Woughton-on-the-Green

228. WOUGHTON-ON-THE-GREEN.

(O.S. 6 in. xv. N.W.)

Ecclesiastical

(1). Parish Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin, stands at the E. end of the village green; the walls are of stone rubble, partly irregular and partly squared; the dressings are of stone. The roof of the nave is covered with slate, and that of the aisle with lead; the other roofs are tiled. Parts of the N. walls of the Chancel and Nave are probably of the 13th century, and the chancel arch is of mid 13th-century date. In the first half of the 14th century the Nave was lengthened and widened; the chancel was enlarged, and almost entirely re-built, and the South Aisle and South Porch were added. At the beginning of the 15th century the West Tower was built. The church was twice restored, when the North Vestry, of 1867, and the South Organ-chamber, of 1891, were added.

Among the fittings a silver-gilt paten of the 15th century (see Plate, p. 50) is especially noteworthy.

Architectural Description—The Chancel (38 ft. by 17 ft.) has a modern E. window. In the N. wall at the E. end is a wide recess (see Fittings); at the W. end is a window, of two uncusped lights in a two-centred head; the opening is apparently of the 13th century, the rest is modern: between the recess and the window is a modern doorway, opening into the vestry. In the S. wall, at the E. end, is a 14th-century window of two lights, with a quatrefoil in a two-centred head; the cusps of the lights have been cut away: W. of the window is the modern opening into the organ-chamber. The chancel arch is of mid 13th-century date, widened and re-set in the 14th century; it is two-centred, and of two chamfered orders; the jambs, which do not fit the arch, are square and have semi-octagonal pilasters with moulded capitals and bases. The Vestry is modern. The Organ-chamber is modern, but has some old detail re-set in it. In the E. wall is a window, said to have been formerly the E. window of the S. aisle; it is of the 14th century, and of three trefoiled lights with tracery in a two-centred head, all much restored. The S. wall contains a window and doorway, said to have been originally in the S. wall of the chancel; the window is of the same date and design as that in the E. wall: the doorway is also of the 14th century; the jambs and two-centred head are of one continuously moulded order, and the label is moulded. The Nave (46½ ft. by 19 ft.): In the N. wall the more regularly set stones in the W. bay show the change of building in the 14th century; the buttresses are of the 15th century, much restored; in the modern cornice are set a number of small grotesque carvings, which were found buried in the wall, and are apparently of the 13th century. In the N. wall are two windows; the eastern is of three trefoiled lights with tracery in a two-centred head, all modern, except the opening which is of the 14th century; the western window is of late 15th-century date, and of three cinque-foiled lights with tracery in a four-centred head, all much restored; between the windows is the 14th-century N. doorway, with jambs and two-centred head of one continuously moulded order. The S. arcade is of early 14th-century date and of four bays; the arches are two-centred and of two chamfered orders; the pillars are quatrefoil on plan, and have plain moulded capitals and bases; the responds are of detail similar to that of the pillars; E. of the arcade a short length of wall is pierced by a small two-centred arch not carried to the ground; it is almost entirely restored, but part of the sill is old, and contains the bowl of a piscina (see Fittings). The South Aisle (9½ ft. wide) has a plain parapet. In the N.E. corner is the rood-loft staircase, which is complete: the upper and lower doorways have each a square head and are rebated; over the lower doorway is a projecting trefoiled canopy, carried on grotesque corbels; it is pinnacled and crocketed, and of crude 15th-century workmanship; the upper doorway is visible also in the nave. In the S. wall are two windows, the eastern of three lights and tracery, the western window similar to the other but of two lights; only the openings of the windows are old; between them is the 14th-century S. doorway with jambs and two-centred head of two orders, the outer order moulded, the inner chamfered. In the W. wall is a window similar to the S.W. window. The West Tower (10 ft. square) is of three stages, with a plinth and an embattled parapet. The early 15th-century tower arch is four-centred and of two chamfered orders; the jambs have moulded capitals and bases. The W. window is of two lights; only the opening is old. In the second stage is a square-headed window, of uncertain date, much defaced with cement. The South Porch is entirely of early 14th-century date. The outer entrance has a depressed two-centred arch of two chamfered orders, with a moulded label; the chamfered jambs have semi-octagonal pilasters, with small moulded capitals; all the detail has been considerably scraped, almost re-cut: above the arch is a small niche (see Fittings). In each side wall is a square opening divided into two lights with traceried trefoiled heads supported on a chamfered mullion and two half-round columns which have moulded capitals and bases; they are modern or entirely restored, but the design is of the 14th century.

