WIDDINGTON CHURCH.

BY THE REV. G. MONTAGU BENTON, M.A., F.S.A.

THIS article is the outcome of the Society's primary visit to Widdington church last year, and it has been compiled in the assurance that photographs, or drawings, of our churches before restoration, together with contemporary accounts of what actually took place at the time, are of great assistance in interpreting their architectural history aright. There is a considerable mass of similar material existing-often in private hands-that might with advantage be recorded in these pages, and it is to be hoped that in future a greater regard will be given to this source of information. It will be found to form, as in the present case, a convenient peg on which to hang additional facts relating to the furniture and fittings of an earlier date. Moreover, it is only due to the Victorian "restorer" that the neglected and sometimes ruinous condition of the fabrics with which he had to deal should be fully realised.
According to the Archidiaconal Records (Act Book, vol. xxviij., fol. 12) Widdington church was 'in decay' in 1594; and at a Visitation held in 1686 it was reported that the tower of the steeple is crackt.' Matters, apparently, were allowed to go from bad to worse, for the parish register, under date 15 May, 1771, contains this entry: The whole steeple, from top to bottom, with ten feet in breadth of both sides of the body of the church, fell down. Three bells out of five were dug out of ye rubbish unhurt.
The Rev. J. C. L. Court, the rector responsible for the restoration, commenting on the above extract in a letter he addressed to The English Churchman, 1873, wrote: What was done under these circumstances is not recorded in the books, but it was to be seen until lately in red bricks and mortar. The church wardens of that date sold the bells and with the proceeds built up a wall of red brick at the west end, not even restoring the ten feet on either side, but

WIDDINGTON CHURCH.

shortening the church, thus destroying the original proportions, and surmounted the work with a wooden dovecote, in which they placed a small bell. In this state the church remained until the year 1871, when, in consequence of its ruinous and dangerous) state, it became necessary to suspend the service, and to repair and restore the church. In removing the wall we found masonry of the old tower and parts of an old font, evidently broken up by the falling tower. Fortunately, the foundations of the old tower had resisted the sexton's pick, and in dry weather showed their existence. The writer concludes by remarking that the condition of the building inside was worse than the outside.

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The Probert collection of drawings, etc., of Essex churches, now in the Society's library, includes a sketch of the church, dated 1866; it is taken from the south, and indicates that the south-east windows of both chancel and nave were then blocked up. Other early views exist, and by the kindness of Sir Claud Hollis, K.C.M.G., grandson of Mr. Francis Smith who, with his son Mr. Griffiths Smith, was active in forwarding the work of restoration, I am able to reproduce two photographs of the church, taken in 1868. These show the lamentable state into which the building had fallen; and one cannot but admire the energy and goodwill of the rector who, in order that there might be no further delay, was faced on the completion of its restoration with a deficit of more than 1,000, for part of which he had made himself personally responsible. The total cost, excluding the chancel, was about £2,500. The church was re-opened on 24 May, 1873, and from an account of the event which appeared in the Herts and Essex Observer of 31 May, we learn that the tower was rebuilt from the foundations of the old tower, which in Holman's time had a spire or shaft leaded'; the nave restored to its original length; and the south porch rebuilt in its original form. The old high pews were replaced by modern benches; the gallery was removed; and a new font- the gift of the Rev. W. J. Copeland, R.D., Rector of Farnham- provided, the design of which was based on the fragments of the old font that had been brought to light. The early twelfth-century window on the north side of the chancel was revealed during the course of the work. Mr. Ewan Christian was the architect, and the builder, Mr. Edward Brown, of Saffron Walden and King's Lynn. The tracery of four or five windows, including all those in the nave, was renewed, but this was probably unavoidable, since that of the east window, which, as the photograph shows, was in a fairly good state of preservation, suffered only partial restoration;

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the chancel arch, too, was rebuilt. On the whole, care seems to have been taken to preserve features of interest, although, unfortu nately, some old heraldic glass was allowed to go astray. When the late Mr. C. K. Probert, F.S.A., visited the church on 12 Oct., 1857, he noted (Brit. Mus.: Add. MS. 33520, fol. 102) in the north window, in addition to the two shields of Old France and England quarterly, which still exist, a fourteenth-century shield of the arms of Fitz Walter: or a fesse hetween two chevrons gules. Subsequently he added 'this coat is not now (1883) in the window, having been removed during the "restoration" of the church.-C.K.P. In 1857 there were in the same window some curious heraldic borders of the arms of France and England, and another of White Swans'; these have also disappeared. The bordure of swans was probably part of the coat of Thomas of Woodstock, for on a hanging for a hall, recorded in an inventory of his property, 1397, there was worked the arms of his father, Edward III., with a bordure paly of red and black powdered with Bohun swans.

The above shields, with others that have long since been lost, are recorded by the Rev. W. Holman, in his MS. History of Essex, written about 1720, and now in the Colchester Museum. His heraldry, however, is always rather erratic, and in the following list, which was derived from the Symonds MSS., c. 1630, I have not hesitated to revise his descriptions; Mr. C. F. D. Sperling, F.S.A., has also kindly added some supplementary remarks.

