Parish Church Of The Holy Innocents

LAMARSH HENNY ROAD TL 83 NE (east side) 2/69 (25/523) Parish Church of the Holy Innocents 21.6.62 GV I Parish church. C12, altered in C14, restored 1869. Flint rubble with cement rendering and dressings of clunch, S porch of red brick in English bond, roofs of handmade red clay tiles. Round W tower, C12 or earlier, nave C12, chancel rebuilt in C14, and extended approx. 1 metre to E in 1869. S porch c.1500. N vestry and roof of tower 1869. The S wall of the chancel has 2 windows, the eastern of 2 pointed lights with Y-tracery in a 2-centred head, restored; the western has 2 pointed lights, C19/20, and a lower sill. Between the windows is a C14 doorway with chamfered jambs and 2-centred head, restored. There is no chancel arch; a thickening of the walls indicates its former position. The nave has in the N wall 2 windows, C19 except for the C14 rear-arches and splays. At the E end of the wall are the early C16 lower and upper doorways of the stair to the rood-loft, both with chamfered jambs and 4-centred arches of brick, blocked. In the S wall are 2 windows; the eastern is late C15, of 2 cinquefoiled lights in a 4-centred head with moulded label and head, restored; the western is early C14, of 2 trefoiled ogee lights with flowing tracery in a 2-centred head with moulded label. Further W is the S doorway, c.1500, with moulded jambs and 4- centred arch of brick, formerly plastered. The door is of V-edged boards with strap-hinges having incised herringbone patterns, substantially C14, on a rear frame rebuilt in the C19. The roof of the nave is in 5 cants, plastered to the soffit, probably medieval. The W tower is early C12 or possibly earlier, built in 3 stages, undivided externally. Part of the NW wall has fallen and been repaired with brick, timber framing and plaster. The tower-arch and spire are of 1869. There is a lancet window, c.1200, in the first stage, a round-headed loop in the second stage, and another in the bell-chamber. The S porch, c.1500, has an outer doorway with double-chamfered jambs and 4-centred head with moulded label. At a later date the jambs have been rebated for gates, not now present. In the gable is a niche with 4-centred arched head, originally blocked with plaster or wood at the back, now open. In the E wall is a window of 2 round- headed lights in a square head, and in the W wall a similar window with pointed arches. There is a C14 stoup with plain round head E of the main door, and V- headed niches in the SE and SW corners. The roof of the porch is of king-post construction with moulded wallplates and an original framed and panelled timber ceiling jointed with soffit tenons.

Listing NGR: TL8898136059