Fittings—Bells: four, 3rd, by Chandler, 1701; frame old. Chair: In chancel—with curved arms, turned legs, carved back, early 17th-century. Communion Table: with legs of large baluster type, apron carved with arabesque ornament, c. 1600, much enlarged, two additional legs and top, modern. Easter Sepulchre: (see Monument). Font: circular tub-shaped bowl with moulded base, 13th-century, circular stem almost entirely modern. Monument: In chancel—in N. wall, at E. end, (1) recess, probably used for Easter sepulchre, with elaborately moulded ogee arch, set in imposts two crudely carved heads, one of knight in camail; in recess effigy of priest in Mass vestments, crude work, of clunch, probably 14th-century, under effigy slabs with good curvilinear tracery in front, 14th-century. In churchyard—N. of the chancel, (2) ridged coffin-lid, with remains of incised cross, 13th or 14th-century. Niches: In nave—in E. wall, S. of chancel arch, with trefoiled head, cut back and defaced, 14th-century. Porch—over entrance, outside, with trefoiled head, 14th-century. Piscinae: In chancel—incorporating part of cinque-foiled head of crocketed and buttressed piscina, 15th-century, rest modern; under small arch E. of nave arcade, piscina bowl. In S. aisle—double recess with two trefoiled heads and pierced quatrefoil under ogee arch, with crockets and finials, flanked by buttresses, basin in eastern recess, 15th-century, mullion destroyed. Plate: includes silver-gilt paten with sexfoil sinking, incised with sacred monogram in the middle, cusps and foils with fine foliated ornament, inscribed round rim, in blackletter, with foliated stops, 'Miserere mei, Deus, secundum magnam misericordiam tuam', no hall marks, 15th-century, gilding little worn, lightly scored with knife-marks: cup, plain, with moulded stem, no hall marks, early 17th-century. Recess: see Monument.

Condition—Good; except at W. end of N. wall of chancel, where a bad crack is apparently due to recent settlement of the foundations; the whole building much scraped and restored.

Secular

Monuments (2–7)

These buildings are of the 17th century, and of two storeys, timber-framed, with brick filling; most of them have been restored with modern brick. The roofs generally are thatched.

(2). Cottage, on the S. side of the churchyard. The timber-framing of the walls has been restored with cement, and the filling is whitewashed. At the E. end is a modern addition. The base of the central chimney stack is original.

Condition—Fairly good.

(3). The Old Swan Inn, about 70 yards S.W. of the church. The plan is L-shaped, the wings extending towards the N. and E., with modern additions on the W. side of the N. wing, and at the S.E. corner of the E. wing. The N. and W. ends of the wings are gabled. The roofs are tiled.

Interior:—On the ground floor the ceilings have old beams; those in the parlour are chamfered and have moulded stops: in the same room is a corner niche for china; it is of wood with a semi-circular head, and probably of c. 1700. In the tap-room is a wide fireplace, partly blocked.

Condition—Good, much restored; except the N. gable, which leans outwards.

(4). Cottage, about 100 yards W. of (3). On the N. front the timber-framing is set in narrow panels; part of the upper storey projects slightly, and the ends of the joists are exposed; the principal joists are supported on curved brackets. At the back is a modern addition. The central chimney stack is original. Interior:—The ceilings have old beams, and there is one large open fireplace.

Condition—Good, restored, except the N.W. corner, which has sunk badly, on account of the clay subsoil; the wall is strengthened by a modern buttress.

(5). Cottage, about 180 yards W. of (3). The filling in the walls is whitewashed; the roof is tiled. At the E. end is a chimney which is partly original.

Condition—Fairly good; slightly restored.

(6). Cottage, about 380 yards N. of the church. Condition—Good, much restored.

(7). Pineham, a cottage, 1⅓ miles W.S.W. of the church. The N. and S. walls are of modern brick; the filling in the other walls is whitewashed and probably modern. On the E. front some of the upper windows have leaded rectangular quarries. The chimney stack at the N. end is probably of late 17th-century date.

Interior:—On the ground floor in one room is an open timber ceiling with stop-chamfered beams, and the wide fireplace has been partly blocked. The staircase is of old oak.

Condition—Disused and dilapidated.