splayed plinth, a
plain parapet and a plain octagonal stone spire rising
from within it. The ground-stage has in the E. wall
a doorway with chamfered jambs and three-centred
head; in the W. wall is a small loop-light which has
been enlarged. The second stage has in the N., S. and
W. walls a loop-light. The bell-chamber has in each
wall a window of one trefoiled light. Below the
parapet on the S. and W. faces of the tower are carved
grotesque gargoyles.
The South Porch is of early 15th-century date, and
has an outer archway with moulded jambs and two-centred arch in a square head with traceried spandrels
enclosing blank shields; above the archway are remains of a 'black-letter' inscription with the word
"(p)erson," and in the middle of the parapet is a shallow
niche with a pointed head and with the coping carried
over it in the form of a gable. The side walls have
each a window of two trefoiled lights in a square head
with a moulded label. The porch has a stone vault
with moulded ridge, diagonal and wall-ribs, springing
from moulded corbels and having a restored eight-pointed panel in the middle enclosing a decayed rose;
the ridge-ribs are modern.
The Roof of the nave is of trussed-rafter type, with
scissor-braces and is perhaps of the 14th century.
Fittings—Bells: three; 2nd inscribed in Lombardic
capitals, "Virginis egregie vocor campana Marie,"
14th or 15th-century. Communion Table: with
modern legs and framing, made up boarded top with
remains of inscription AS 16—. Font: octagonal
bowl with curved underside, round stem and chamfered
base, probably 13th-century. Monument and Floor-slabs: Monument: In nave—on W. wall, to William
Scudamore, 1649, black-and-white marble tablet with
Ionic side-columns, entablature, pediment, achievement
and three shields-of-arms. Floor-slabs: In chancel—
on S. wall, (1) to Sir John Scudamore, K.B., 1684, with
shield-of-arms and other enrichments. In churchyard—S. of nave, (2) to [William Seycell], 1660, and to
William Seycell his son, 1681, and Allse, wife of William
Seycell, senior, 1697; (3) to Margery, wife of William
Roberts, 1660, William their son, 1692, and Mary, wife
of William Roberts, 1707. Panelling: In space between
roofs of chancel and nave with chamfered styles and
rails, possibly 15th-century. Plate: includes early
18th-century cup, and a cover-paten inscribed "Ballingham, 1574, 1718." Pulpit: formed of three panelled
sides each of three panels, those in middle range with
arcading and pilasters with guilloche-ornament; top
panels carved with arabesque-ornament, early 17th-century. Sundial: In churchyard—S. of nave, three
steps of former churchyard cross, now supporting a
shaft, probably 18th-century, with a bronze dial by N.
Witham of London.
Condition—Good, much restored.
Secular
b(2). Ballingham Hall (Plate 14), house, outbuilding and barn, 80 yards N.E. of the church. The
House is of two storeys, the walls are of stone with
ashlar dressings and the roofs are covered with slates.
It was built c. 1602, and is of T-shaped plan with the
cross-wing at the N.W. end. The S.W. front has a
moulded string-course between the storeys and a two-storeyed porch; the gable of the cross-wing has a
moulded finial and an oval panel below; the gable of
the porch has a similar panel. The windows have
square moulded labels. The outer arch of the porch
is segmental, and the battened front door is original.
The door-head on the N.W. front is modern, but
above it is the original four-centred door-head with
the inscription "William Scudemore, 1602." Inside
the building is some original panelling and chamfered
ceiling-beams.
The Outbuilding, N.E. of the house, is of rubble and
of two storeys. It was built in the 17th century, and
has three original window-openings with moulded
labels. The Barn, S. of the house, is of the 17th
century, timber framed and of seven bays with trusses
having either queen-posts or raking struts.
Condition—Good.
b(3). Barn, 40 yards N.W. of the church, was built
in the 17th century, and is timber-framed with a slate
roof. Some of the timber-framing is exposed, and the
roof is of five bays with two pairs of raking struts to
each truss.
Condition—Good.
b(4). Cottage, 335 yards N.W. of the church, is of
two storeys, timber-framed and partly re-faced with
stone; the roofs are covered with slates. It was built
in the 17th century, and has exposed ceiling-beams and
joists.
Condition—Fairly good.
b(5). Dunn's Farm, house ¼ m. N. of the church, is of
two storeys, timber-framed and plastered; the roofs
are tiled. It was built in the 17th century, but has
modern alterations in stone and brick. Some of the
timber-framing is exposed.
Condition—Fairly good.
b(6). Outbuilding, at Lower Ballingham Farm, 300
yards S.W. of the church, is of two storeys, timber-framed and with a slate roof. Much of the timber-framing is exposed, as are the chamfered ceiling-beams.
Condition—Fairly good.
a(7). Miners' Arms Inn and two tenements, nearly
1 m. S.W. of the church, is of two storeys, timber-framed and partly re-faced with modern stonework.
It was built in the 17th century and extended to the E.
late in the 18th century. Some of the timber-framing
is exposed, as are the ceiling-beams and some of the
joists.
Condition—Good.