Church Of St Faith (Church Of England)

Church of St. Faith

A parish church of 13th-century foundation (dedicated 1254) incorporating fabric from an older church (dedicated 1108-14). The building stands on the north side of Hexton Barton Road, and comprises a chancel, north chapel of St. Nicholas, nave with north and south aisles, south porch, and west tower.

The church underwent a substantial "rebuilding" in 1824 by Joseph Andrew de Lautour and his wife Caroline Young, which involved reducing the height of the south and east walls of the chancel, the north and east walls of the north chapel, and the north wall of the north aisle (and probably the south wall of the south aisle) to about 1.5 metres. The upper parts of these walls were rebuilt in brick, incorporating the old stone windows with their sills set slightly lower. The entire building was faced in stucco, and slate roofs were added to the chancel and north chapel. A new south porch was constructed and the spire was replaced by a low spike. The chancel, north chapel, and north aisle are now exposed in red brick laid in English Bond. In 1947 the northwest angle of the tower collapsed. The organ and west gallery were removed in 1955, and a new bell enclosure was constructed in the base of the tower in 1959, with the tower arch subsequently closed by a glazed screen.

The main structure is of flint rubble with limestone dressings. The tower is entirely of stone with chalk ashlar facing to the interior. The south aisle and porch are of red brick. Metal low-pitched roofs cover the nave and aisles, while steeper slate roofs cover the porch, chancel, and north chapel. The tower, now re-roofed and open to the weather, originally had a higher roof.

The nave has two bays with chamfered and roll-moulded pointed arcades of 13th-century date. The south arcade has fat circular piers and imposts, while the north arcade has quatrefoil-plan piers and imposts. The west bay contains smaller two-order pointed chamfered openings on north and south, with three two-light clearstorey windows on each side, each light having a cinquefoil head.

The roof is a 15th-century open timber roof of three and a quarter bays with king-posts mounted on cambered tie-beams with curved braces rising from wallposts set on eight carved stone corbels. Moulded ridge-beam purlins support principal rafters and sub-principals, the latter carved as half-figures of angels holding shields set against the wall. The ridge mouldings continue down the east and west faces of the king-posts, terminating in carved heads now gilded. Square flower bosses, gilded at intersections of the moulded timbers, ornament the roof. The roof and clearstorey correspond to the lengthened nave.

A tall tower arch of three chamfered orders with jamb shafts, necking, and capitals marks the transition to the tower. Early 19th-century box pews occupy the western half of the nave and north aisle. The clerk's and reading pulpit stands on the north side with a two-decker form, while the taller preaching pulpit is positioned on the south side. All are of oak, circa 1824, with narrow-panelled sides, diagonal corners, plain wooden corner supports, and wooden flying staircases with slender iron balusters and wooden handrails. The staircase to the high pulpit is double-curved in plan, with the handrail terminating in a wreath.

The north aisle has a six-bay open timber roof, probably 15th century, with moulded axial and cross-members, though the joists and boarding have been renewed. Three windows on the north side include a central and east window of three pointed lights of equal height with trefoil heads and hollow chamfered mullions, and a west window of two lights set beyond a gap in the plinth where a former north doorway stood. The east half of the north aisle is occupied by a panelled manor pew with a floor level matching that of the chancel. The pew has seats around its interior, a small fireplace at the southeast with a 20th-century tiled surround and flue installed in the former rood-loft stair, and is accessed through a narrow tall pointed opening at the east with a gate.

The south aisle has a six-bay open timber roof similar to that of the north aisle, a stone floor, and an early 19th-century octagonal limestone font inlaid with Gothic designs and panels on the shaft, bowl, and inside and bottom of the bowl. Two two-light south windows with ogee tracery and trefoils in the head light this aisle.

The chancel is three steps higher and has been internally remodelled in what has been termed "pre-archaeological Neo-Gothic" work. An elaborate four-centred wide chancel arch with jamb shafts and small stiff-leaf capitals marks its entrance. The chancel is covered by a pointed arched plaster vault with moulded ridge and wall ribs and three pairs of cross-ribs with foliate bosses and corbels. A cross-arch with wall shafts and cusped panelling marks the sanctuary. Tall narrow Gothic niches flank the east window with pointed heads on the side walls and ogee heads on either side of the window, containing painted lettering of the Commandments, Creed, and Lord's Prayer. The niches and ceiling ribs are picked out in colour. The three-light pointed east window is 14th century with cusped lights and trefoil in the head; it contains good stained glass of Christ in Majesty dated 1964 by Harry Stammers. Two bays of elaborately moulded 13th-century north arcading with columns and imposts have been remodelled to suit the raised floor level of the chancel. A small pointed door on the north side provides access to the vestry, which was formed from the east end of the north chapel circa 1820.

The south side of the chancel has buttresses marking two bays externally, with a wide moulded doorway in the east bay (early 19th century, with jamb shafts) and a wide three-light Perpendicular window in the west bay with hollow chamfered mullions and cusped heads. Inside, the window is flanked by white marble wall monuments on black grounds. The eastern monument commemorates William Young (died 1824) with a Greek sarcophagus above a pilastered panel. The western monument, signed 'E Gaffin, Regent St London', shows Joseph Andrew de Lautour (died 1845, whose inscription states he "rebuilt" the church) depicted as a seated female leaning on a sarcophagus with martial trophies behind.

The narrower north chapel has a plain pointed plaster vault with impost moulding. Its west half is now occupied by a small organ with Gothick arches to the pipe chest and paved finials, executed in natural oak with gilded pipes. A three-light cinquefoil window on the north side is flanked by wall monuments. The western monument, signed 'Currie 548 Oxford St London', commemorates Caroline Young de Lautour (died 1869) in the form of a white marble scroll and cross on a black slab. The eastern monument, signed 'Gaffin Regent St London', is to Francis de Lautour (died 1807), probably erected by Caroline Young de Lautour after 1825.

On the east wall of the north chapel hangs a hatchment above two wall monuments. The northern monument is a framed panel of Purbeck marble with arched margin and two inset enamelled brass shields with strapwork surrounds, commemorating Peter Taverner (died 1601) and Frances his wife (died 1636); the arms of Taverner and Docwra are displayed. A wide clunch frame with inset grey panels and an inscription to the wife in the bottom panel possibly dates from circa 1636. The southern monument is a simple upright rectangle of white marble with edge beadmould, with an epitaph to the Poytz family (died 1701-1773); the uniform fine letterwork suggests it was erected circa 1773. To the left of the opening on the west wall giving access to the manor pew is a small wall memorial of white marble on black ground to Louisa de Lautour (died 1845) and Frederic William her son (died 1846), signed 'T Denman 83 Quadrant Regent St'.

The west tower is a three-stage structure of mid-15th-century date, crenellated with string courses at floor levels. It has set-back buttresses with three offsets and a staircase rising in the southwest corner with pointed doorways at each level. A slot window on the south lights the middle stage, and two-light pointed bell openings with dripmould occur on each face. A projection at the southeast angle with the nave probably served as access to a stair leading to the former west gallery. The remains of the south jambs of the west door and west window are visible.

The south porch is gabled with a gable parapet and pointed entrance, and is covered by a plaster pointed vault.

The church was renovated in 1633. The south aisle may be earlier than the north aisle, and the mid-15th-century west bay of the nave, clearstorey, and end roofs belong to a later phase of medieval construction.