Parish Church Of St Germanus

Parish Church of St Germanus

This parish church, mainly late 12th century with 13th-century alterations and 19th-century restoration, is built on a north-east to south-west alignment. The structure comprises a nave with a slightly narrower chancel, extended approximately 2 metres to the north-east in the late 13th century. Walls are constructed of flint rubble and some Roman brick, mostly plastered, with Barnack stone dressings. The roof is covered with handmade red clay tiles. The south porch and vestry are of red brick in Flemish bond, while a timber-framed bell-turret and spire are clad with shingles.

The chancel retains original Barnack stone quoins to a height of one metre in both side walls, rebuilt above this level. The east end has diagonal buttresses with string courses. The east window, late 13th century and partly restored, has three pointed lights under a two-centred head with moulded external and internal labels and headstops; the north-east external headstop is defaced. The centre of the north wall contains a 12th-century window of one round-headed light, partly restored, with widely splayed jambs. The south wall has two windows: the eastern is late 13th century and partly restored, with two pointed lights under a two-centred head; the western is a low-side window of the first half of the 14th century, much restored, with one trefoiled and transomed light under a two-centred head. Between these windows is the original 12th-century doorway with a semi-circular arch springing from chamfered abaci. This doorway and the western window are enclosed by the 19th-century vestry. There is no chancel arch.

The nave has three windows in the north wall: the easternmost, of approximately 1340 and restored, has two trefoiled lights with a quatrefoil under a two-centred head; the other windows are original, of single round-headed lights with widely splayed jambs. Between them is the north doorway, early 13th century, with a square head on shouldered jambs, blocked with 18th-century brick. The south wall has two windows: the eastern is early 15th century, of brick and partly restored, with three lights with four-centred heads, moulded mullions and vertical tracery in a square head with moulded label; the western window is original, similar to those in the north wall. West of this is the original south doorway, set in a gabled projection with a semi-circular arch of two orders, the outer roll-moulded and supported on square shafts with chamfered arrises. The capitals have a simple cross-shaped ornament in low relief and the bases resemble inverted capitals; the base of the east shaft has a round abacus with cable ornament; the other abaci are square and plain. The door leaf is 14th or 15th century, with hollow moulded durns forming a two-centred head, and four humped planks of irregular widths, the joints covered by hollow-moulded fillets, on a simple riveted portcullis frame. It has three rear strap-hinges, a drop-handle, and a later stock lock; the bottom rail has been replaced. The exterior bears a graffito dated TN 1744. The west wall has five windows arranged in two tiers. The middle upper window is a single round-headed light flanked by circular lights, restored; the lower windows are 19th century.

The nave roof is seven-canted, originally in three bays excluding the bell-turret, but the western tiebeam has been severed; the eastern tiebeam is inside the chancel. Octagonal crownposts with unusual arched stops are mounted on the remaining tiebeams, with thin axial braces to the collar-purlin. The soffits of the rafters, collars and soulaces have nail holes and were formerly plastered. The exposed roof timbers are lightly charred; the crownposts appear to be inserted. The bell-turret at the west end of the nave is supported on two trusses, of which the western is supported on the west wall. The eastern is supported on a north post with chamfered attached shaft; externally a short length of timber hangs from the end of the tiebeam, apparently part of a former external post. The south post is mounted on a frame enclosing the south doorway with solid knees at the angles. There are chamfered arched braces below the east tiebeam and arched braces above it. Straight diagonal braces at the front and sides of the turret are later insertions, lapped and nailed. The date of the original structure is probably 14th or 15th century; the spire was not examined. The early 18th-century south porch is of red brick in Flemish bond with black headers mainly on the east side, featuring a segmental outer arch and crow-stepped gable.

The church contains notable fittings. There are two bells, the second by Robert Burford, circa 1400, inscribed 'Sancta Katerina Ora Pro Nobis'. The font is octagonal with concave sides, moulded lower edge and moulded base, 15th century. In the chancel there are three brasses: one in the north-east corner, partly covered, with two shields and indent for inscription plate, early 16th century; one to Henry Fortescue, Esquire of the Body to Queen Elizabeth, 1576, with figure in full armour and three groups of ten children below, marginal inscription and four shields of arms; and one to Mary, successively wife of Sir Edward Darrell, Philip Maunsell and Henry Fortescue, 1598, with figure of lady, inscription plate and four shields of arms.

Against the north wall of the chancel is the upper part of a 13th-century coffin lid with chamfered edges and cross in low relief, and four superimposed circles. Against the south wall is another coffin lid or tomb-lid of Purbeck marble with gabled head and carved figure of a knight with flat-topped helm, kite-shaped shield and long surcoat, much eroded and fractured across the middle, 13th century. A floor slab to Elizabeth, wife of Mordant Cracherode, 1693, with shield of arms, is in the chancel floor.

Wall monuments include: in the chancel, one to Sir Edward Bullock, 1644, with a panel of black marble with white marble architrave surmounted by a cartouche of arms; one to John Bullock, 1809, and his wife Elizabeth, 1793, with female figure and double portrait medallion in low relief in white marble, backed by black marble with shield of arms in the Neo-Greek style; and one to John Bullock, 1711, and his widow Hannah Maria, 1759, with sculpture of a seated female figure holding a ring, inscribed oval shield flanked by urns, backed by a grey marble obelisk surmounted by a painted shield of arms, by Peter Scheemakers. In the nave, on the north wall, there are monuments to Josiah Bullock, 1751, and his widow Hannah, 1783, white marble tablet with Corinthian pilasters, open segmental pediment, cherubs' heads and two painted shields of arms; and to John Harrison, rector, 1797, his wife Elizabeth (Allen), 1750, and three children, marble tablet. On the south wall are monuments to the Reverend Dr Richard Bullock, 1754, and Whalley Bullock, 1767; and to the Reverend Robert Parkinson, 1791, oval marble tablet. On the west wall is a monument to Elizabeth, widow of the Reverend Foote Gower, 1797, white and grey marble tablet with draped lamp.

In the north-east window of the nave is 14th-century glass, spire of canopy with foliated border and shield of arms. In the chancel are five bench-ends and two buttressed fronts, one with linenfold panels, and three carved poppy-heads, early 16th century, made up with modern work. On the spire is a wrought-iron weather-vane pierced with the date 1701.