81 YARPOLE (D.b.)

(O.S. 6 in. ^(a)VII, S.W., ^(b)XII, N.W.)

Yarpole is a parish and village 4 m. N.N.W. of Leominster. The church is the principal monument.

Ecclesiastical

^a(1). Parish Church of St. Leonard (Plate 188) stands in the S. part of the parish. The walls are of local sandstone rubble with dressings of the same material; the roofs are covered with tiles. The detached South Tower may date from the 13th century but has no distinctive features. The Nave, with the chancel-arch, was built early in the 14th century; the South Porch was added soon after. The church was restored in 1864, when the Chancel seems to have been re-built, the North Aisle was added, and the S. porch largely re-built. The tower was restored in 1910.

The Church, Plan

Architectural Description—The Chancel (26½ ft. by 17 ft.) has no ancient features except the early 14th-century chancel-arch, which is two-centred and of two chamfered orders with a moulded label; the responds have each a semi-octagonal shaft with moulded capital and base.

The Nave (62½ ft. by 22 ft.) has a modern N. arcade of four bays. In the S. wall are two early 14th-century windows with modern tracery; they are each of two trefoiled lights with a quatrefoil in a two-centred head with a moulded label; the S. doorway, of the same date, has double-chamfered jambs and two-centred arch; the reveals have sockets for a draw-bar. In the W. wall is a 14th-century window of three lights, the two side ones pointed and having the mullions carried up to the two-centred head to form the middle light.

The North Aisle is modern, but re-set in the W. wall is a window similar to the S. windows in the nave, but with restored tracery.

The South Porch is largely modern, but the side walls have each a 14th-century window of one trefoiled ogee light, partly restored and retooled.

The Detached Tower (21 ft. square) is of one stage with rubble walls enclosing a timber frame supporting the bells and the pyramidal stone-tiled roof and lantern. The N. wall has a doorway, perhaps of the 13th century, with chamfered jambs and segmental-pointed head; the E. jamb is of one stone. The E., S. and W. walls have each a plain loop light. The internal framing has massive angle-posts with cross-bracing. The timbers of the main roof are mostly modern, but those of the lantern or bell-chamber are partly old; three sides of the lantern have ranges of pierced quatrefoils in old oak; the quatrefoils on the E. side are of later date.

The Roof of the nave (Plate 123) is of the 14th century and of trussed-rafter type with five 15th-century king-post trusses; the king-posts have moulded capitals and bases and four-way struts.

Fittings—Bells: three; 1st by R. Hendley, c. 1450, and inscribed " Sancta Margareta"; 2nd by J. Greene, 1605; 3rd by J. Martin, 1652. Brackets: In nave— on E. wall, head-corbel of a woman, 14th-century; in splay of S.E. window, plain moulded corbel, 15th-century. Chest: In nave—with moulded front and lid, three locks, 17th-century. Door: In tower doorway—of lattice-framing with battens, two strap-hinges, the upper one of older date than the lower, mediæval. Floor-slab: In chancel—to G.W., 1687. Font (Plate 57): octagonal bowl with splayed lower part having segmental moulded arches and small shafts cut on the angles, probably 13th-century, stem and base modern. Piscinæ: In chancel—re-set in S. wall, recess with shafted jambs, moulded trefoiled head and moulded gable with foliations at base and apex, projecting halfquatrefoiled drain, c. 1300. In nave—in S. wall, recess with trefoiled head and broken round drain, 14th-century.

Condition—Good.

Secular

^a(2). Manor House and outbuilding, 100 yards S.E. of the church. The House is of two storeys with tiled roofs. The W. part is a rubble building of c. 1500 and formed part of a larger building extending towards the N. The rest of the house is modern. The doorway in the N. wall has a late 16th-century moulded frame. Inside the building are some original moulded ceiling-beams.

The Outbuilding, W. of the house, is of rubble and of two storeys. It is of mediæval origin and probably served as a gatehouse. The arch in the W. wall is two-centred and has chamfered jambs; it is now filled by a modern window; in the opposite wall is a large doorway with chamfered jambs and two-centred head; further N. are remains of the N. jamb of the earlier archway.

Condition—Good.

Monuments (3–32)

The following monuments, unless otherwise described, are of the 17th century and of two storeys, timber-framed, and with stone, tile or slate-covered roofs. Most of the buildings have exposed external timber-framing and internal ceiling-beams.

Condition—Good or fairly good, unless noted.

^a(3). House, on the S. side of the road, 125 yards S.S.E. of the church, has modern additions on the W. and S.

^a(4). Cottage, three tenements, 50 yards N.W. of (3), has a later extension at the N. end.

^a(5). Cottage, 20 yards W. of (4).

