Parish Church Of St John The Baptist

This parish church was built mostly between the 12th and 14th centuries, with 19th-century restoration. The church is constructed of flint rubble with limestone and clunch dressings, and roofed with lead and handmade red clay tiles.

The Tower

The west tower dates from around 1170 and was raised in the 15th century. It is of three stages with a crenellated parapet and an 18th-century timber lantern. The western angles, up to the middle of the second stage, are shafted and enriched with helical ornament. Between the first and second stages runs a double dentilled string-course of the 12th century, now restored.

The 12th-century tower-arch is semi-circular and of one square order. The square responds have shafted angles with remains of moulded bases, and scalloped capitals with chamfered abaci continued round the responds as imposts. The north impost has chevron ornament, and the south impost has a floral diaper pattern. The north and south walls each have a round-headed 12th-century window, restored externally.

In the northeast and southeast angles are 12th-century wall-arcades, extending two bays along the north and south walls and returning one bay on the east wall. The east arches are partly filled with masonry as if for altars. The rough semi-circular arches are plastered, and rest on shafts set between the bays. The shafts have scalloped capitals and deep abaci. One capital on the south side has carved stiff-leaf foliage.

The 12th-century west doorway has a semi-circular head of three orders enriched with chevron ornament and a diapered label. The tympanum has been removed, and the space filled with a glazed frame. The jambs are both of four orders: the innermost with chevron ornament and carved head-corbels at the top, the others with shafts and scalloped capitals. The two outer shafts have been removed. The shaft of the second order is helically fluted on the north side, and has chevron ornament on the south side.

The north, south and west walls of the second stage each have a 12th-century window of one round-headed light; those in the north and south walls are blocked. In the 15th-century bell-chamber the east and south walls each have a window of two trefoiled lights under a depressed head with moulded label; flanking the east window are two circular recesses or blocked openings. The north and west walls each have a window of three trefoiled lights under a four-centred head with moulded labels.

The Chancel

The chancel is mid-13th century, altered in the late 14th century. The east window is 19th century except for the late 14th-century internal splays, two-centred rear-arch and internal label. In the north wall is a window of around 1370 of two cinquefoiled lights with tracery in a two-centred head, restored externally. Further west is an arcade of around 1250, of two bays with two-centred arches of two chamfered orders. The octagonal column and the responds with attached half-columns have moulded capitals; part of one original base remains.

In the south wall is a window of the same date and design as that in the north wall, but the jambs are more richly moulded and the moulded internal label has carved head-stops. Further west is a doorway of around 1370, with moulded jambs, two-centred arch and label, restored, with a plain door of uncertain date. Further west is an arcade of around 1370, of two bays with moulded two-centred arches with moulded labels; the east arch is blocked by the organ. The moulded column has four attached shafts with moulded capitals and bases; the responds have attached half-columns.

The clerestorey has four north and four south windows, all around 1370, restored, each of two cinquefoiled and sub-cusped lights with tracery under a square head. The reveals are moulded. The two western windows on each side are blocked.

The 13th-century chancel-arch is two-centred, of two chamfered orders. The responds have each a semi-octagonal attached shaft with a moulded capital and mutilated base. On the east side of the south shaft there is a hollow with trefoiled head, and a squint is recessed into the side of the column. Some 14th-century stones built into the north respond have remains of carved diaper of four-leaved flowers, probably part of the reredos of an altar.

The chancel roof is low-pitched and in four bays, with wallpieces and arched braces to cambered tiebeams, all moulded and with moulded pendants, boarded at tiebeam level in the 19th century. The braces of the easternmost truss are inscribed 'This roof was builded anno domini 1635 at the charge of Robert Kempe Esquiir'; one brace of the second truss is inscribed 'Builded by John Glasscock'. The late 14th-century stone corbels are carved with heads of saints, a king, queen, etc.

There is a 15th-century piscina in the chancel, with chamfered jambs and cinquefoiled head and fluted drain.

The North Chapel

The north chapel is mid-14th century, rebuilt in the late 14th century, and is almost entirely of around 1370. The east window is of three trefoiled ogee lights under a two-centred head, with moulded internal splays, rear-arch and label, restored externally. In the north wall are two windows: the eastern, blocked internally, is of two cinquefoiled lights with a quatrefoil in a two-centred head with moulded label; the western window is of three trefoiled ogee lights with tracery under segmental-pointed head, restored; the rear-arch and internal splays are roll-moulded, and the splays have small moulded bases (one restored).

In the west wall is a moulded two-centred arch of around 1350, re-set, with moulded labels on each face. The shafted responds and their capitals are moulded, and the south respond has a mutilated moulded base. The roof is in two bays, with wall-pieces, arched braces to the two tiebeams, crownpost and four rising braces, and collar-purlin, every part moulded, around 1370. The north stone corbels are carved with heads.

