33 EDVIN RALPH (D.b.)
(O.S. 6 in. (a)XIV, S.W., (b)XXI, N.W.)
Edvin Ralph is a small parish 2 m. N. of Bromyard.
The church, with its mediæval effigies, is the principal
monument.
Ecclesiastical
b(1). Parish Church of St. Michael (Plate 4)
stands in the S. part of the parish. The walls and
dressings are of local sandstone with some calcareous
tufa; the roofs are covered with tiles and stone slates.
The Chancel and Nave were built in the 12th century.
The West Tower was added early in the 13th
century. The church was restored in 1862 and 1885,
and the North Vestry and South Porch are modern.
The mediæval effigies and incised slab are noteworthy.
Architectural Description—The Chancel (27¾ ft. by
17 ft.) has a three-light window of c. 1320, with modern
mullions and tracery in a two-centred head. In the
N. wall are two windows, the eastern of c. 1320, much
restored and of two trefoiled lights with tracery in a
two-centred head; the western window is a single
round-headed early 12th-century light, with a cablemoulding round the external head. The S. wall has
been refaced; in it are two windows almost entirely
modern but of late 13th-century origin. There is no
chancel-arch.
The Nave (38½ ft. by 16½ ft.) has, in both the N. and
S. walls, two windows, almost entirely modern, the
eastern uniform with the N.E. window in the chancel,
and the western with a trefoiled head, mostly modern.
The early 14th-century N. doorway has chamfered
jambs and two-centred arch, mostly of 12th-century
materials re-used. The 12th-century S. doorway,
altered in the 13th century, has a two-centred arch of
the later date but of 12th-century materials, and of two
orders, the inner plain and the outer roll-moulded
with lozenge-ornament on the label; the 12th-century
jambs have a plain inner order and moulded outer
order, with conventional ornament on the top stones
and imposts with billet-ornament. The S. wall has
been largely refaced. There are some remains, on both
sides, of the tufa quoins of the 12th-century W. wall,
butting against the plinth of the tower.
The West Tower (13¾ ft. square) is of early 13th-century date and of three stages with a battered plinth
and a pyramidal roof from which rises a slender spire.
The tower-arch has responds and two-centred arch
of two chamfered orders with moulded imposts and a
chamfered label. The N., S. and W. walls have each
a single lancet-light. The second stage has a round-headed doorway in the E. wall; the N., S. and W.
walls have each a small lancet-window. The bell-chamber has, in each wall, a window of two lancetlights.
Edvin Ralph, the Parish Church of St Michael
The Roofs of the chancel and nave are of braced
collar-beam type with a cambered tie-beam between
them, perhaps used as a rood-beam, as there are three
sockets on the upper face, perhaps for the rood and
attendant figures.
Fittings—Bells: two; 1st by I. B., 1587; 2nd,
1603. Monuments and Floor-slab. Monuments: In W.
tower—on N. wall, (1) to Thomas Burwall, Anne,
his wife, and Edward, their son, all died 1699,
tablet with cherubs and conventional flowers; on
S. wall, (2) to James Pytt and Dorothy, his wife,
erected 1625, stone tablet with Tuscan side-columns
of red-veined stone, cornice and cresting; on floor
in N.W. angle, (3) stone effigies of man of the Edefen
family and two wives, male effigy (Plate 126), in mail
with surcoat, hands drawing or sheathing sword, legs
crossed, head on cushions, feet on lion with dog at
side, shield on left arm charged with the arms of
Edefen; effigies of women (Plate 127) in long gowns,
tight sleeves, veiled head-dress, dog at feet, early 14th-century; in S.W. angle, (4) stone effigies of man and
wife (Plate 126), effigy of man in mail armour similar
to (3) but with lion only at feet and plain shield; effigy
of woman also similar to those in (3), c. 1300; (5) small
stone effigy of woman or girl, in similar costume, dog
at feet, early 14th-century; (6) incised slab (Plate 125)
to Maud, wife of Thomas de Edefen, mid 14th-century,
figure of woman in long gown, dog at feet, cinque-foiled and two-centred canopy with side-shafts and
pinnacles, inscription—"Hic jecet Dna. Matild. que
condam fuit uxoris Dni. Thome, de Eddefen.—Ubiqū.
d'centib. pr. ave p. aiā. Matil. de Yddefn. Dns. Epus.
Hareford con cedutr [i.e. conceduntur]. LX dies wenie.
—Ubiqū dicentib. pr-. aie p. aiā. Matil. de Yddefe.
Dns. Epus. Hygornis XXX dies wenie"; two shields
of arms (a) said to be Le Poher of Worcester,
(b) Edefen. Floor-slab: In W. tower — to . . .
daughter of Richard Colly, 1682. Piscina: In chancel
—in E. wall, recess with trefoiled head and octofoiled
drain, 13th-century. Recesses: In chancel—in N. wall,
(1) with chamfered two-centred head, moulded label
and head-stops, third head at apex; (2) with moulded
jambs, two-centred head, head at apex; both tomb-recesses and early 14th-century.
Condition—Good.
Secular
b(2). Moat, 100 yards W. of the church, is circular
and encloses an island about 40 yards in diameter.
There are traces of an outer enclosure on the N. and
N.W.
b(3). Philip's Place, house, 600 yards W.N.W. of
the church, is of two storeys, timber-framed and partly
faced with brick; the roofs are tiled. It was built
early in the 17th century on a T-shaped plan with the
cross-wing at the E. end. Some of the timber-framing
is exposed. Inside the building are some exposed
ceiling-beams and 17th-century doors.
Condition—Fairly good.
a(4). House, two tenements, 700 yards N.N.W. of
the church, is of two storeys, timber-framed and with
tiled roofs. It was built late in the 16th or early in
the 17th century and has a N. wing added in the 17th
century. The timber-framing is exposed and inside
the building are exposed ceiling-beams and 17th-century
doors.
Condition—Fairly good.
b(5). Brickhouse Farm, house, 500 yards N.N.E.
of the church, is of two storeys with attics; the walls
are timber-framed and the roofs are tiled. It was built
in the 17th century and has exposed timber-framing.
Condition—Good.