HAMFORDSHOE HUNDRED 



century priest's doorway is simply chamfered and has a 

 segmental rear arch: at the west-end of the wall, below 

 the string, is a contemporary lancet low-side window. 

 At the east end of the north wall is a tall rectangular 

 aumbry' with trefoiled head and hood-mould, the 

 staples for the door of which remain. West of this is a 

 blocked doorway to a former vestry and farther west 

 again two widely splayed low-side windows, like that 

 opposite, with a blocked doorway benveen. This 

 arrangement of three low-side windows is unusual, but 

 it is possible that the two in the north wall were intended 

 to give light to a seat in the chancel belonging to the 

 lord of the manor and that the doorway between them 

 was for liis use. .AJl three windows are plain chamfered 

 lancets, with hood-moulds, segmental rear arches, and 

 internal sloping sills; that in the south wall retains its 

 shutter hooks and hasp.^ The chancel arch is of two 

 chamfered orders, the inner on half-octagonal responds 

 with moulded capitals and bases: a considerable portion 

 of the hood-mould has been cut away on the nave side. 

 The rood-loft doorway, now blocked, is on the south 

 side. Part of the old rood-screen appears to be in use 

 as the support to a desk on the north side of the 

 chancel. 



The nave arcades are of four bays with pointed 

 arches of two chamfered orders on octagonal piers with 

 moulded capitals and bases, except between the two 

 eastern arches on the north side where part of the older 

 wall is left standing as a masonry pier^ with a half 

 octagonal respond on each face. The easternmost arch 

 on each side is narrower* than the others, and the two 

 eastern piers stand on square plinths of masonry; else- 

 where the plinths follow the plan of the column. 



The aisles have diagonal angle buttresses and a scroll 

 string at sill level outside: within, the scroll is repeated 

 in the south aisle, except in the west wall, but in the 

 north aisle the string is keel-shaped, save for a length 

 of scroll moulding at the west. All the windows are of 

 the 14th century, with pointed arches and of three 

 lights. Those at the east end of the aisles and the 

 easternmost in the north and south walls have original 

 reticulated tracery. The rest have cinquefoiled lights 

 and two quatrefoils in the head. In the west wall of 

 the north aisle, built into the string, is a stone bracket 

 carved with a head and conventional four-leaf flower, 

 and above the string another with two grotesque heads 

 conjoined. 



The north and south doorways occupy the second 

 bay from the west; both are of the 14th century, with 

 continuous wave mouldings, but the south doorway is 

 of two orders divided by a casement. The i jth-cen- 

 tury traceried oak door retains its original hinges and 

 handle and is nail-studded. 



There are four square-headed clerestory windows of 

 two trefoiled lights on each side, with segmental rear 

 arches: all the roofs are modern. The organ is in the 

 middle of the north aisle and the vestry at its west end. 



West of the chancel there are clear traces of three 



■ The opening is 2 ft. 9 in. high by 

 1 6 in. wide. There are traces of painting on 

 the face of the lintel below the arched head. 



* Aiioc. Arch. Soc. Reports, xxix, 402-3. 

 Each of the windows is 3 ft. high by 1 3 in. 

 wide. The height of the sill of the south 

 window above the floor is 3 ft. i in. and 

 of those on the north 2 ft. 1 in. and 2 ft. 

 8 in. respectively. 



^ The pier measures 3 ft. 5 in. from 

 west to east. 



* Width of arch on north aide between 



responds 9 ft. 4 in., on south side 10 ft. 



4 in. The other arches average 1 1 ft. 6 in. 

 in width. 



' The front of the bowl is cut away, as 

 if also the hood-mould. 



' The spaces measure 6 ft. 4 in. by 



5 ft. There is also some medieval tiling 

 at the west end of the south aisle. 



' The painting, now very indistinct, 

 was discovered in 1871. 



• The middle order dies out, while the 

 outer order forms a two-centred segmental 



GRE.AT 

 DODDINGTON 



altars and there was probably a fourth: at the east end 

 of the south aisle is a 1 3th<entury trefoiled piscina with 

 mutilated fluted bowl,' and at either end of the chancel 

 arch, against the formerly existing rood-screen, are the 

 original tiled floors upon which the nave altars stood.' 

 Behind that at the south end are the remains of a wall- 

 painting of our Lord on the cross between SS. Mary 

 and John, which formed the rercdos.' The east ends 

 of both aisles were formerly inclosed by screens, but no 

 piscina or other ancient ritual arrangement remains on 

 the north side. 



The arch from the tower to the church is contem- 

 porary with the nave arcades and is of three chamfered 

 orders on the east side, the inner order on half-round 

 responds with moulded capitals and bases.' Above the 

 arch, within the line of the original nave roof, is a 

 round-headed opening. 



The to«er is of three receding stages and finished 

 originally with a tiled saddle-back roof, but in 1737 

 this was taken down and the present flat leaded roof 

 and plain parapets with angle pinnacles substituted.' 

 The diagonal buttresses are additions of the r4th cen- 

 tury, and the west doorway seems to have been inserted 

 c. 1 190-1200: it is of three square orders, the two 

 outer on shafts with moulded capitals and bases. Above 

 the doorway in the lower stage is an original round- 

 headed window of two chamfered orders with hood- 

 mould, and on the south side in the upper part of the 

 middle stage a window of two rounded lights, which 

 may be a comparatively late insertion. The lower stage 

 is blank on the north and south and the middle stage 

 on the north and west. The bell-chamber windows are 

 of two round-headed chamfered lights recessed within 

 a semicircular moulded arch without hood-mould. On 

 the south side of the tower are two tablets, one inscribed 

 'This steeple was pointed in 1685', the other obliter- 

 ated.'" 



The 13th-century font has a plain circular bowl 

 and short stem, on two circular steps. It has a late tall 

 crocketed pyramidal oak cover. 



The I yth-century oak pulpit is part of a former 'two- 

 decker'; in plan it is hexagonal, with three tiers of 

 panels, the two lower arched, and stands on a modern 

 stone base. Behind it, attached by a bracket to the pier, 

 is an iron hour-glass stand and glass. The lectern and 

 altar rails are also of the 17th century, the latter with 

 twisted balusters off. 1620-40. 



Four choir stalls, two on each side, with carved 

 misericords, remain in the chancel: on the north side 

 are represented a carver with his tools at work on the 

 rose supporters, and vine leaves and fruit issuing from 

 a mouth; on the south a rose, and leaves. The counters 

 also are car\'ed. Some 17th-century seats remain at the 

 west end of the south aisle. 



In the middle of the nave is a 14th-century floor slab 

 with indents of a cross and two shields: the brass 

 inscription remains — 'Ici gist Mons. William de 

 Pateshull qu. morust le xvi j jour de Septembr. mccclix'.' ■ 



arch with the chamfer continued down the 

 jambs. 



'> Bridges describes the tower as 'ridged' 

 and 'tiled at the top": Hisl. of NorlhaHtt. 

 ii, 140. 



■0 According to a transcript made in 

 1870 the inscription read: 'This steeple 

 was taken down and leaded at top by 

 Moses Mores and William Pettit, church- 

 wardens, July 21, 1737.' 



'* The brass measures iq| in. by l\ in. 

 The slab was re-used for 'J. G." in 1737. 



"5 