The South Chapel

The south chapel is late 14th century. It has an east window of around 1370, of three cinquefoiled lights with tracery under a segmental-pointed head, blocked internally by the organ. In the south wall is a window of around 1370, of three trefoiled sub-cusped lights with tracery under a segmental-pointed head with moulded label. Further west is an early 16th-century brick doorway with moulded jambs, four-centred arch and label. Above it, externally, is a moulded brick panel with four shields of arms, defaced.

In the west wall is a two-centred arch of around 1370, of two moulded orders with moulded label. The shafted responds and their bases are moulded; the capitals are carved and moulded. The pitched roof is plastered to the soffits of the rafters and collars.

The Nave

The nave has crenellated parapets of brick, probably of 1561. The north arcade is of five bays. The three eastern bays are of around 1340, with two-centred arches of two moulded orders with moulded labels. The columns have each four filleted shafts separated by filleted rolls. The capitals and bases are moulded. The east respond has an attached half-column, partly cut away. The western bays are of around 1370, similar to the south arcade of the chancel except that the labels are plain.

The south arcade is of around 1250, of five bays, with two-centred arches of two chamfered orders. The octagonal columns have moulded capitals and bases and square plinths with spur ornaments. The responds have attached half-columns.

The clerestorey has five north and five south windows of the 15th century, each of two cinquefoiled lights with tracery in a segmental head with plain label. The internal splays and rear-arches are moulded.

The low-pitched roof of the nave is in five bays with wall-pieces, shallow arched braces, and cambered tiebeams, all moulded. The braces of the easternmost truss are carved with foliage and the date and initials '1561, W.B., S.L.'. The carved head-corbels are late 14th century, except two which are 16th century and plainly moulded.

The North Aisle

The north aisle is mid-14th century, rebuilt in the late 14th century. It is of around 1370, and has in the north wall two windows similar to the westernmost window of the north chapel. Further west is the north doorway, with moulded jambs and two-centred arch. The labels, internal splays and rear-arch are moulded. The west window is mainly 19th century. The roof is of low-pitched lean-to form, in five bays, with moulded wallplate and one moulded tiebeam with a mutilated fillet, the others plain.

The South Aisle

The south aisle is late 14th century. It is of around 1370, and has in the south wall two windows: the eastern is mainly 20th century, with segmental-pointed head and moulded label with animal-head stops; the western window is of three trefoiled ogee lights with tracery under a segmental-pointed head. Further west is the south doorway with richly moulded jambs and two-centred arch, and a label with head-stops. The door is in two folds, each with three moulded panels having crocketed heads, tracery, and carvings of the Crucifixion, a pelican, dove and other figures, and two shields.

In the west wall is a window similar to the western window in the south wall, but with different tracery. The roof is similar to that of the north aisle, but with all tiebeams moulded.

The South Porch

The south porch is 14th century, rebuilt in the 19th century. It incorporates the heads of three 14th-century stone panels, all cinquefoiled and sub-cusped, but apart from the roof is mainly 19th century. The roof is late 14th century, in three bays, with king-posts, and double hollow-chamfered ridge and purlins.

Fittings and Monuments

The font has an octagonal bowl, supported on carved angels. On each side of the bowl there are quatrefoiled panels with shields of arms.

The early 15th-century chancel screen is of oak, with double entrance bay and two bays on each side. The entrance bay has a two-centred arch and traceried head. Side bays have ogee arch and traceried heads cusped and sub-cusped, with crockets carved as foliage or grotesques. Between the bays are buttresses and springers of vaults to the former loft. It has a traceried middle rail and close lower panels.

The screen at the west end of the south chapel is of around 1350, of three main bays. The middle bay is of two lights, side bays of three lights, all with cinquefoiled ogee heads and flowing tracery. Between lights in the middle bay and south bay are circular shafts with moulded bases and carved capitals. The north bay is an inserted doorway with cusped and sub-cusped head and crenellated cornice. The main cornice is moulded and enriched with small carvings, with close lower panels.

In the chancel against the north wall there is a plastered altar tomb with black marble slab to Richard Marriot, 1703, and others; and floor-slabs to Dorothy, first wife of Sir John Marshall, 1685, and to Lucy, second wife, 1699, both with shields of arms, to Thomas Marriott, 1766, and John Marriott, 1781.

In the north chapel against the north wall there is a plain altar tomb with brass inscription on slab to Robert Kempe, 1524, and Anne his wife; and on the east wall a white marble and slate tablet with four shields to William Kempe, 1628, and 'Philip' his wife, 1623, erected 1652.

In the middle of the south chapel there is an altar tomb to John Berners, 15- and Elizabeth (Wysseman) his wife, 1523, with brass figures on a Purbeck marble slab, of man in armour with a tabard of arms, the figure of a woman with pedimental head-dress and heraldic mantle, and inscription below the figures. The tomb is of clunch with traceried panelled sides, each with a shield of arms. On north and south sides, dividing the panels, are three canopied niches each with a hooded and habited bedesman, damaged.

In the south aisle, on the ledge of the second window in the south wall, there is a scratched diagram of nine men's morris.