SALFORD HUNDRED 



original 15th-century arcade, erected after the accident 

 of 1815. The height of the pillars to the top of the 

 capitals is 7 ft. 9 in., but on the north side the pier to 

 the new arcade is only 5 ft. 3 in., and the arch above 

 of corresponding height, leaving a wide extent of wall 

 space above, which has lately been decorated with a 

 frieze of painted figures. This difference in height 

 is accounted for by the roof of the vestry being con- 

 siderably lower than the roofs of the chancel or aisle. 

 The nave arcade of the I 5 th-century church was a 

 continuation westward of that on the south side of 

 the chancel, but in the 1 8th century it was swept 

 away and the present classic nave and aisles erected 

 between the newly-built tower and the older chancel. 

 The nave has three semicircular arches on each side, 

 springing from circular stuccoed columns of the Tus- 

 can order standing on pedestals 3 ft. high. There 

 are three columns on the north side and two on the 

 south, with a half column against the upper part of 

 the octagonal stone pier at the east end. The junc- 

 tion of the 18th-century work with that of the 

 chancel is clumsily effected, and 

 indicates the evident intention 

 to carry the rebuilding east- 

 ward. The spacing of the bays 

 on the north and south is un- 

 equal, the columns not coming 

 opposite each other, and on the 

 north the beginning of a fourth 

 semicircular arch butts against 

 the wall at the west end of 

 the chancel. The north aisle 

 extends slightly further west- 

 ward than the south, and is 

 lighted by three high round- 

 headed windows on the north 

 side and one at the west, with 

 moulded sills, architraves, im- 

 posts, and keystones. The 

 south aisle is lighted along its 

 side by four similar windows 

 and one at each end. In the 

 south-west corner is a semi- 

 circular-headed doorway with 

 pilasters and pediment, and a 

 smaller round-headed window 

 over. The nave and aisles 

 have open timbered roofs of plain king-post type. 



The tower, as previously stated, is a modern re- 

 building of the 18th-century one, and has a round 

 arch towards the nave. It is of three stages marked 

 i by string-courses, with a vice in its south-west corner 

 entered from the outside, and is a mixture of classic 

 and 18th-century Gothic detail of no particular archi- 

 tectural interest, but a fair example of its kind. The 

 angles, like those of the aisles, have drafted quoins, 

 and at the corners of the embattled parapet are urn 

 ornaments. The lower stage has a round-headed 

 west doorway with a three-light debased Gothic 

 window breaking the string-course above, and over it 



FLIXTON 



the inscription recording the rebuilding of the tower 

 in I73 1 - The upper stage on each side has a round- 

 headed three-light window with stone louvres and 

 label over. The window head has a keystone round 

 which the cornice above breaks, and which is carried 

 up as an intermediate pilaster in the middle of the 

 parapet surmounted by an urn. In the second stage 

 on the north side is an inscription to the effect that 

 the tower was rebuilt in 1888 in commemoration of 

 Queen Victoria's Jubilee. There is a clock presented 

 in 1889 in the second stage on the north and east 

 sides. 



There is a 17th-century oak chest in the vestry, 

 but generally speaking all the fittings of the church 

 are modern, mostly dating from 1877 or ^ ater - The 

 font is under the tower, and an oak screen separating 

 the baptistery from the nave was erected in 1903. 



At the west end of the south aisle was formerly a 

 brass to the memory of Richard Radcliffe of Newcroft 

 (died 1602), but during a recent decoration of the 

 church it has been removed to the vestry. It bears 



FLIXTON CHURCH : SOUTH-EAST VIEW 



the figures of Radcliffe in armour and his two wives, 

 kneeling at each side of a book desk, with the three 

 sons of the first wife, and the two sons, three daugh- 

 ters, and three infants (swaddled) of the second. 

 The first wife Bridget (Caryll) widow of W. Molyneux, 

 kneels with her three sons opposite to Radcliffe, while 

 the second wife and her children kneel behind him. 

 Over the desk is a shield with the arms of Radcliffe 

 of Ordsall with helm, crest, and mantling, and on 

 each side a shield with the arms of Radcliffe impaling 

 those of his wives. 8a 



There is no ancient stained glass. 



Until 1 806 there were four bells, of which one r 



83 The inscription is as follows : ' Here 

 lyeth y e bodie of Richard Radclyff Esquire 

 of Newcroft, yongest sonne to S r William 

 Radclyff of Ordsall, whoe in his life was 

 Captaine over CC. foote at y* siege of 

 Leeghte, & at y* rebellion in y north, hee 

 had first to wife Brigett y* daught : of 

 Thomas Carell of Warnam in y e County 



of Sussex y 8 widowe of W. Mollynex 

 sonne & heyre of S r Richard Mollinex 

 and had issue by her 3 sonnes. He had 

 to his 2 wife Margret y 6 daught : & 

 heyre of John Radclyffe of Foxdenton, & 

 had issue by her 2 sonnes & 6 daughters 

 whereof 5 daughters are deceased. He 

 being of the age of 67 years departed this 



43 



life the I3th of lanuaire in Ano. Dom, 

 1602.' The two last lines have been re- 

 newed in modern lettering on a separate 

 strip of brass. They formerly read ' where 

 of v daughters are deceased. He beinge 

 of the age of 67 years, deceased the I3th 

 of lanuarie in Ano Dom 1602.' 



