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St Andrew

Colne Engaine

Essex

C12- early C16, restored in 1872 by G. Swansborough.

Architectural Features

Flint and stone rubble containing Roman brick and tile, and red brick in English bond, with dressings of Barnack and other limestone, roofed with handmade red clay tiles.

Nave early C12, Chancel C13, W tower C14/15, upper part rebuilt in brick in early C16, S porch C15, altered in early C16, N vestry and organ-chamber 1872.

In the N wall are traces of the tile relieving arch, visible externally, of a blocked C13 lancet window plastered internally

further W is a C14 'low side' window of one light with moulded jambs and 2-centred head, trefoiled ogee tracery and one iron bolt-socket.

In the S wall are 2 windows: the eastern is early C14, of 2 septfoiled lights with tracery with richly moulded jambs, mullion and 2-centred arch

The western window is an early C14 'low side' window similar to that opposite, but deeper, with 4 original iron hinge pintles near the bottom.

Between the windows is a C13 doorway with chamfered jambs, 2-centred arch and moulded label, blocked.

Above the doorway are traces of a C13 relieving-arch similar to that in the N wall.

The Nave has W quoins of Roman brick, irregularly alternated with limestone, and in the S wall are well-defined bonding courses of Roman brick.

Between them traces of a blocked C12 window defined in Roman brick are visible externally.

In the S wall are 2 windows, all C19 except the splays and moulded 2-centred rear-arch of the eastern, C14.

W of this window is a C12 window defined externally with Roman brick, blocked internally,

indistinct traces of another further W. To the W is the C14 S doorway with double-chamfered jambs and moulded 2-centred arch

The roof of the Nave is C14, in 4 equal bays, of crownpost construction, with moulded wallplates, wall-pieces, arch-braces and straight tiebeams, square crownposts with moulded bases and caps, 4-way rising braces, and long straight down-braces to the end tiebeams

The second truss from the E has 2 grotesque carved corbels, C14.

The W tower is of 3 stages, with a splayed stair-turret to the S, the lowest stage of rubble, probably C14, the upper stages rebuilt in brick in the early C16.

The bell-chamber has in each wall an early C16 window of two 4-centred lights with chamfered jambs and pierced spandrel in a 4-centred head with a moulded label.

The C15 S porch, originally timber framed, has been built up in brick to wallplate level, with an ornamented brick gable outside the original studded gable, in the early C16.

The C15 roof is in 2 bays, of crownpost construction, with hollow-chamfered wallplates, moulded covings, moulded tiebeams with step stops, arched braces, moulded crownposts and plain axial bracing

In the Chancel is a piscina with moulded jambs and trefoiled ogee head with carved spandrels, crocketed label and finial, and octofoiled drain, C14.

On the S respond of the chancel-arch is an early C16 brass to Agnes Hunt, widow, and her daughters Agnes, Alys and Elizabeth, inscription only.

There are 6 bells, the third by Miles Graye, 1624, the sixth dated 1760 and inscribed 'Tho.