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St Leonard

Southminster

Essex

Nave shows 3 distinct heights of building, C12 septaria, rubble

Architectural Features

Roman brick, C15 flint clerestory, C19 gault brick over.

West tower base C12 of septaria

rubble, raised C15, repairs of red brick, flint flushwork gables.

C15 north porch, flint with stone dressings circa 1820 Chancel, sanctuary, north and south transepts rendered brick.

Nave, 2 north wall C15 clerestorey windows of 3 trefoiled lights, under square heads.

C15 north doorway, moulded jambs, re-set 2 centre arched head, label with headstops.

Between western and central windows part of a large red brick C12 round headed arch is visible.

Central C15 window, 2 cinquefoil lights, tracery over under 4 centre arched head, label over.

West of this window is the early C12 doorway with plain jambs, imposts and round head.

C19 sundial and medieval scratch dial adjacent to east of doorway.

C15 moulded cornice with carved ball flowers, flint flushwork to shallow north and south gables.

West door, C15 restored, double chamfered jambs, 2 centre arched head, label over.

C15 restored window above door.

Second stage of south face has a C15 window with trefoil head, much eroded.

Band and C15 partly restored windows of 2 trefoiled lights under square heads to each face of the bell chamber.

C15 2 storey north porch.

Gargoyle to left return.

Above the archway are 3 niches, each with buttressed jambs, cusped, crocketted and finialed canopies and moulded cills carved with 3 heads, angels or shields.

The C15 north doorway with moulded jambs, 2 centre arched head and label.

Moulded ribs, carved bosses of the Trinity, Half Angels and foliate motifs, some eroded.

The first: floor with timber cambered roof, is approached by stone stairs with central newel from a small C15 doorway with hollow chamfered jambs and 2 centred head, in north wall of Nave, C15 door of overlapping battens with strap hinges, similar entrance doorway to first floor room.

Chancel, reredos C19 carved stone, double left and right panels, crocketed and pinnacled pilasters, figures of SS.

Cedd and Alban left and right of central cusped and illuminated panel, pointed head over, illuminations of 12 Apostles, central red marble crucifix, carved stone symbols of Crucifixion to soffit.

Front C15 poppy head choir stalls, the rest C19 copies.

A chest, table, glass fronted cupboard, looking glass and iron box fireplace, known as The Nelson Relics and reputed to have been brought from H.M.S. Victory by Dr. Alexander Scott, are in the transcept vestries.

C19 brass eagle lectern.

C19 carved timber octagonal pulpit, 2 light tracery to panels, saints to angles.

C19/C20 stained glass and glass fragment margins and quarries to ground floor windows, clear glass to clerestory.

Memorial board relating enlargement dated 1819.

2 consecration crosses, formee on splay of south doorway, the upper probably C12, the lower probably C15 when the church was extended by Vytoner, Abbot of St. Osyth, Essex.

Font C15.

Quatrefoiled base with square flowers, C19 carved timber cover.

C15 2 centred west tower arch of 3 chamfered orders, blocked round headed arch over.

High up on east wall probably C12 carved stone head.

South wall, C12 blocked window.