← Database
St Andrew

St Andrew

North Weald Bassett

Essex

Parish church, built c.1330, repaired after fire 1965, with W tower c.1500.

Architectural Features

Flint rubble with some admixture of brick and freestone, and dressings of limestone and clunch, roofed with handmade red clay tiles.

The nave has three C19 windows in the N wall, the middle one with a substantial area of C14 glass, mainly tabernacle work.

Between the two western windows is the N doorway, with chamfered jambs, 2-centred arch and moulded label, C14.

The door is probable original, vertical boards on the outside with ornamental iron hinges of stylised C-form, C13/14, reported by the RCHM to be battened on the inside but now blocked by plaster.

The S chapel has a gable end with C14 window, restored, of three trefoiled ogee lights with tracery in a 2-centred head

The S wall has two C14 windows, restored, each of two trefoiled ogee lights with tracery in. a 2-centred head with moulded labels and wrought-iron grids

The wall has a piscina with trefoiled head and sexfoiled drain, C14.

The W tower is square with diagonal buttresses, entirely c.1500 except some modern repairs.

In the SW angle is a winding stair with chamfered doorway and Tudor arch, containing the original door with studded battens and strap-hinges.

The nave contains floor slabs (1) to John Searle of Wheelers, 1665, and Mary, his wife, 1676, in limestone (2) to Thomas Arrowsmith, Vicar of the parish, 1705-6 and Margaret his wife, 1702, in black marble with a shield of arms (3) to Rev. Mr. Biscoe (no Christian name known) 1745, in black marble with a shield of arms (4) to Mr. John Burrell, 1805, and Anna Manning Burrell, 1809, in black marble.

There is a brass in the blocked N doorway to Walter Larder, 1606 (the last 2 digits broken off) and Marie (Nicholls) his wife, 3 sons and 2 daughters, with figures of man, woman and children in civil dress and shield of arms.

There are 6 bells, the third by John Waylett, 1712, the fifth by Anthony Bartlet, 1673 .

Medieval paintings on the N wall immediately W of the blocked N door were uncovered in 1964, considerably damaged, and were re-covered