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St. Mary The Virgin

Little Dunmow

Essex

Formerly the Lady Chapel C14, of the Augustinian Priory of St. Mary the Virgin, founded 1106 by Geoffrey Baynard.

Architectural Features

It is all that now remains above ground, the rest being demolished after the Dissolution 1536.

Clad with grey slate tiles.

North wall has four C19 lancet windows and east of the vestry is a blocked, shafted, C13 window with shaft rings, below which is an area of blank intersecting arcading.

South wall has four fine C14 windows, eastern and third, of four cinquefoiled sub-cusped lights with flowing tracery in four centred heads, second and fourth of three cinquefoiled sub-cusped lights with leaf/vertical tracery in a two centred head

there is also to the west C16 light with three centre head in a square headed panel.

west wall has moulded string course and three panels with trefoiled ogee heads, crocketed and finial labels and carved stops.

East window has original splays which are continued to the floor with attached shafts, moulded capitals and bases there are four niches in splay hollows, with gabled crocketed and pinnacled canopies c.1370.

Reredos c.1370 of five niches with three sided ornamented canopies, has two pairs of panels to right and left with trefoiled ogee head and carved spandrels.

Adjoining north splay is a carved head.

Level with the cills of the four south windows two of the springs of the window heads are moulded string courses enriched with small carvings of animals, foliage and people.

South arcade c.1190 of five bays, two centre arches of three moulded orders, with remains of moulded labels.

north wall at floor level a panel of approximately 31 medieval tiles.

Dunmow Flitch Chair, made of C13 stall and later work with moulded panels.

Tomb of Walter Fitzwalter and his wife 1432-1464, two fine alabaster effigies, man in plate armour with mail standard and skirt, collar of s.s. with 'truth' pendant, hip belt, head on helm, headless lion at missing feet.

Woman in sideless dress hip belt, corded cloak, horned headress, angels at head and dogs at feet.

Tomb Alabaster, effigy of woman in sideless gown and corded cloak, collar of s.s. angels at head and dogs at feet.

Adye - Obelisk with seated female figure holding a portrait medallion.

Floor slab to John Wylde, infant son of Sir William Wilde 1665.

Piscina C14 wall, moulded trefoiled head and label, finial and dog tooth ornament, shafted jambs with moulded bases and foliated capitals, spirally fluted basin with carved front resting on semi-octagonal shaft with moulded base and capital, with two pointed and foiled arches.

Pulpit C19/early C20 incorporating seven C15 Flemish traceried panels.