Church Of The Holy Cross

Church of The Holy Cross

The Church of The Holy Cross is a medieval parish church dating from the early 12th century, with significant additions and alterations spanning the 14th, 15th, 16th centuries and later periods. The building is constructed principally of rubble and flint with some brick and tile, and stone dressings. The South Chapel is built of clunch ashlar. The roofs are of plain red tile and lead.

The earliest structural elements include the West Tower and the north-west angle of the Nave, both dating from the early 12th century. The South aisle and its arcade are late 12th century work. The early 14th century saw the addition of the North aisle, arcade, and clerestory, while the Chancel and possibly the South aisle were rebuilt in the mid-14th century. A North vestry with two contemporary windows of one and two lights dates to the 15th century. The South Porch also dates to the 15th century, though it now has a modern outer arch and one-light windows. The South Chapel is an early 16th century addition. A late 19th century Organ Chamber was constructed between the South aisle and South Chapel in 1877. Considerable restoration work was undertaken in the 19th and 20th centuries.

The roofs over the Chancel and Nave comprise seven cants with moulded wall plates. The Chancel roof has three tie beams and the Nave roof has five tie beams. Both aisle roofs are nearly flat; the North aisle roof has stone corbels to its wall plates, while the South aisle roof has brackets to tie beams. Both aisle roofs underwent repairs between approximately 1770 and 1800.

The West Tower rises in three stages and is crenellated, with a stair turret in its south-west angle lit by round-headed loops in the south and west walls. The semi-circular Tower Arch comprises two orders; the outer is roll-moulded while the inner is of brick of unknown date. The responds have modern detached shafts, and a modern wooden screen separates the Choir Vestry from the Nave. The West Norman doorway has three semi-circular orders, the outer two being chevron-decorated and the inner plain, with a plain lintel and tympanum. The jambs originally had two shafts each but are substantially restored. Above the doorway is a two-order round-headed window. The original doorway to the turret has a round-headed arch. The second stage East wall has a round-headed doorway opening into the Nave, while the North, South, and West walls feature round-headed windows. The Bell Chamber contains modern round-headed windows. An 18th century bell cote forms an octagonal pyramid with an open octagonal cupola featuring a moulded base and cornice, ogee coping, and a vane. The cupola houses an 18th century south wall clock bell.

The Nave has two arcades of four bays dating from the early 12th century. The South arcade contains two circular piers and a central octagonal pier, all with foliated capitals and chamfered plinths. The North arcade has three octagonal piers with moulded capitals and bases. The arches are two-centred with two chamfered orders. All arches are plastered with scalloped soffit decoration that is repeated in the Tower Arch.

The North aisle is uncrenellated and displays three grotesques above its windows. It has two two-stage buttresses and four modern alternating windows of three-light and two-light design in flat heads. The west wall contains a 14th century one-light window with two-centred head and moulded label. The South aisle wall is crenellated with two-stage buttresses and three modern three-light windows. The reset South door has a two-centred arch of three square arches with moulded label. The jambs each have two side shafts with carved water-leaf capitals and square moulded abaci. The west wall features a 14th century window with central mullion and cusped tracery.

The 15th century Porch is crenellated with modern doors and windows. On the east side of the door is a holy water stoup. The Clerestory has on each side three two-light windows, modern in design except for the splays and rear arches with moulded labels. The Chancel Arch dates to the 14th century and is two-centred with two moulded arches and modern responds. The North Vestry contains two 15th century windows of one and two lights under square heads and two modern doorways. The South Chapel is much restored with a 19th or 20th century door and two windows of three-light design, one with an arched head and one with a flat head. The west wall has a modern arch to the Organ Chamber, which was constructed in 1877.

The Chancel is 19th century work. Its east window is set in a 14th century opening with original splays, two-centred rear arch, and moulded internal label; the opening was reduced in height to accommodate the 19th century window. Two 14th century windows in the north wall each have two trefoiled lights. To the east of these is a 19th century doorway to the Vestry. The south wall contains a 19th century arcade of two bays opening into the South Chapel.

The South Chapel contains a monument to Richard, 1st Lord Rich (died 1566) and his son Robert (died 1581). The monument is constructed of alabaster and marble and comprises an altar-tomb with effigy, a canopy, and a kneeling figure at the west end. The altar-tomb sits on a high step and is divided at its north end by pilasters of black and green marble. The bays contain incised panels depicting Lord Rich on horseback with a mace-bearer and attendants, and Lord Rich's funeral hearse with effigy beneath an elaborate canopy. The effigy of Lord Rich reclines on the altar-tomb wearing a flat cap and furred robe, with a book in his right hand and a bearded face. A flat classical canopy supported by two black marble Corinthian columns with strapwork pedestals, capitals and bases—all of alabaster—rises above. Above the cornice stands a pediment flanked by vases. A wall behind the monument comprises three bays with relief-carved panels. At the west end of the altar-tomb is a small reading desk at which kneels an alabaster effigy in half-plate armour with a broken left arm; behind it is a panel of arms in a segmental head.

The Font is a square Norman bowl with a head carved on the boss at each angle. Its supports are 20th century work. It is alleged to have been found in the River Chelmer.

Brasses include an effigy of Christina Bray (1420) and an effigy of a man in plate armour (1414). An early 14th century black marble slab retains the matrix of a brass displaying a long foliated cross and a small effigy of a priest. In the north wall of the Sanctuary remain the elements of a 14th century altar tomb featuring a recess with a two-centred ogee-moulded arch with cinquefoiled soffit sub-cusped at the middle cusp on each side. The moulded and crocketed label displays an elaborate finial; side shafts have moulded and carved capitals and bases and are flanked by projecting buttresses with gabled and crocketed pinnacles bearing carved finials.

A Piscina in the vestry south wall dates to the 15th century and features moulded jambs, a cinquefoil arch in a square head, shelf, and circular drain. A Poor Box, nail-studded and iron-bound with three locks and possibly of the late 16th century, is mounted on the second pier of the South Arcade of the Nave.