^a(6). Tudor House, two tenements, 120 yards W. of (5), is of L-shaped plan with the wings extending towards the S. and W. The S. wing has been faced in brick. The upper storey projects at the E. end of the W. wing and the base-beam of the gable is moulded; the framing at this end is partly set diagonally. Inside the building the N. room has some original panelled plaster-work with enrichments, an eagle and a pomegranate.

^a(7). Church House, N. of the church, is of modified L-shaped plan with the wings extending towards the W. and S. A window in the N. wall is of five transomed lights with diamond-shaped mullions. The S. chimney-stack has diagonal pilaster-strips.

Condition—Poor.

^a(8). Vicarage Farm, house, 50 yards W. of the church, is of L-shaped plan with the wings extending towards the N. and E. The S. part of the N. wing is probably of mediæval date, but the rest of the house belongs to the early part of the 17th century. The S.W. chimney-stack has two 17th-century shafts with diagonal pilaster-strips. Inside the building the original part has cambered tie-beams with curved braces. A broken fire-back has the initials H. and E.C. 16...

^a(9). Cottage, on the N. side of the road, 150 yards W. of the church, has been heightened.

^a(10). Upper House and outbuilding, 50 yards W. of (9). The House has a detached building to the N.E. of it and another outbuilding to the E.

^a(11). Cottage, on the S.W. side of the road, 350 yards W.N.W. of the church.

^b(12). Cottage, on the N. side of the road at Enmore Field, 1,130 yards S.W. of the church. The upper storey formerly projected on the E. side.

Condition—Poor.

^b(13). Cottage, 250 yards N. of (12).

^a(14). Cottage, on the N. side of the road at Cock Gate, 1,000 yards N.W. of the church, was partly re-built in 1732, the date on a tablet on the E. wall.

^a(15). Cottage, at the S.W. corner of Bircher Common and 550 yards N.W. of (14), has a thatched roof.

^a(16). Cottage, 220 yards N.N.E. of (15), has a partly thatched roof.

^a(17). Cottage, on the S.E. side of Bircher Common, 1,400 yards N.N.W. of the church, has a modern wing on the S.

Condition—Poor.

^a(18). Cottage, 50 yards E.N.E. of (17), has a thatched roof and a cross-wing at the E. end It has been heightened and largely refaced in rubble.

^a(19). Cottage, 200 yards N.E. of (18), has a modern iron roof.

^a(20). Cottage, on the E. side of the road, about 1 m. N. of the church.

^a(21). Cottage, 120 yards N. of (20).

^a(22). Cottage, 240 yards N.W. of (21).

^a(23). Cottage, immediately W. of (22).

^a(24). Woodend Farm, house, 1¼ m. N. of the church, has been partly refaced in brick.

^a(25). Brook House, on the N.E. side of the road at Bircher, 1,200 yards N.E. of the church, is of c. 1600, but appears to incorporate parts of an early 16th-century building. In the N. wall is a blocked doorway with a four-centred head.

^a(26). Gate House, 130 yards S.S.E. of (25), is an L-shaped building with the wings extending towards the E. and S. The E. wing was built early in the 16th century and the S. wing early in the following century. The upper storey projects on the S. side of the E. wing, on curved brackets springing from attached shafts with moulded capitals. Re-set in the E. chimney-stack is a stone with a small carved figure, probably mediæval. Inside the building the E. wing has original moulded ceiling-beams.

^a(27). Home Farm, house, on the S.W. side of the road, nearly opposite (26), is of L-shaped plan with the wings extending towards the W. and N. The chimney-stack has two diagonal shafts.

^a(28). Court House, on the N.E. side of the road, 60 yards S.E. of (26), is largely modern except for the N. block, which is of 16th-century date. The upper storey projects at the N. end on a moulded bressummer and shaped brackets. Inside the building are some original moulded ceiling-beams.

^a(29). Cottage, on the W. side of the road, 120 yards S. of (28), has been incorporated in a larger building.

Condition—Poor.

^a(30). Cottage, 20 yards S.E. of and nearly opposite (29), has a thatched roof. It is of two dates in the 17th century, the S. part being the earlier.

^a(31). Pound House, on the S. side of the road, 350 yards N.E. of the church, has cross-wings at the E. and W. ends. It has been partly refaced in brick. The W. chimney-stack has two diagonal shafts, and in the W. wall is a four-light window with diamond-shaped mullions. Inside the building the E. room is lined with late 17th-century panelling.

^b(32). Lady Meadow, house and outbuilding, 1,400 yards E.S.E. of the church. The House is of irregular L-shaped plan with the wings extending towards the W. and N. The N. wing is a late 17th-century addition, subsequently refaced. The W. end of the W. wing forms a cross-wing, and the upper storey projects at its N. end on a moulded bracket. A doorway in the N. wall has an original moulded frame. Inside the building the late 17th-century staircase has turned balusters and moulded handrails.

The Outbuilding, N. of the house, is used as an oasthouse.