Description

TL 3321 LITTLE MUNDEN CHURCH LANE (west side) 10/1 Parish Church of 24.1.67 All Saints (C of E) (formerly listed under the rural GV district of Ware) I

Parish church. Cll nave and chancel, C14 N aisle with W half of NE chapel, C15 W tower and E part of NE chapel. Restored by G and H Godwin 1868-9 (Pevsner) or 1870-75 (board in Church) when N and S porches, and S vestry added. Flint rubble with flint facing and stone dressings. Steep old red tile roofs. Lead spike with vane. A tall rectangular nave and narrower square- ended chancel with an Cll arched opening in line with N door indicating on original N porticus or aisle. This was given a pointed arch in the restoration but the capitals each side have 3 projecting rolls with herringbone hatching. Small C12 S door in chancel. C14 enlargements involved a 2-bay N arcade and N aisle with octagonal piers and double-chamfered arches and a W arch into the NE chapel where a 2-centred Dec arch from chancel contains the alter tomb of Sir John Thornbury d.c1396 with effigies of knight and lady. Chest has quatrefoil panels with shields separated by figures in buttressed niches. Canopied alter tomb of Sir Philip Thornbury d.1456 and his lady immediately to E in Wall opening between alter and E end of NE chapel. The Chancel has a 3-light E window, quatrefoil headed piscina S of the alter and a 2-light S window and a C19 boarded and battened waggon roof. Buttressed oak choir stalls. Ogee label with crockets and finials and lozenge panelled soffit to early C15 tomb canopy N of alter. C15 wide chancel arch of 2 moulded orders, labels and jamb shafts. Rood stair built in NE corner of aisle with Tudor arched upper and lower openings, and corresponding narrow passage through N wall of nave. NE chapel has a C15 window in E and N walls, a 2-bay crown-post roof with 3 octagonal posts with moulded cap and base, 4-way bracing and moulded corbels support a cornice below the ashlar pieces. 3- centred arched low tomb recess in N wall at raised E half. Late C15 3-bay oak screen with open traceried upper panels and ogee arched centre. The nave has 3 crocketed niches one with part of a figure on the E respond of the arcade and a single 3-light C15 window on S, C14 S doorway of 2 continuously moulded orders. A C15 wide W doorway with moulded jambs and pointed head opens into the tower which was given a stone ribbed vault to ground floor in C19. The N aisle has 2 late C15 3-light windows and a C15 2- light W window. C15 N doorway has a 4-centred head, continuously moulded jambs and and old battened door. C14 3-bay crown-post nave roof with 4 tie beams but 2 octagonal crown-posts with moulded caps and bases and 4-way bracing. C19 boarded and battended lean-to aisle roof. Royal Arms on pointed panel on organ loft fire-standing at W end of nave. Hatchment on E wall of aisle. 3-stage W tower with embattled parapet and set-back spike. W door with continuously moulded jambs, carved spandrelS, square outer-order and battlemented top, W window and bell chamber openings of 2 lights. Gabled stone porches to N and S, gable parapets with crosses. 2 Cll pilaster stripe. in walling over S porch. A small parish church with exceptionally interesting interior and fine monuments. (RCHM (1911) 147-8: VCH (1912) 133-5: Pevsner (1977) 242).

Listing NGR: TL3345121887

External Links

• Wikidata Q17528920

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