Church Of St. Martin

THOMPSON CHURCH LANE TL 9396

13/71 Church of St. Martin.

16.7.58 I

Parish church. First half C14, restored 1910-13 and 1974. Flint with ashlar dressings and pantiled roofs. West tower, nave, south chapel and chancel. Tower 3 stages. Tall base with bell mouldings and chequered knapped flushwork. Diagonal buttresses west, angle to east. West door 3 orders of wave mouldings under hood. 3-light reticulated window above containing subsidiary reticulated units. 2-light Y belfry windows. Flushwork battlements. South porch with triple niche under depressed arch. 4 buttresses to south nave, one 3-light intersecting Y window. Tall south chapel founded-1450 by Sir Thomas de Shardelow. 5-light panel traceried window under 4-centred arch. Chancel 2 3-light triple-lobed petal windows, tracery now blocked. Low priest's door below raised string course. Diagonal buttresses to east. 5-light east window similar but elaborated. North chancel has 2 3-light windows as south with lights also blocked. Toothed eaves cornice of brick. 4 north nave buttresses. 2 3-light intersecting windows. 2-light panel tracery window over north door. Interior with scissor braced roof and collars of 40 trusses. Complete set of poppyhead benches dated 1632 and 1625. Box pew of Futter family c.1630 panelled and carved. 2 cockshead hinges to door. South chapel screen c.1450 with blind cinquefoil arches below circled quatrefoils with shields. Tall 4-centred chapel arch with continuous hollow mouldings. Chancel screen c.1330. Lower part panelled and painted. Stencilling probably C15. Central gates survive below free standing gable with cusps and crocketts. Finial touches top rail. 2 2-light panels between compound stiles. Muntins circular with capitals and bases. Tracery in form of frieze of circles, with alternating mouchette wheel and spherical triangle decoration. Early C17 double-decker pulpit, panelled with some carving. Fine tester slightly later. Chancel stalls C15 and C17, some with misericords.c.1620 communion rail with turned balusters. Continuous sedilia and piscina under hood : moulded piers support cusped ogee arches with elaborate mouldings. Carved representations of Green Man in spandrels. Chancel roof has principals on braces and collars dated R.F. 1648 (Robert Futter). C14 octagonal font with traceried panels. Early C14 south door with flower trail border and original lock complete with ring plate. Bell frame in tower arch braced, probably pre-Reformation. Building of national importance for interior woodwork.

Listing NGR: TL9299096946