St Mary's Church, Washbrook
Encyclopedia
St Mary's Church, Washbrook, is a redundant
Anglican
church in the village of Washbrook
, Suffolk
, England . It has been designated by English Heritage
as a Grade II* listed building, and is under the care of the Churches Conservation Trust
. It stands in an isolated position in fields about 3 miles (5 km) west of the centre of Ipswich
.
by Edmund Buckton Lamb, and a north baptistry was added.
rubble
and some brick, with stone dressings. The roof is tiled, with alternating bands of red and black fishscale tiles. Its plan consists of a nave
and a chancel
, with a south porch, a north vestry
and baptistry, and a west tower. The flint tower is in three stages with a brick battlement
ed parapet
. There are angled buttress
es on the west corners and a stair turret
at the southeast corner. The turret contains vertical slit openings. The tower stands on a plinth
, above which is a band of stone and flint flushwork
in a chequerboard pattern. On the west side of the tower is a three-light window dating from the 19th century. There are single bell openings on the north, west and south sides. The south porch dates from the 19th century and is in timber on a brick and flint base. Its roof is in banded tiles. The porch leads to a 19th-century doorway in the style of the 14th century. The nave and chancel also stand on a plinth, which is rendered
, above which is a band of alternate stone and flushwork panels, which continues round the church, including the buttresses. To the left of the porch is a two-light window with late Decorated or early Perpendicular tracery
and, to its right is a small lancet window
, probably dating from the 12th century. To the west of this are two 19th-century three-light windows between which is a buttress and, to the west of these, a chancel door. At the east end are diagonal buttresses. The 19th-century east window has three lights. The windows in the north wall are similar to those on the south side.
arcades
, the window tracery, the stalls with canopies
, the sedilia
and piscina
, and an Easter sepulchre
. In the baptistry is a 15th-century font
with an octagonal bowl. This is carried on pilaster
shafts with four carved lions. Under the bowl are carvings of angels holding shields, alternating with roses and acanthus
-like leaves.
Redundant church
A redundant church is a church building that is no longer required for regular public worship. The phrase is particularly used to refer to former Anglican buildings in the United Kingdom, but may refer to any disused church building around the world...
Anglican
Anglicanism
Anglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures. The word Anglican originates in ecclesia anglicana, a medieval Latin phrase dating to at least 1246 that means the English...
church in the village of Washbrook
Copdock and Washbrook
Copdock and Washbrook is a civil parish in Suffolk, England. It covers the villages of Copdock and Washbrook, as well as the hamlets of Coles Green, Mace Green and Washbrook Street...
, Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
, England . It has been designated by English Heritage
English Heritage
English Heritage . is an executive non-departmental public body of the British Government sponsored by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport...
as a Grade II* listed building, and is under the care of the Churches Conservation Trust
Churches Conservation Trust
The Churches Conservation Trust, which was initially known as the Redundant Churches Fund, is a charity whose purpose is to protect historic churches at risk, those that have been made redundant by the Church of England. The Trust was established by the Pastoral Measure of 1968...
. It stands in an isolated position in fields about 3 miles (5 km) west of the centre of Ipswich
Ipswich
Ipswich is a large town and a non-metropolitan district. It is the county town of Suffolk, England. Ipswich is located on the estuary of the River Orwell...
.
History
The oldest fabric in the church dates from the 12th century, but most is from the 14th century. In 1866 the church was restoredVictorian restoration
Victorian restoration is the term commonly used to refer to the widespread and extensive refurbishment and rebuilding of Church of England churches and cathedrals that took place in England and Wales during the 19th-century reign of Queen Victoria...
by Edmund Buckton Lamb, and a north baptistry was added.
Exterior
St Mary's is constructed in flintFlint
Flint is a hard, sedimentary cryptocrystalline form of the mineral quartz, categorized as a variety of chert. It occurs chiefly as nodules and masses in sedimentary rocks, such as chalks and limestones. Inside the nodule, flint is usually dark grey, black, green, white, or brown in colour, and...
rubble
Rubble
Rubble is broken stone, of irregular size, shape and texture. This word is closely connected in derivation with "rubbish", which was formerly also applied to what we now call "rubble". Rubble naturally found in the soil is known also as brash...
and some brick, with stone dressings. The roof is tiled, with alternating bands of red and black fishscale tiles. Its plan consists of a nave
Nave
In Romanesque and Gothic Christian abbey, cathedral basilica and church architecture, the nave is the central approach to the high altar, the main body of the church. "Nave" was probably suggested by the keel shape of its vaulting...
and a chancel
Chancel
In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar in the sanctuary at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building...
, with a south porch, a north vestry
Vestry
A vestry is a room in or attached to a church or synagogue in which the vestments, vessels, records, etc., are kept , and in which the clergy and choir robe or don their vestments for divine service....
and baptistry, and a west tower. The flint tower is in three stages with a brick battlement
Battlement
A battlement in defensive architecture, such as that of city walls or castles, comprises a parapet , in which portions have been cut out at intervals to allow the discharge of arrows or other missiles. These cut-out portions form crenels...
ed parapet
Parapet
A parapet is a wall-like barrier at the edge of a roof, terrace, balcony or other structure. Where extending above a roof, it may simply be the portion of an exterior wall that continues above the line of the roof surface, or may be a continuation of a vertical feature beneath the roof such as a...
