Church Of The Holy Trinity

Church of the Holy Trinity, Bledlow-cum-Saunderton

Parish church. Originally 12th century, much rebuilt and enlarged in the 13th century, with a 14th century south porch. The roof was altered in the early 16th century, and the building was fully restored in 1909. The structure is built of flint with stone dressings and lead roofs. It comprises a west tower, nave, aisles, south porch and chancel.

The west tower is of three stages with a gabled roof and plain parapet. It features a carved head corbel table, two-light traceried openings to the bell-chamber, and small lancets to the middle stage. On the west side there is a two-light traceried window above a moulded doorway. The flanking aisle bays each have a single arched light to the west; the south bay has a two-light traceried south window.

The nave has a three-bay clerestory of three-light cusped windows, all heavily restored. Traces of a blocked opening survive high at the east end of the north clerestory. The aisles have moulded parapets and late 13th century two-light traceried windows. The central north window has been altered with 14th century reticulated tracery. Two south windows have also been altered—the left with Y tracery, the right a large 14th century Decorated window of four lights with an early 18th century memorial tablet below. The east bay of the north aisle is of a different build, possibly incorporating remains of a 12th century transept, and has a 15th century flat-headed window in its east wall.

The north doorway is 12th century with a semi-circular unmoulded arch on moulded imposts. The south door has a moulded arch of three orders, the outer two on shafts with stiff-leaf capitals. A large stoup stands to the right. The south porch has a later moulded arch of two orders, the inner on semi-octagonal piers with moulded capitals, and a carved head corbel with sundial set into the parapet. Inside the porch are stone benches and a moulded ceiling beam.

The chancel has two-light traceried windows—on the north side with two cusped lancets, one transomed, and on the south side with a blocked semi-circular headed opening. The east end has triple lancets with a taller central light. 19th and 20th century buttresses are present; one carries an 18th century memorial tablet.

Interior

The tower has double chamfered arches to the nave and aisles, the inner order on semi-octagonal piers, with a larger arch to the nave. The nave has fine early 13th century arcades with four bays of unmoulded arches of two orders on circular piers with variously carved foliage capitals. The end arches rest on carved corbels. Traces of wall paintings and painted texts survive above, notably on the north-east wall of the nave a painted panel of The Creed. The nave roof is 16th to 17th century in date. 19th and 20th century half arches divide the main aisles from the west bays.

The north aisle has an altar recess and clunch niche in its east wall. The south aisle has an aumbry to the left of the door, two shallow tomb recesses with moulded four-centred arches, a piscina, and a rectangular recess with painted texts in the east wall. Both aisles have traces of wall paintings, including figures of St. Christopher and Adam and Eve. Both have 15th century roofs with carved bosses.

The chancel arch is similar to the nave arcades and rests on corbels with carved heads. Carved head corbels above support an early 20th century rood. The chancel has a moulded sill course incorporating remains of two carved finials. A narrow trefoil recess in the north wall contains a brass to William Hern, priest, dated 1525. A trefoil piscina with a recess below is present. The east window has a fine internal treatment with stilted arches on slender shafts with moulded caps and bases. The south-east window has similar shafts and carved heads at imposts and apex.

Fittings

The church contains a fine 12th century font of Aylesbury type with a carved frieze, fluted bowl, cable moulding and foliage in inverted scallops on the base. There is a 15th century eagle lecturn on an early 20th century stand, a 17th century altar table in the south aisle, and an 18th century carved wooden candlestick with a claw-foot base. Late 19th century stained glass is present. A pair of mid-18th century marble wall tablets to members of the Crosse family on the east wall both have scrolled pediments.