According to Holman there were in the south window 'divers escocheons, since mutilated':

(1) France and England quarterly impaling Bohun.

These were the arms of Henry IV., who, in 1380, married Mary, daughter and coheir of Humfrey de Bohun, last earl of Hereford of that name.

(2) France and England quarterly within a bordure [gules; should be argent].

The arms of Thomas of Woodstock, duke of Gloucester, youngest son of Edward III., who married Eleanor, the other daughter and coheir of Humfrey de Bohun. (3) Or a bend argent two cotises between six lyonceux gules [should be: azure a bend argent cotised or between six lions or]. BOHUN; impaling Quarterly: I. and IV., gules a lion rampant or. FITZ ALAN; II. and III., checky or and azure a bordure [gules; should be engrailed argent]. WARREN.

The arms of Humfrey de Bohun, earl of Hereford, who married Joan Fitz Alan, daughter of the Earl of Arundel.

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In the north window :

(1) Gules fretty argent a fesse or. HELYON.

(2) Argent two fesses [-bars] embattled sable.

(3) FITZ WALTER.

(4) [France and] England [quarterly] within a bordure argent. THOMAS OF WOODSTOCK.

These arms [France and England]' the MS. goes on to say were round the borders of the windows.'1

We are also indebted to Holman for recording other features of interest, now lost, some of them having disappeared before his time.

On the font carved in stone, very ancient-it apparently dated from the fifteenth century-were two shields of arms: (1) a lion rampant crowned, evidently intended for Greene, whose arms were: gules a lion parted fessewise argent and sable crowned or; (2) a plain cross. The latter is reproduced on the modern font.

In the chancel are six stalls on each side, which I take it did belong to Priors Hall.' These stalls had disappeared by 1769, for Muilman," writing about that time, says In the chancel were lately six stalls.... but they are now removed and new pews erected in their place.'

In the chancel, on a flat stone of grey marble, was the por- traicture of a man and woman in brasse, with two escocheons: a lyon rampant parted crowned. Holman erroneously assigns these arms to Duke instead of to Greene. The latter arms occur at Gosfield, on a brass to John Greene, 1473, and on the tomb of Thomas Rolf (1440), whose daughter and heir married the aforesaid Greene; for the same reason the arms of Greene may have been placed on this brass of John Duke, as his daughter and heir married another Greene. Underneath on a plate of brass was this Norman-French inscription, in Lombardic lettering-Holman, quoting Symonds, calls it 'old French-Saxon character':

JOHAN DUK DE WIDYTON PANETER NOSTRE SEIGNOUR LE ROY EDWARD LE TIERCE ET KATRINE LA FEMME GY SOUNT YCY DIEU DE LOUR ALMES EIT MERCY.

Upon another stone adjoyning, the portraict of a man and woman. At the upper end [Greene's] armes in two escocheons. Underneath, on a plate of brass, this inscription in Gothic characters: [Orate pro] Anime Johis Greene.... About the time

In the windows of the chapel at Widdington Hall were these arms: embattled counter-embattled argent between three wings or three pellets sable. impaling BoURCHIEN. Then the Salutation by itself."

Gentleman's Hist. of Essex, vol. ii. (1769), p. 401.

(1) Sable on a jesse SEAMER; (2)..

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of the restoration of the church, a brass effigy of a civilian, c. 1450, which may represent John Greene, was found buried beneath the flooring. It has been figured by Mr. Miller Christy (Trans. E.A.S., vol. viii. (N.s.), p. 283), who also gives the inscription in full.

Holman concludes his description of the brasses by remarking: Nothing of all this on the stones save only on one of them, a single escocheon. The effigies and inscriptions were either torne of in the Civill warrs or else trod of."

Although modern, the carved oak chancel-screen deserves. mention. It was designed by Mr. E. Guy Dawber, Pres. R.I.B.A., and executed by the local wood-carving class in 1912. Mr. Dawber also designed the War Memorial-an oval tablet of lead.

In conclusion, I take this opportunity of printing the following extracts from the Visitation books of the Colchester Archdeaconry, for which I am indebted to the Rev. W. J. Pressey, F.S.A.:-

Widdington, 23 August, 1633.

Mr Richardus Wooly-Rector. Richardus Jaggard Richard Hockley

gards.

They want a decent surplisse, and the Communion Carpett & Cloath are too narrowe for the table; the Couer of the Communion Cupp is unfitting & must be changed: the Common prayer booke is torne in diurse places; they want the books of homilies; the steeple wants a weathercock & the pulpitt wants a backe. All wch the Churchwardens are to provide nowe before Easter day next, to certifie the Courte following.

The seate at the high Altar wch stands very unseemly, is to be remoued before the next visitation, & to certifie then.

The Churchyeard fence at the east end wants some (pales) wch they are to doe before halomas next & to certifie the next courte after.

The sentences of scripture are defaced on the Church walls.

At a later Visitation, held 18 Aug., 1686, the King's Arms, Lord's Prayer and Creed were ordered to be set up'; and there was to be a new till made in the Chest, and two locks & keys put thereto, and the Register booke to be kept in it.'