Church Of St Andrew

WICKHAM SKEITH CHURCH LANE TM 06 NE 2/145 Church of St Andrew 29.7.55

-- I Parish church. Medieval, restored 1857. Nave, chancel, west tower, north and south porches. Flint rubble with stone dressings. Chancel has remains of render. Nave has slated roof, the chancel is plaintiled. Massive square tower of late C14: 3-stage diagonal buttresses with chequer flushwork, embattled parapet. Moulded west doorway over which is a trefoil-headed niche. 2-light belfry openings. 4-bay C15 nave has large 3-light windows, those to north substantially original. Flushwork-enriched buttresses. Moulded north and south doorways retain original doors. Good C15 north porch: flushwork- panelled facade, further flushwork to front of parapet. Moulded entrance arch on shafted jambs, hoodmould on further shafts, shield-carved spandrels. Above is a stone frieze of crowned M's and a canopied image niche flanked by demi buttress-shafts. Tall 2-light side windows with mask label stops. South porch has knapped flint facade with panelled flushwork each side of entrance. Moulded arch on shafted jambs with shield-carved spandrels: much of this stonework renewed C19. Above is a trefoil lancet window, probably originally lighting an upper chamber. Chancel has C15 windows of 2 lights (sides) and 3 lights (east end); the walls are older. Much-renewed Priest's doorway has 2- centred arch. North wall has C17 tablet with acanthus-enriched bolection surround and open pediment, the inscription now lost. Interior. C15 hammerbeam roof over nave is in 8 bays: moulded principal components, the wallplates and hammerbeams also embattled; carved bosses at intersections. Wallposts rest on angel corbels, some original. Chancel has moulded and embattled wallplates, the roof timbers ceiled over. Chancel arch rests on large corbel heads, probably re-dut C19. Remains of hoodmoulds with medieval mask stops. To north of chancel arch is a group of 3 trefoil-headed image niches; to south, one broad trefoil niche. Cusped ogee piscina. Rood loft stair in north east nave. Doorway from tower into nave retains original traceried door. Octagonal font, probably C15, has traceried bowl panels and much-defaced angels and woodwoses against the stem. C17 turned altar rails. Some nave benches re-use C17 and possibly earlier woodwork. Mid C19 pulpit, west gallery, poppyhead benches and stalls.

Listing NGR: TM0996869280