Church Of St Martin

TL51SE WHITE RODING CHURCH ROAD

8/140 Church of St Martin 20.2.67 II*

Church comprising West Tower, Nave and Chancel, north vestry and south porch. The walls of flint rubble, clunch and Roman brick with plain red tile roof. The C16 restored West Tower, with C14 work, is 12ft. x 11 1/2 ft. of 3 successively diminished stages, with diagonal buttresses, splayed plinth and crenellated parapet. There is a C19 west window, second stage has square headed, 2 light windows with trefoiled heads to south and west, and much restored windows to each wall of bell chamber. Small rectangular windows to bell chamber stairs. Tower Arch is two centred as is the stair doorway. The Nave, 43ft. x 25ft. has angled quoins of Roman brick and stone. Of the 2 north wall windows, the Eastern is C14 and the western Cll. Below this is the blocked Cll North doorway with semi-circular head, plain jamb and chamfered imposts. The plastered tympanum rests on the oak lintel. In a recess to the East are the former rood loft stone stairs. Of the 4 south wall windows, the eastern and western are C19 with C14 work, the centre two are Cll round headed with external arches of Roman brick with some jamb stones pierced as if for bars. Under the 3rd window, uniform with North doorway is the South doorway with jamb morticed to receive a bar. The Early English door is of four planks the joints between covered with iron strips and with ironwork of the same date. The Nave roof late C13 with trait-de-jupiter scarf, scissored couples some of which were replaced with double collars at a later date, double wall plates and 4 braced crown posts 2 to centre purlin and 2 to tie beam. There is a Piscina in the south wall with cinquefoil drain and square head. The Chancel 21st. square has C13/C14 work in C19 restored or renewed windows. C19 South door. Cll Chancel arch with semi-circular head. The C14 roof has an octagonal Crown drain post with moulded base and capital and moulded tie beam supported by stone corbels with carved grotesques. Piscina has a sexfoil under a cinquefoil ogee arch. There is a recessed trefoil arch with moulded jamb in west wall south of Chancel Arch. The square Norman Font is of Purbeck Marble moulded and carved with rough zig-zag pattern. The top with incised concentric circles in the spandrels, circular stem on square chamfered base. Timber framed South Porch of C14 rebuilt C16 with 2 centre arch, the open sides with turned balusters. Cusped barge boards to gable. (RCHM 2)

Listing NGR: TL5617513351