38 GRENDON BISHOP (C.b.)
(O.S. 6 in. XX, N.E.)
Grendon Bishop is a parish 4 m. W.N.W. of Bromyard. Westington Camp is the principal monument.
Ecclesiastical
(1). Parish Church of St. John the Baptist
stands near the middle of the parish. It was entirely
re-built in 1787–8 but incorporates, in the S. wall of
the W. tower, a 12th or 13th-century window of one
light with a rounded head.
Fittings—Bells: two; inaccessible. Font: cylindrical, partly tapering bowl, now painted over, possibly
12th or 13th-century.
The lych-gate on the W. of the churchyard is probably of the 17th century and has struts to the tie-beams of the gabled ends; it is now derelict.
Secular
(2). Grendon Farm, house, 300 yards N.W. of the
church, is of two storeys with cellars and attics. It
was originally timber-framed but has been re-faced in
brick; the roofs are slate-covered. It was built early
in the 16th century, but has been much altered and
added to. The interior has heavy ceiling-beams. In
the N. room is some early 17th-century panelling with
a fluted frieze. The adjoining room is panelled and
has a frieze of scrolled grotesques; the overmantel
(Plate 65) has an enriched and arched panel with a
crude carving of the Sacrifice of Isaac; flanking it are
female figures in early 17th-century costume, supporting
the cornice. On the first floor are some early 17th-century doors and panelling.
Condition—Good.
(3). Brockington Farm, house, 700 yards S.E. of
the church, is of two storeys, partly timber-framed and
partly of rubble; the roofs are slate-covered. It was
built late in the 15th or early in the 16th century, with
a Hall-block and cross-wing at the E. end. Late in
the 16th century the Hall was divided into two storeys,
and in the 17th century the Hall-block was extended
to the W. Inside the building are some exposed
ceiling-beams, and those in the kitchen have enriched
stops.
Condition—Good.
(4). Newbury Farm, house, ½ m. S.W. of the church,
is of two storeys with cellars and attics; the walls are
of rubble and the roofs are slate-covered. It was built
probably early in the 17th century on an H-shaped
plan with the cross-wings at the N. and S. ends, but
has been much altered. Inside the building are some
exposed ceiling-beams and timber-framing.
Condition—Good.
(5). Westington Court, 1,000 yards W.N.W. of
the church, is of two storeys with cellars and attics.
The walls are timber-framed and the roofs are covered
with tiles and slates. The N.E. wing dates probably
from the 15th century, but the rest of the house is of
late 16th and early and late 17th-century date. The
W. wall of the N.E. wing has an early 17th-century
window of six transomed lights with moulded frame
and mullions; the gable has moulded barge-boards
and a shaped pendant of the same date, also a blocked
window with moulded mullions. The N. side of the
main block has exposed framing, and the W. end has
diagonal framing in the gable. Inside the building are
some exposed ceiling-beams and a mid 17th-century
staircase with turned balusters. On the first floor is
some 17th-century panelling and an overmantel (Plate
65) of two enriched and arched bays divided and
flanked by terminal figures. In the N.E. wing part of
the arched principals of the original roof are visible.
Condition—Good.
Unclassified
Westington Camp, Grendon Bishop Parish.
(6). Westington Camp (717 ft.) occupies the end of
a slight spur 2,000 yards W.N.W. of the church. The
form of the work would appear to have been irregular,
following the contours, but the existing evidence that
this was a camp—or at least a completed one—is not
very strong. The only definite work now remaining
is at the S.W. angle of the spur and consists of a length
of some 150 yards of double scarping with a berm or
slight medial ditch, the latter being strengthened at
the angle by a slight outer rampart. The north end
of this ditch rises gradually towards the top of the camp
and suggests a possible entrance at this point. The
remainder of the western side of the site has only a
steep single scarp, which would seem to be, in part
at least, artificial. This also applies to the S. end and,
to a smaller degree, to the N. What may be presumed
to have been the S.E. side is now under pasture, but
it has an appreciable scarp which, prior to being farmed,
was probably much steeper. The E. side shows no
sign of any defences. Within the probable enclosure
there is a slight cross scarp running E. and W., which,
however, is very likely to have been caused by later
tillage.
Condition—Poor.