Church Of St Petronilla

TL 85 NW WHEPSTEAD CHURCH ROAD

4/129 CHURCH OF ST PETRONILLA

(Formerly listed as Church of 14.7.55 St. Petronella)

II*

Church; mediaeval, restored 1869. Nave, chancel, west tower, south porch, north vestry. Flint rubble walls, mainly rendered, with limestone dressings; porch of knapped flintwork. Plaintiled roofs except for slated vestry, and nave with large riven slates; parapet gables. Square chancel arch piers late C11 or C12, with roll-moulded jambs; the arch with chevron mouldings built 1869, but some voussoirs from the original arch were found during the work and reused for a C19 doorway in the tower staircase. Late C13 2-light windows with quatrefoil heads in the nave. Mid C14 alterations include: Y-traceried 2- light windows in nave and chancel and 3-light east window (nave windows on both sides have piscina bowls cut into the dropped cill, and on the south side integral steps up to the rood loft); chancel piscina; moulded south doorways to nave and chancel, both with good C19 battened and boarded doors, the nave door traceried. The gabled south porch almost rebuilt early C20, but retaining lower part of C14 flint rubble walling with limestone quoins; the arched doorway renewed except for lower jambs; an original stoup in the south wall. C15 tower with moulded west doorway, and 3-light traceried window above flanked by cinquefoiled niches. The upper level much altered, possibly in 1582 (date scratched on S.E. Buttress) with 2-light belfry openings. C19 alterations include reconstruction of nave roof of hammerbeam type, and addition of gabled vestry against the C14 north doorway; the C19 pulpit incorporates 2 early C17 arcaded panels with marquetry inlay. Some fragments of assorted mediaeval stained glass reset in roundels in south chancel window. Wall tablets in chancel to: Johannes Ryley (d.1673) and General Sir Francis Hammond (d.1850). In the chancel, 2 tomb-slabs of Purbeck marble, possibly of C14 priests, and 6 C18 floorslabs of black marble.

Listing NGR: TL8327858238