. There are angled buttress
Buttress
A buttress is an architectural structure built against or projecting from a wall which serves to support or reinforce the wall...
es on the west corners and a stair turret
Turret
In architecture, a turret is a small tower that projects vertically from the wall of a building such as a medieval castle. Turrets were used to provide a projecting defensive position allowing covering fire to the adjacent wall in the days of military fortification...
at the southeast corner. The turret contains vertical slit openings. The tower stands on a plinth
Plinth
In architecture, a plinth is the base or platform upon which a column, pedestal, statue, monument or structure rests. Gottfried Semper's The Four Elements of Architecture posited that the plinth, the hearth, the roof, and the wall make up all of architectural theory. The plinth usually rests...
, above which is a band of stone and flint flushwork
Flushwork
-Description:In architecture, flushwork is the decorative combination on the same flat plane of flint and ashlar stone. It is characteristic of the external walls of medieval buildings, most of the survivors being churches, in parts of Southern England, but especially East Anglia...
in a chequerboard pattern. On the west side of the tower is a three-light window dating from the 19th century. There are single bell openings on the north, west and south sides. The south porch dates from the 19th century and is in timber on a brick and flint base. Its roof is in banded tiles. The porch leads to a 19th-century doorway in the style of the 14th century. The nave and chancel also stand on a plinth, which is rendered
Stucco
Stucco or render is a material made of an aggregate, a binder, and water. Stucco is applied wet and hardens to a very dense solid. It is used as decorative coating for walls and ceilings and as a sculptural and artistic material in architecture...
, above which is a band of alternate stone and flushwork panels, which continues round the church, including the buttresses. To the left of the porch is a two-light window with late Decorated or early Perpendicular tracery
Tracery
In architecture, Tracery is the stonework elements that support the glass in a Gothic window. The term probably derives from the 'tracing floors' on which the complex patterns of late Gothic windows were laid out.-Plate tracery:...
and, to its right is a small lancet window
Lancet window
A lancet window is a tall narrow window with a pointed arch at its top. It acquired the "lancet" name from its resemblance to a lance. Instances of this architectural motif are most often found in Gothic and ecclesiastical structures, where they are often placed singly or in pairs.The motif first...
, probably dating from the 12th century. To the west of this are two 19th-century three-light windows between which is a buttress and, to the west of these, a chancel door. At the east end are diagonal buttresses. The 19th-century east window has three lights. The windows in the north wall are similar to those on the south side.
Interior
The 14th-century stone carving in the chancel is "exquisite". This is to be found in the six-bayBay (architecture)
A bay is a unit of form in architecture. This unit is defined as the zone between the outer edges of an engaged column, pilaster, or post; or within a window frame, doorframe, or vertical 'bas relief' wall form.-Defining elements:...
arcades
Arcade (architecture)
An arcade is a succession of arches, each counterthrusting the next, supported by columns or piers or a covered walk enclosed by a line of such arches on one or both sides. In warmer or wet climates, exterior arcades provide shelter for pedestrians....
, the window tracery, the stalls with canopies
Canopy (building)
A canopy is an overhead roof or else a structure over which a fabric or metal covering is attached, able to provide shade or shelter. A canopy can also be a tent, generally without a floor....
, the sedilia
Sedilia
Sedilia , in ecclesiastical architecture, is the term used to describe stone seats, usually to be found on the south side of an altar, often in the chancel, for the use of the officiating priests...
and piscina
Piscina
A piscina is a shallow basin placed near the altar of a church, used for washing the communion vessels. The sacrarium is the drain itself. Anglicans usually refer to the basin, calling it a piscina. Roman Catholics usually refer to the drain, and by extension, the basin, as the sacrarium...
, and an Easter sepulchre
Easter Sepulchre
An Easter Sepulchre is a feature of English church architecture .-Description:The Easter Sepulchre is an arched recess generally in the north wall of the chancel, in which from Good Friday to Easter day were deposited the crucifix and sacred elements in commemoration of Christ's entombment and...
. In the baptistry is a 15th-century font
Baptismal font
A baptismal font is an article of church furniture or a fixture used for the baptism of children and adults.-Aspersion and affusion fonts:...
with an octagonal bowl. This is carried on pilaster
Pilaster
A pilaster is a slightly-projecting column built into or applied to the face of a wall. Most commonly flattened or rectangular in form, pilasters can also take a half-round form or the shape of any type of column, including tortile....
shafts with four carved lions. Under the bowl are carvings of angels holding shields, alternating with roses and acanthus
Acanthus (ornament)
The acanthus is one of the most common plant forms to make foliage ornament and decoration.-Architecture:In architecture, an ornament is carved into stone or wood to resemble leaves from the Mediterranean species of the Acanthus genus of plants, which have deeply cut leaves with some similarity to...
-like leaves.