Church Of St Ethelbert

TL 76 NW HERRINGSWELL THE STREET

6/33 Church of St. Ethelbert - 7/5/54 - II*

Church, mediaeval, restored 1869 by A.W. Blomfield after a major fire. Nave, chancel, south transeptal chapel, south porch, west tower, north vestry. Flint rubble with freestone quoins and parapet gables. Plaintiled roofs; the tower roof is flat behind crenellated parapets. Both nave and chancel have areas of C12 coursed rubble walling; at the north-east corner of the nave is an angle- shaft with cushion capital. Transept added C14, with 2- and 3-light windows; the south window has an image niche above and a quatrefoil vent at the apex. Chancel extended and nave and chancel walls raised mid C14. 3-light net- traceried east window and 2-light side windows inserted; also hood-moulded doorway now leading to C19 vestry, and south nave doorway. Image niches of C14 are found in outer walls of:- south transept, east diagonal chancel buttresses, flanking central west tower buttress, and over south doorway. Further niches in the chancel flank the east window. Double piscina in chancel, with central moulded pillar; the gabled arches with crocketing and pinnacles were renewed 1869. Late C14 chancel arch (restored). Porch of late C14 has pilastered doorway and 2-light side windows; butt purlin roof of, perhaps, C16. Circular stoup beside south doorway is perhaps Norman, reset on later polygonal stem. C14 tower with large south stair turret; lion-head gargoyles, flushwork parapets and 2-light belfry openings are alterations of late C15. Of c.1500 are the unusual piers supporting the east tower walls, braced by flying buttresses to the extended aisle walls; the north 2-light window is contemporary. Roofs were rebuilt 1869; nave roof with arch-braced collar-beam trusses in 4 bays, chancel roof canted and boarded. Of 1869 are 3 nave windows, pointed, with Y-tracery; also the octagonal limestone font. Good stained glass in most windows of c.1900, depicting pastoral subjects of local significance.

Listing NGR: TL7180669953