42 HOPE MANSEL (C.f.)

(O.S. 6 in. ^(a)LII, S.W., ^(b)LV, N.W.)

Hope Mansel is a small parish on the southern border of the county, 4 m. S.E. of Ross. The principal monument is the church.

Ecclesiastical

^a(1). Parish Church of St. Michael stands in the middle of the parish. The walls are of local sandstone rubble and incorporate a certain amount of tufa, the dressings are of sandstone ashlar: the roof of the chancel is covered with modern tiles and the nave is roofed with stone-slates. The N. wall of the Nave is probably of 12th-century date. The nave was widened probably late in the 13th century. The Chancel was re-built early in the 14th century. There was formerly a small W. tower which is said to have been of timber. The South Porch was added probably in the 17th century. The bell-turret is modern. The building was drastically restored in 1889.

The Church, Plan

Architectural Description—The Chancel (21¾ ft. by 15¼ ft.) was re-built early in the 14th century and with the exception of the chancel-arch retains the original features. The E. window is of three pointed lights with intersecting tracery in a two-centred head. In the N. wall is a small lancet-window and a doorway with a modern two-centred head; both door and window have been restored. In the S. wall are two windows, the easternmost uniform with that in the N. wall and the westernmost of a single light with a trefoiled ogee head. The chancel arch is of the 14th century, segmental-pointed and of two chamfered orders, the inner dying on to the responds and the outer continuous.

The Nave (32 ft. by 23¾ ft.) has, high up in the E. wall to the S. of the arch, a 13th-century window, now opening into the chancel, but probably external before the chancel was re-built; it has chamfered and rebated jambs and a two-centred head; farther S. is a second and larger 13th-century lancet-window. In the N. wall are two 18th-century or modern windows. In the S. wall are two windows, the eastern similar to those in the N. wall and the western modern; the 14th-century S. doorway has chamfered jambs and a triangular head. In the W. wall is a modern window.

The Roof of the chancel is of 14th-century date and of trussed-rafter type of 'scissor' form, and the nave roof is similar but has modern wall-plates. The roof to the S. porch incorporates four re-used collar-beam trusses.

Fittings—Bells: two, inaccessible, but probably old. Font: with plain round bowl with chamfered underside and moulded stem, 13th-century with modern cement repair to bowl. Monuments and Floor-slab. Monuments: In nave—on S. wall, (1) to Elizabeth, wife of John Skynner, 1663, mural stone tablet in moulded frame. In churchyard—S. of chancel, (2) to Elizabeth, daughter of Gerard Maynard (?), 1670–71, head-stone with shaped top; (3) head-stone with shaped top, dated 1711, but with name obliterated; (4) to John Jones, 1697, head-stone with shaped top; (5) to John Al....., 1666, broken head-stone with shaped top. Floor-slab: In chancel—to Henry...dis, 1643. Piscina: In chancel—in S. wall, with trefoiled head and octofoiled drain, early 14th-century. Stool: In chancel—with turned legs, plain stretchers, carved top rail and moulded seat, mid 17th-century.

Condition—Good, much restored.

Secular

^a(2). Homestead Moat, at Moat Farm, 120 yards N.W. of the church. Few traces of the moat are now visible, though the name of the house now standing on the site suggests its former existence.

Monuments (3–8)

The following monuments, unless otherwise described, are of the 17th century and of two storeys. The walls are of local sandstone rubble or rough ashlar and the roofs are covered with modern slates or stone slates. Some of the buildings have exposed ceiling-beams and original chimney-stacks.

Condition—Good, unless otherwise noted.

^a(3). Cottage, 70 yards S. of the church, has lower additions at either end.

^b(4). Stable, at Street Farm, 350 yards N.N.W. of the church, is of two storeys with attics. It is a rectangular building of late 16th or early 17th-century date and was probably built as a small farmhouse. The greater part of the E. wall has been re-built or re-faced and there is a modern addition at the N. end. On the ground floor, in the S. end of the E. wall, is an original two-light mullioned window and there are two similar windows in the W. wall, of three and four lights respectively. There is a modern door in the S. wall hung on two old iron hinges with fleur-de-lis ends, and immediately above it on the first floor is an original two-light window. Inside the building, in the S. wall of the ground floor, is an old fireplace with a cambered and stop-chamfered lintel; the roof is of collar-beam construction.

Condition—Poor.

^b(5). Upper House Farm, farmhouse and two barns, 650 yards S.W. of the church. The House is of two storeys with attics and a basement and is built on an L-shaped plan with the wings extending towards the N.E. and N.W. The N.E. wing is of early 17th-century origin considerably modernised, and the N.W. wing is a late 17th-century addition with a modern one-storey extension on the S.W. side. There is a re-set window of early 17th-century date which lights the basement in the N.W. wall of the N.W. wing.

One Barn, N. of the house, has some timber-bonding in its rough ashlar walling. It is of two storeys in three bays with queen-post trusses; the roof is covered with corrugated iron. In the W. wall are two four-light windows with original wooden frames and mullions.

The second Barn, E. of the house, is of five bays with one truss of queen-post construction and the others of trussed-rafter type. The roof is covered partly with slate and partly with corrugated iron. The walls have narrow loop-lights and in the N. and S. walls are wide doorways.

^b(6). Upper End Farm, house, 200 yards N.W. of (5), is of two storeys with attics. It has modern additions on the N. side.

^b(7). Perlieu Barn, 450 yards S.S.E. of (5), has a later addition at the N. end. The roof is covered with tiles. It is in four bays with queen-post trusses and is lighted by two tiers of loop lights. There are large doorways in the E. and W. walls.

^b(8). Homrough Farm, house, over 1 m. S.E. of the church, has, built into the S. chimney-stack, a 14th-century window-head of one trefoiled light.